Prepare yourself for surgery Q&A (2024)

FAQs

What are the 5 10 most important questions you would have before scheduling the surgery? ›

Five Steps to Safer Surgery is a surgical safety checklist. It involves briefing, sign-in, timeout, sign-out and debriefing, and is now advocated by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) for all patients in England and Wales undergoing surgical procedures.

He suggests 4 questions that we should pose to our doctors the next time they recommend a medication, procedure, test, treatment or surgery. Is this really necessary? What are the risks? Are there other options?

Medications & Testing

Please stop taking all herbal remedies, aspirin, and anti-inflammatory medications (Advil, Aleve, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Naproxen, etc.) seven days prior to surgery unless otherwise instructed. However, it is okay to take Tylenol (acetaminophen) if something is needed for pain.

Do not take herbal supplements, including vitamin E and Fish Oil, one week before surgery. Do not take anti-inflammatories (such as ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, Daypro, Aleve, Naprosyn, naproxen, etc.) for five days prior to surgery, or as instructed by your surgeon. Do not shave the operative site for 48 hours prior.

Others distract themselves by reading, or use exercise or relaxation techniques like slow and deep breathing. Several studies have suggested that listening to music before surgery can relieve anxiety. Music can help you relax and distract you.

How can I be less scared of surgery? ›

Spend the time before the procedure being as active as you can, eating right and getting good sleep. If you smoke, stop as soon as possible — even if it's just a day or two before surgery — because smoking can cause problems with breathing and recovery from anesthesia and surgery.

One way to make the right choice is to think of the "three Cs": condition, convenience, and cost.

The 6 P's of a neurovascular assessment are pain, poikilothermia, paresthesia, paralysis, pulselessness, and pallor.

(A) Open-mindedness, (B) Conscientiousness, (C) Extraversion, (D) Agreeableness, and (E) Negative emotionality, were plotted for surgically-oriented medical students, surgical residents, and surgeons.

Why can't you wear deodorant before surgery? ›

You can't wear deodorant during surgery because it can leave a residue on your skin that's difficult to remove. This residue might make it challenging for the surgeon to cut through the incision site or accurately assess your skin circulation during surgery.

Green tea, cayenne, ginkgo, garlic, ginger, flaxseed, tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant may have a negative effect on anesthesia or bleeding time. Foods high in refined sugar should be avoided as they can suppress immune function.

Why does your anesthesiologist require you to drink Gatorade before surgery? Gatorade helps to increase your comfort before surgery and to decrease your nausea after surgery. The carbohydrates in Gatorade help reduce your body's stress response to surgery.

There are some foods that can slow down your recovery or increase your risk of complications after surgery. These include alcohol, processed foods, caffeine, and foods that are high in sugar.

After surgery you may not be able to eat or drink right away. When your body is ready, your doctor will likely tell you to follow a clear fluid diet for 1 to 3 days. This means you will not be able to eat solid foods. Sometimes your doctor will tell you to follow a full fluid diet before eating solid foods.

First, doctors may be more available and less busy during the weekdays. Second, while many people might have work, it can ensure they won't miss their scheduled procedures due to important events or things popping up on weekends or holidays.

Research suggests preoperative anxiety can increase the level of postoperative pain, meaning the higher a person's anxiety is before the surgery happens, the more pain and discomfort they may experience during recovery. It can also cause delays in wound healing and may lead to other complications, such as: nausea.

Once again, we should remind you that anesthesia is incredibly low risk. To further put your risk-level into perspective, you have an equal chance of dying due to lightning. Despite most elective surgeries and anesthesia being low risk, you should always work towards being the most prepared as possible on surgery day.

Anxiety is particularly important, because it has the potential to affect all aspects of anesthesia such as preoperative visit, induction, perioperative, and recovery periods [2, 3].

Can you take anxiety meds before surgery? ›

Yes, in most situations you can receive medications prior to surgery to help relieve anxiety.

The process of waking up from anesthesia is known as emergence. During emergence, the anesthesiologist will slowly reduce the amount of anesthetic drugs in the body. This helps to reduce the intensity of the effects of anesthesia and allows the patient to regain consciousness.

Why Do People Cry After anesthesia? There is a medicine known as Sevoflurane. This medicine is a gas that is being commonly used in order to keep patients in sleep. This medicine is noted to be the reason why people cry after anesthesia.

It is important that you get a good night's sleep before your surgery. If you find you are nervous or anxious the night before, you can take an over-the-counter sleep aid. If you are already on a nerve medication, e.g., diazepam, please contact your primary care doctor for instructions.

As soon as possible, get up and start moving. Movement increases the flow of blood, which aids in healing. Walking can help prevent harmful blood clots also. Mild activity helps reduce the chances of developing pneumonia.

It's up to you and your family when you say goodbye before going for surgery. Some people say goodbye the night before, some stay at the bedside before you're taken to theatre, and others come to the theatre doors with you. Think about what you would prefer.

Will I need any medication—antibiotics, pain medication? What can I do to help with my recovery? Will I have any drains or other tubes when I leave the hospital? Will I need any special items to care for my surgical site?

Usually, before having a general anaesthetic, you will not be allowed anything to eat or drink. This is because when the anaesthetic is used, your body's reflexes are temporarily stopped. If your stomach has food and drink in it, there's a risk of vomiting or bringing up food into your throat.

Midazolam injection is used to produce sleepiness or drowsiness and relieve anxiety before surgery or certain procedures.

Can you control what you say under anesthesia? ›

Anesthesia won't make you confess your deepest secrets

It's normal to feel relaxed while receiving anesthesia, but most people don't say anything unusual. Rest assured, even if you do say something you wouldn't normally say while you are under sedation, Dr. Meisinger says, “it's always kept within the operating room.

Oral hygiene must be excellent prior to surgery. Therefore, during the 2 to 3 days prior to surgery, brush your teeth with toothpaste and use mouthwash several times a day. On the day of surgery, before reporting to the office, brush and rinse with mouthwash. Do not drink any water.

Every time you talk with a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist, use the Ask Me 3 questions to better understand your health. What is my main problem? What do I need to do? Why is it important for me to do this?

Remember these questions: Where, What, Who, When, Why? When calling 9-1-1 for assistance, these are questions the dispatcher will ask you.

You should be aiming for the fewer-than-10-minute mark, as far as wait in the waiting room, and then less than 20 minutes from the time the patient is placed in the exam room until they see the doctor/practitioner (not the nurse/tech).

You must ask the “ALWAYS” questions of all patients who can answer. “Did you hit your head?” “Were you ever unconscious?” “Any pain in your back or neck?” (Then check it anyway.) “Is anything else wrong?”

Valid informed consent for research must include three major elements: (1) disclosure of information, (2) competency of the patient (or surrogate) to make a decision, and (3) voluntary nature of the decision.

What are key clinical questions? ›

These types of questions typically ask who, what, where, when, how & why about things like a disorder, test, or treatment, or other aspect of healthcare. For example: What are the clinical manifestations of menopause?

A leading question is a question that assumes the answer, for example, You didn't finish the course of antibiotics I prescribed, did you? rather than Did you finish the course of antibiotics I prescribed?

Others distract themselves by reading, or use exercise or relaxation techniques like slow and deep breathing. Several studies have suggested that listening to music before surgery can relieve anxiety. Music can help you relax and distract you.