What do you eat the day before...

surgery? Do you just eat clear liquids or can you add a few veggies to the broth if you want? I want to eat light the day before I just don't know how light. Also I would like to drink plenty of liquids because the last time I had a procedure done ( I had an egd a few weeks ago) they couldn't find my veins and finally "rigged" an IV up in my hand. I truly don't think they knew what they were doing though because I haven't had that problem in some time. Ok, back to the reason I want to drink plenty of liquids. It plumps up your veins where they are easy to find. My PCP told me that awhile back. I don't want them poking around trying to find a vein like the other hospital did. They poked me 4 or 5 times. I told my regular doctor's nurse about that and he said he would have been ready to hit somebody at the third try. LOL

Check with your dr to find out what your diet should be like just before your surgery.

On the note of your IV. The nurse at the hospital gave me a small needle in the hand, right near where she was going to insert the IV. It was for freezing so that the IV wouldn't hurt. It was much better than the pain of the IV.

my best to you.

I had a normal breakfast, a light balanced lunch of baked chicken, rice and vegtables and fluids for supper the night before. The only instructions I was given by my Dr. was NPO after midnight. I did not have to have a bowel prep.

I felt that the less there was in there, the less chance I had of becoming constipated after surgery or throwing up after surgery.

I did very well. My bowels moved very smoothly and painfree the Friday after my surgery was on a Monday.I took stool softners in the hospital and was given 2 Senecots the AM I was discharged from the hospital.
Have had not a single problems with my bowels since surgery. A great relief after all the suffering I had with them during my periods pre-surgery. Turned out that I had endo adhered to my lower bowels that was causing me all kinds of problems with my period.

Best wishes with everything

Thanks Debbie and Sweet Pea.

I hate the IV thing and I really hate when they put it in my hand. It just seems to hurt worse. They really had to rig it up last time and when she gave me the juice it hurt and then I was off to la la land. LOL They tried in the arm and the hand several times and I have a feeling I got some people who didn't know what they were doing because I haven't had problems like that in a few years.

Like (((Debbie))) said, each doctor has their own preferences on prep for surgery. I didn't have to do a bowel prep for either my hysterectomy or my hematoma surgery, so I could eat normally up to midnight the night before. Both times I was rather anxious, so I didn't feel like eating much -- but there were no restrictions.

I've heard where other have a restricted diet a couple of days before surgery, but I'm sure you'll find out exactly what they want you to do in advance. But to answer your question -- if they say clear liquids only, that means no veggies in the broth, just liquids. Hope this helps.

My doctor gave me no restrictions, other than NPO after midnight. So, Wednesday night I'm gathering together my large noisy family and we are going to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants. Haven't really decided which one yet, but leaning toward Red Lobster. I'm fine with everything, but my older daughter is still pretty freaked out over my having the surgery, so maybe it will calm her down some.

Concerning the IV, my veins are also very difficult to find. I mentioned it to the nurse, she looked at my hands and called Anesthesiology to come and put it in. Evidently they are a little better at it. Be sure and let them know of the previous difficulty before they start.

S,
Kay

I ate light and healthy the day before surgery. Because of my fear of waking up from surgery feeling thirsty, I drank a gallon of water the day before. I had my last drop of water right up until the midnight cutoff. My veins were plump and bouncy for the IV. The nurse had to call in a more experienced nurse because my vein was moving around.

Best wishes and 's

I also had no diet restrictions. I didn't eat much though because I was so nervous. I also drank lots of water right up till midnight. For the same reason, drink lots of fluids and it plumps your viens. The nurse who did my IV used a shot of medicine to numb the area before she did the IV, I also ended up with an IV in my hand. But, because she numbed the site I didn't feel it when she started the IV...

On the diet question, my gyn/onc does a bowel prep on all of his patients. I asked why this was necessary and he said it was preventative in nature. He explained that your intestines have to be moved out of the way to reach the female organs. In case your bowel is nicked during this process, it is safer to have had the bowel prep.
Because of that, I could only have clear liquids on the day prior.

I did not experience any problems after the surgery with my bowel habits returning to normal. Since I had the prep on Monday night, surgery Tuesday, my next bowel movement was on Saturday. Considering that I was eating only liquids and pudding after the surgery, I felt that was normal.

Good luck.