CONDITIONS
OPERATIONS
PREPARING
FOR SURGERY
Once
you and your surgeon decide that surgery will
help you, you'll need to learn what Preparing
mentally and physically for surgery is an important
step toward a successful result. Understanding
the process and your role in it will help you
recover more quickly and have fewer problems.
Working
with Your Doctor
Before
surgery, your surgeon will give you a complete
physical examination to make sure you don't
have any conditions that could interfere with
the surgery or its outcome. Routine tests, such
as blood tests and X-rays, are usually performed
a week before the surgery.
- Discuss
any medications you are taking with your surgeon
or your family physician to see which ones
you should stop taking before surgery.
- Discuss
with your surgeon options for preparing for
potential blood replacement, including donating
your own blood, medical interventions and
other treatments, prior to surgery.
- If
you are taking aspirin or anti-inflammatory
medications, you will need to stop taking
them one week before surgery to minimize bleeding.
- If
you smoke, you should stop or cut down to
reduce your surgery risks and improve your
recovery.
- Have
any tooth, gum, bladder or bowel problems
treated before surgery to reduce the risk
of infection later.
- Eat
a well-balanced diet, supplemented by a daily
multivitamin with iron.
- Report
any infections to your surgeon. Surgery cannot
be performed until all infections have cleared
up.
Home
Planning
- Arrange
for someone to help out with everyday tasks
like cooking, shopping and laundry.
- Put
items that you use often within easy reach
before surgery so you won't have to reach
and bend as often.
- Remove
all loose carpets and tape down electrical
cords to avoid falls.
- Make
sure you have a stable chair with a firm seat
cushion, a firm back and two arms.
Preparing
for Discharge
- Have
someone available to take you home, you will
not be able to drive for at least 24 hours.
- Do
Not drink or eat anything in the car on the
trip home.
- The
combination of anaesthesia, food, and car
motion can quite often cause nausea or vomiting.
After arriving home, wait until you are hungry
before trying to eat. Begin with a light meal
and try to avoid greasy food for the first
24 hours.
- Take
your pain medicine as directed. Begin the
pain medicine as you start getting uncomfortable,
but before you are in severe pain. If you
wait to take your pain medication until the
pain is severe, you will have more difficulty
controlling the pain.
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