Fasting is normally required starting six hours before surgery. You may be allowed to drink clear fluids until a few hours before the procedure. During your fasting period, your doctor may advise you to take some of your normal prescriptions with a little sip of water. Consult your doctor about your drugs. Some medications can be harmful when taken with alcohol or other medicines. It's important to discuss any allergies with your anesthesiologist before putting you under. Allergies to medications used in anesthesia include soy products, milk proteins, corn syrup, citrus fruits, vinegar, and red wine. If you have such an allergy, talk to your doctor about alternatives before you go into surgery. You will be asked to sign a consent form for the anesthesia you will receive. This form tells us that you understand what will happen during your anesthesia and agree to this treatment if you need it. Anesthesia masks the feeling of pain by either injecting or pumping chemicals into the blood stream or both. It can also affect the senses of hearing and sight. A nurse or other hospital staff member will explain the process used in your case and answer any questions you may have. You will probably be given several pills to take before your surgery which contain mild analgesics to make you feel better after the anesthesia. These pills are called post-operative analgesics or PAOs for short. Most patients only need one type of anesthesia to get through their surgery.