pre-surgery diet

Quick question. Had my pre-op appt. yesterday. Had lots of my questions answered. However, I do have a quick question. She had told me I can eat whatever I want the day before sugery. Ater midnight total fasting. Was thinking though, by way of all you wonderful women, what about the bowel issue? Does it make more sense to avoid certain foods in your experience?
Also, have you ever heard of itching as a side effect of morphine?

Thanks lots

Regarding the itching as a side effect from morphine -
yes, yes, yes - in fact 3 weeks later I am still itching and
I only used morphine for one day because my blood pressure
dropped too low (also a possible side effect).

Do remember that it may be a few days before your intestines are fully functional again, and don't make that last meal a heavy one! Something light, like pasta, or salad (guaranteed to make you "go" before your surgery, would be the way to go.

I'd stick with low-fat and no meat, but then that's my particular bias...I find meat very hard to digest and rarely eat it any more...

Good luck. We'll be thinking of you!



Audrey

I just had my TAH/BSO on last Wed. I ate really (!) lightly begining on the Monday before surg. I ate a little tiny chicken salad and some lipton soup around 5:00 pm on Tuesday with NOTHING at all, except water, after 6:00. I also did a really small, (4.5 ozs), fleet enema about an hour and a half before leaving for the castle Wed. morning. I must say, it worked perfect for me! My Dr. hadn't ordered any special diet or enema, nothing, before hand, but when she talked to me after surg. she made the comment that my bowels and bladder looked wonderful and were not in her way at all, so she didn't have to move them around too much which contributes to your bowels kicking back in more quickly and smoothly. I took colace twice a day in the castle and had no problem at all going to the bathroom by the 3rd. day. Everything is absolutley normal now! As far as the itching....oh my gosh!!! BUT...it wasn't from the Morphine! I was even getting shots of anti itch med. in my IV cuz it was soooooo bad. It came from the med. they gave me through my spinal of all things!! I have never itched so badly in my life. The med. they gave me that finally worked, (forget the Benedryl!), was called Newbain. I don't think I spelled it right but that's how you pronounce it. You are gonna do great!!! God Bless you!!! Betsy

***Admin. Note: Please do not do a bowel prep without your doctor's knowledge. A member of hystersisters who did this about a year and a half ago without her doctor's knowledge, went into dehydration shock and suffered near-fatal consequences. Your doctor and anesthesiologist must be aware of any bowel prep. Discuss this with your doctor before surgery if directions are vague.***

I ate light the night before--soup and salad. I was fortunate to not have any itching from the morphine, but I only had one injection of it and then was switched to Vicodan.

I did not do a bowel prep as my doctor told me not to...(and my surgery went very well). It is very important to follow all of your doctor's instructions as each has his/her own pre-op procedures they want you to follow, depending on all the circumstances.

Best wishes to you!

I ate some wonton soup for dinner and nothing after that for surgery the next AM. My Dr. said to use a fleet enema the night B4 also and saw no reason to have to get rid of too much anyway!
Also, I was a little nervous and I don't eat when I'm nervous so it wasn't much of a sacrifice.
The morphine did give me the itchies...I had never heard of it before and didn't know that I might expect it! I remember being so out of it, but was scratching my face and asking for my back scratcher for my legs...they were in those things they put on after surgery for blood clots and I couldn't get to my skin...But, they gave me benedril and changed my meds and I was fine after that! Good luck!

I also had problems with itching. They had given me morphine shots that didn't seem to bother me to bad, but when they swithed me to Lortab tabs it was out-of-control. They switched me to morphine tabs and did ok for about a day and half and then the itching was worse than ever. The pharmacist told me I was having an allergic reaction to codeine and that morphine has the same components and that is what triggered the problem. I asked him about Benadryl and he said NO, we need to get your meds changed to something else!!! They changed me to Demerol tabs and I have been fine since.
Mypee
:

Didn't mean to give you bad info on the bowel prep!! I had asked my Dr. about doing that the morning before and she told me to go ahead IF I wanted to, but didn't "order" it for me. Sorry girls!!!!! xoxooxox and big hugs! Betsy

I like all the ideas here. I'm just a little jealous so many of you have AM surgerys I don't go in til 3pm. I'm just look at it as maybe I won't gain any weight from this surgery. lol

I was not given a special diet or told to do a bowel prep, and I ate whatever I wanted without any problem. No food after midnight , but I was allowed to have water. I had no side effects from morphine.

After surgery my doctor advised a rectal suppository. I took it, but I got a lot of opposition from the nurses. One told me she wouldn't give it to me at all, and all I had to do was walk more. I was already walking more than my gyn had ever seen in a patient, so I insisted she follow the doctor's order.