Precover · GLP-1 + cosmetic surgery
On Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound and planning cosmetic surgery? Calculate when to hold your last dose.
Anesthesia teams want GLP-1 medications paused before elective surgery so the stomach is empty enough to be safe under sedation. Pick your medication and surgery date with the Precover hold-timing calculator and you'll see the latest date your last dose can fall on, in plain English. Your prescriber and anesthesiologist always have the final say.
Why GLP-1s get held before anesthesia
GLP-1 receptor agonists slow how quickly the stomach empties. Under anesthesia, retained food or fluid raises the risk of aspiration even after a standard pre-op fast. The 2023 ASA consensus and the 2024 multi-society statement (ASA, ASGE, AAGBI, ISPCOP, SAMBA) keep the same conservative floor: weekly GLP-1s held for at least one week, daily formulations held the day of surgery.
Common GLP-1 hold windows
| Medication | Frequency | Conservative hold |
|---|---|---|
| Ozempic (semaglutide) | Once weekly | Hold at least 1 week (7 days) before surgery |
| Wegovy (semaglutide) | Once weekly | Hold at least 1 week (7 days) before surgery |
| Rybelsus (semaglutide (oral)) | Daily (oral) | Hold day of surgery (last dose day before) |
| Mounjaro (tirzepatide) | Once weekly | Hold at least 1 week (7 days) before surgery |
| Zepbound (tirzepatide) | Once weekly | Hold at least 1 week (7 days) before surgery |
| Trulicity (dulaglutide) | Once weekly | Hold at least 1 week (7 days) before surgery |
| Saxenda (liraglutide) | Daily (injection) | Hold day of surgery (last dose day before) |
| Victoza (liraglutide) | Daily (injection) | Hold day of surgery (last dose day before) |
| Bydureon (exenatide (extended release)) | Once weekly | Hold at least 1 week (7 days) before surgery |
| Byetta (exenatide) | Daily (injection) | Hold day of surgery (last dose day before) |
Frequently asked questions
- How is the last-dose date calculated?
- For weekly GLP-1s (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Trulicity, Bydureon) the calculator subtracts 7 days from your surgery date — that matches the 2023 ASA consensus floor of holding at least one week. For daily formulations (Saxenda, Victoza, Byetta, Rybelsus) it subtracts 1 day so your last dose is the day before surgery.
- Is this medical advice?
- No. Precover is informational. The actual perioperative pause is your prescriber's and anesthesiologist's call. Bring the calculated date to your consultation as a starting point, not a final plan.
- I take my GLP-1 for type 2 diabetes — should I still pause it?
- Do not pause it on your own. A GLP-1 hold for a diabetes patient must be coordinated with the prescriber so blood-sugar management has a backup plan during the hold window.
- What about restart timing or dose adjustments?
- Restart timing and dose adjustments are out of scope here — those are clinical decisions your prescriber and surgical team make together based on how you tolerate surgery and recovery.
- What if my surgery is more than a week away?
- You're in good shape. A weekly GLP-1 only needs to come off at least 7 days before surgery, so anytime you are at least one week out, you can plan the last dose comfortably.
- Will I need a clear-liquid day before surgery instead of a hold?
- Possibly. The 2024 multi-society statement allows individualized approaches — some teams use a clear-liquid day instead of (or in addition to) a hold. Confirm with your team.
Bring the full picture
The free 5-minute Precover readiness check covers GLP-1s plus sleep apnea risk, anticoagulants, nutrition gaps, and the labs your team is likely to ask for — all bundled into a printable consultation packet. Run my free readiness check →