Question
Will anaesthesia for weight loss surgery affect ART
20 December 2022. Related: All topics, Drug interactions.
I am considering weight loss surgery in Turkey.
Do I need to worry about anaesthesia and my ART? I am on the Bi-monthly injection which is going well.
Answer
Hi there
Thanks for your question.
Your HIV meds will not be affected by anaesthesia, especially as you won’t need to worry about taking your meds as the long-acting injections will cover the period of surgery.
Although you didn’t ask about this, most surgery includes a consent form where you list any medications you are taking. This would involve disclosing that you are HIV positive.
I mention this because Turkey might not have experience of HIV and this might be a problem. It might be worth anonymously contacting them to ask about their policies on HIV first.
This sounds liek a major operation and one reason not to travel abroad is that any complications might be much more difficult after you return home.
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