I am scheduled for my hysterectomy in 10 days. I have cold symptoms! I am at home drinking heaps of water, taking echnacea and garlic and trying to rest and not panic.
Has anyone else had this happen to them? Was surgery cancelled?
That first scratchy throat is enough to send any lady in waiting into a tizzy, with the first thought being "Oh no! Will my surgery be cancelled?" This is a very real fear, but it's happened before, and is survivable. However, and this is very important, you must call your doctor immediately. Many of us hesitate to do this, fearing that it means immediate cancellation of surgery. However this is not necessarily so!
A lot depends on how far away from surgery you are when your first symptoms begin. A lot also depends on your pre-operative condition: for example, if you have asthma, the doctors are a lot more likely to be conservative. And this is really for your own protection.
Anesthesia is difficult for the lungs and the whole body and if that body is compromised by anemia, lung problems, or a viral illness, then the risks of surgery can be exponentially increased. It's really to your advantage to have your body into the best shape possible as you face surgery.
Another reason to call your doctor instantly if you start a viral illness or develop a rash would be to give them the opportunity to call in any prescriptions that you might need.
Your doctor absolutely needs to know whatever you may be taking. Echinacea, Vitamins C and E, aspirin/ibuprofen, can all change the metabolism of many anesthetic agents, antibiotics, and pain medications. Please don't hide these from your doctor for fear that your surgery will be postponed or cancelled outright. It may not lead to cancellation at all, but rather to changes in your care.
Within two weeks of your surgery, if you have been exposed to certain viruses, such as chickenpox or the flu, it is also important to call your doctor. There are now medications we can use at the very beginning of a viral illness that can limit its symptoms.
And if you do have a flu shot each year, try to schedule it for about two weeks prior to your surgery -- by then, the immune system response to the vaccine has diminished leaving you presumably back to your baseline. It's not that your surgery would be cancelled if it's closer -- but your immune system is in "overdrive" right after getting the vaccination, not the best situation for going into a major surgery such as a hysterectomy.
This information is especially important during the fall and early winter: your family members are coming home with colds and other viruses from school or work, and you yourself may be exposed at your own work place.
It is an especially important time to remember your handwashing. Any time you touch someone else, or a pet, or a common item (such as a door handle), wash your hands. Good handwashing is the single most effective way to protect yourself against viruses.
The immediate pre-operative period is also a time to pay careful attention to your diet. Keep up your intake of fruits and vegetables, although the immediate week before surgery is a good time to lay off the dark green leafy vegetables, such as chard, spinach, or broccoli. These vegetables are rich sources of vitamin K which can impair blood clotting times. It's also a good time to cut back on sugar (which can help you avoid yeast infection with postoperative antibiotics), alcohol, fatty foods, and caffeine. This is hard to do for those of us who eat when we're nervous!
In short, "pampering the princess" really begins before surgery. Many of us go into surgery anemic, and nearly all of us go into surgery stressed as a baseline. And surgery is a further stress. But there are steps you can take to make sure that your body is the best shape possible for your trip to the hospital.
This content was written by staff of HysterSisters.com by non-medical professionals based on discussions, resources and input from other patients for the purpose of patient-to-patient support.
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