Bowel Prep Required Before Hysterectomy?

I have my pre-op appointment on July 2 so I know I'll find out more then, but is bowel prep to be expected? I've had a colonoscopy before so I've had it done before but it was HORRIBLE. I'm not worried or emotional about the surgery itself but the though of this prep stresses me out!

Hi Donnetta,
It really depends on your doctor. I've seen that some sisters on here have had to do it. I was not required to do one for my surgery. Hugs.
BirdyButterfly

I guess I'll cross my fingers that my doc doesn't want it done. I guess though, if it's safer/better I should just quit my whining. LOL

I was way more stressed about a bowel prep than the surgery itself! I also had to do one for a surgery a few years ago and it was my horrible than the surgery was. I found out that I wouldn't have to do one for this surgery. My surgeon just suggested a light diet in the two days before. I can handle that! I was sooooo relieved. Best wishes to you!

My dr asked me to do one, and I freaked out because I never succeeded in getting the colonoscopy bowel prep down. I asks what if I could't drink it, and she said it would be magnesium citrate which was just a small bottle I could buy over the counter. It turned to be about the equivalent of 2 small juice glasses full. She also said that it wasn't critical, so not to stress if I couldn't get it down, that it just made her job easier, so I thought, better for me if its easier for her! I was able to get it down, and decided on my own to also have a clear liquid diet the day before, and it really wasn't as awful as I expected. Also I had no big problems with gas after the surgery, or constipation, and am wondering if maybe the bowel prep helped with that. Good luck, maybe they won't make you do one!

I did not have to do it either. I was only told not to eat after midnight but the doctor asked if I could once I found out my surgery time, to not eat 12 hours before so I just stopped eating at 9pm, liquids at midnight.

But, my nerves did a good job of cleaning me out that morning!!

I didn't have to do bowel prep, just clear liquids only after 5 PM and nothing after midnight. When I arrived at the hospital, a nurse gave me a Fleet enema.

No prep here, either. And if I needed an enema, they never told me. Fine by me; they seem to have waited until I was out cold before entering through any exits. :-)

It depends on the doctor but also what you are having done. I had a pelvis full of adhesion's and knew they had to work around my bowel and were worried my bowel and uterus were attached, so she needed my bowel completely empty, so for me, yes, it was safer.

p.s. no on the bowel adhesion's (yay!) but my uterus and bladder were badly adhered and it's still bothering me but have high hopes of a recovery in the next few months.

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Originally Posted by BornACrone No prep here, either. And if I needed an enema, they never told me. Fine by me; they seem to have waited until I was out cold before entering through any exits. :-)

Ha! And an enema never crossed my mind! I hope I'm out if I need one, too! I used a liquid over the counter. But it's not available any more. That was bad enough. I can't imagine the gallon bottle.