Your best pre_op tip please

Love the info from this site. Has anyone got one special pre-op tip that made a big difference later on?

I would love to hear them! X

Hello!
I have a few but my top one would be that I took some Colpermin in with me, this is neat peppermint oil capsules that help with trapped wind and spasms in the tum. I took these regularly for the first 3 days.

And a sneaky extra tip.... if you get offered suppositories to help you go, don't be embarrassed just have them, they work wonders!

To be honest, I didn't do a lot of pre-planning at all, and didn't need to. Plenty of time to sort stuff out once you get home, or get friends/family to go and grab stuff for you.

Hope your surgery goes well and you have a speedy recovery!

As much as it hurts, my number 1 tip would be to try to do a little bit of walking as soon as you are physically able to. It really does help with your recovery.
I also found that holding a pillow to my tummy when I was becoming mobile / getting out of bed etc. helped a lot as well. One of the nurses showed me that trick. Not sure if it is psychological, but it really did make a big difference!
And last but not least.....REST, this is major surgery that you are having and there is a lot of healing that will go on inside you that you can't see. My specialist told me not to lift anything heavier than a cup of tea for 6 weeks.

All the best!

Smoxy, Mine would be make sure whoever will be helping you after surgery knows what you shouldn't be doing so they can remind you. Also so they understand. Have plenty of stuff on hand to do while hanging out taking it easy. Me I like to read, do cross stitch and do genealogy so I had a pile of books, genealogy magazines, cross stitch all ready to go. Day 4 after mine and I have finished 2 1/2 books. I also have a netbook computer for my research so using this instead of my big heavy laptop I know I can't lift much. Also let people know you might want visitors when you feel up to it because it makes time go by faster when you can hang out and chat. Hope that helps some. Sister1209

Smoxy

Whilst you're waiting for further replies (and if you've not discovered it already) we have a <link> Hints From Members forum which is dedicated to "best tips"!

Hope it helps!

Kazwaz, LOVE your top tip! Wish I had known about that one prior to my surgery.

Oh, I've just thought of another one Smoxy....don't drink fizzy drinks during the first couple of days. The gas / wind pains can be quite debilitating. I drank a can of lemonade on the second day which really didn't help the situation! lol

On fizzy drinks - normally, ginger ale was helpful in calming my system. I had probably a can a day the first two weeks post-op and found it helpful. But...then, I suddenly started having lots of trouble with anything carbonated. So I stopped having anything carbonated for a few weeks.

Listen to your body, especially on digestive issues.

However, even when it's hard, do move around a little every day. I found it was OK to carry up to 10 pounds in the early weeks. My laptop, for example, is about 6 pounds, and I did carry that every day.

When you set up your "post-op table," always put a power strip on the table and plug it in. That way, you have easy access to electricity for your laptop, cell phone, et.c. without having to bend over.

Pre-cook a bunch of freezable meals! Ask friends to drop off a meal or two. Stock up on fruits and vegetables right before the big day. Then...go out for a night on the town or a weekend getaway shortly before but avoid alcohol. Sooo glad I did all of the above.

When they say you having lifting restrictions, stick to it!! I know it might seem like common sense, but after two weeks, I was playing with my 14 month old on the floor and he reached for me and I picked him up, not thinking, I just wanted to hold him. I have been paying for that since painwise.
Also be patient with having a BM, it will come just dont force it because that hurts too!
And make sure your doc gives you a prescription for nausea meds, because getting sick after this surgery is probably the MOST painful thing that has happened!
After about day 4 or 5, walk some everyday, even if its just a lap around your house. It will make you build up your tolerance to doing things again!
And just remember that even though we have not met, you are loved!!!

Hydrate and rest well the last few days before your surgery (okay, maybe that last one isn't so easy to do, but try!). They were the only two things my doc mentioned in my pre-op, so I figure they must be really important.