Questions to ask...?

I have my pre surgery appt with the hospital tomorrow (surgery is 26th sept). Would like advice from members on what are key questions to ask...?

Hi Scorpio13

I had loads of questions and left space for me to write answers. I've never had surgery before so I considered all my questions to be key questions, they varied from:
Can I keep taking my vitamins?
How do I care/clean the incision area?
When can I resume sex afterwards?
Is becoming aroused bot no penetration allowed?
Am I allowed to drink alcohol during my recovery weeks.
After my op how often will I have a check up?
Do I have to remove piercings, cut nails, take off nail polish?
Can I have my laptop in my hospital room?

There were plenty more but I don't have my diary with me. Hopefully they should give you a number to call if you need to ask anything.

Good luck

Mudz

Big 1 I have seen here is bowel prep and which method.
Also make sure you ask about all medications and vitamins you are taking because of blood thinning problems.
You may also ask about pain management post-op, try to deal with that now because if your Dr hasn't written the orders they have to call etc etc which could leave you suffering and noone wants that.
I would also try to get your list of post-op restrictions ahead of time.
Another 1 I have seen is that most hospitals don't want you shaving the area before hand for risk of infection.

Good Luck to you, please let us know what they say. Hugs

Yeah.....my Dr told me not to shave the area due to infection. They did it after I was asleep. They did everything after I went to sleep. I asked how long will the surgery take? How long will I be in the hospital? I had an 8 in incision, so I asked if I was going to have to get staples or stitches?

But YoungZebra is correct, they should give you a # to call or call your Dr office if you have any questions.

Joelyann

Those are really good suggestions above. My list is below.

You may want to ask some of the same questions of the hospital when they do their pre-admission interview. I got slightly different answers on one or two (such as, my doctor said, "Don't eat or drink after midnight," while the hospital said nothing after 10 p.m.). Your doctor has his or her standard operating procedure, but the hospital's anesthesiolgist will also have requirements for your safety and comfort.

And make sure you and your doctor are on the same page about what parts are going to be removed! You cannot ask that question often enough.

Here's my ridiculously long list!

Questions About the Surgery
1. Do I need any pre-surgery testing?
2. Pre-surgery prep (diet, enemas, etc.)
3. How long will surgery take?
4. Exactly what will be removed? Uterus, ovaries, tubes, cervix, appendix?
5. Will I need any preparation before surgery? (enema, stool softener, liquid diet, etc)
6. I take certain meds regularly (list your meds, including over-the-counter meds and supplements), will I be allowed to take these to the hospital with me?
7. What kind of anesthesia will I have?

Questions About the Recovery
8. How long will I be in the hospital?
9. Will a pathology report be done of all the organs removed? I do want one done.
10. How long for the results of the pathology report to come in? (If cancer is suspected, when will I begin cancer treatments and what options are there?)
11. What medication will I be on for pain in the hospital and when I am home?
12. I’d like to know, if I’m not having a lot of pain, what pills I can skip.
13. Will the doctor use a tummy binder on me? Will I need one?
14. If I am keeping my ovaries, how will I know if they are working post-op? if they shut down temporarily and I experience hot flashes, how long will I endure menopause symptoms before the ovaries kick back in?
15. When will I be able to resume driving?
16. How much can I lift safely at 4 weeks, at 6 weeks?
17. When can I return to running, yoga?
18. I've heard that there is a problem with gas after surgery and have been told that over-the-counter medicines such as Gas-X can help. Is it OK if I take some along to the hospital with me?
19. Will I be able to resume the vitamins and allergy meds after the surgery?
20. What are the restrictions for any sort of sexual activity after surgery? Is external stimulation allowed and if so, how soon? When can intercourse be resumed?
21. Do you have any suggestions for reducing the scar (Mederma? Vitamin E)? How soon would it be safe to start that?
22. What foods can I eat?

Questions for Hospital
23. Can my partner stay with me overnight?
24. I’ve got a will, a power of attorney, a health care directive…is there anything else I should do to ensure that he has full access to me, my records, my doctors, etc. during my hospital stay?
25. Will I be in a private room or a shared one?
26. Can I have vegan food provided? If not, may I bring it in with me?
27. Is there anything else I can do to ensure that my stay in the hospital is smooth, that I communicate well with the nurses and other staff?
28. Do you have wifi?