Bowel prep? and other questions.

I have read on a couple of posts here about the "bowel prep". Is that where you drink that nasty stuff and it makes you evacaute everything in your bowels? If so, what ever happend to enemas? Do they do those anymore? I must be weird because I would MUCH rather have an enema than to drink some nasty stuff and sit on the throne all night. I get sick to my stomach a lot and have bowel issues just by eating the wrong things, so you would think I would be used to it... but I just hate it instead.

Also, do they make you get a tetnus shot if you are not up to date? And how about a flu shot and a pneumonia shot too? I can just imagine that they do. Oh goodie. How odd is that? I am more concerned about this kind of stuff than I am about the surgery and possible ramifications of cancer. I must be weird. Are there any other fun little preps that I should know about so that they don't sneak up on me? *grin*
God bless you and yours
Deb

I think every Dr. is different in their orders on bowel prep. I didn't have to do one. I was so ok with that lol. If you have concerns I would give your Dr. a call and find out what his/her protocol is. Make sure you discuss your concerns with them.
As far as shots I don't do flu or pneumonia vaccines, but my tetnus was up to date. Waiting really is the worst part, and I am sure you will come up with a lot of questions you feel are odd. There really isn't an odd one you can ask here
Best Wishes

Hello,

My bowel prep was different from everyone else. I had clear fluids the thursday before my surgery, then 21 pills to swallow thursday night. Friday was clear liquids til noon with surgery at 4:30 in the afternoon. This method really cleared me out. The pills were big, but I got them down.

I had not had flu or pneumonia vaccines. My tetnus was up to day.

I would say ask you doc and tell him your concerns. The reason my doc gave me for bowel prep, was to make sure everything was empty prior to surgery so that I would have a good outcome.

Oh yeah, I just remembered the other thing I was curious about. What is this about wrapping your legs? I am asuming that it is to prevent blood clots? Is this protocol in all surgeries? And what about people like me that are very large? I doubt that they have stockings to fit me. I am just curious. Thanks for the above answers and for any future ones as well.
God bless you and yours
Deb

They are compression stockings and they just kind of massage your calves. They are to prevent blood clots. I am sure they will have some for you. I am not sure if it is protocol for all surgeries. My son was just in the hospital for 8 days and had two 3 hr surgeries. He had them on too.

Best Wishes

I did not have to do any bowel prep at all. I thought it was odd but it was really nice. I had a regular diet up until midnite the night before surgery. they didnt give me an enema either the morning of surgery. Just told to eat lightly. I did not get a flu vaccinee or pneumonia vaccine and they asked about a tetanus shot but never gave me one. The compression stockings they put on you were just like knee hi nylons only in white. they had an open toe area (at least mine did). they put in a catheter but mine was done after i was out. Good luck to you. You will find alot of support on this site!

I had the compression wraps that are held on with velcro. They tighten up and release at regular intervals. Of course, they are not syncronized and it drove me nuts for the time I had them on. I am not sure when they went on but they were on when I got back to my room. It actually felt good to me most of the time except when one aide had them on too loosely after I walked.

I am not exactly petite and I had no trouble with them fitting me and I'm sure that they would accommodate a much larger calf also.

It was the pumping noise that I found annoying. The IV also made a funny noise so between that and having someone taking your temp and checking your vitals every couple of hours, I surely did not get much sleep. I was so ready to come home at 5 the next morning as soon as they took out the packing and took out the catheter. I was told it would be done by 5 but it was not done until after 6:30. I'm sure glad that the female night nurse took it out and not the male nurse who I had on the day I left. I guess this makes me sexist but I did not want a male doing that to me. I looked for a great female surgeon and I did not like having a male nurse. I also had a "little person" as my nurses aid. I loved her to pieces but saw how she struggled to even reach the small gloves which was located on top of the stack of mediums and larges. Poor planning there for sure. I've lead a very sheltered life. This was my first male nurse in about 12 operations.

Kay

The bowel prep is mostly for if they suspect endometriosis so they can see if it has spread to your bowels and if it has spread they can see it clearly and get rid of it easier. My doctor said several times that he was glad that I did it because the endometriosis was all over my bowels. I don't want to be negative about the prep but that is the worst part of the whole experience. I refused to come home from the hospital until I knew that it had been cleaned. What did help was...if you have a lap top, dvd player and make the experience a little less "formal". It became a distraction to go to hystersisters while I was emptying out. Plus if I didn't have my mom or best friend on the phone( bf going to nursing school) it would have been worse. Talking to someone helped me not freak out. Even though you may feel sick during the prep, continue to drink water or gaterade. Oh and I can't tell you enough that having a fan blowing in my face was wonderful...so a lap top, dvd's, telephone, gaterade and a fan are must haves. Make a party out of it.