PreOp appt tomorrow

I was wondering if it is wise to have someone with me during my PRE-OP to witness any agreements made concerning my procedure???

I have seen here where women needed their husbands to demand the terms pre-arranged regarding post op medications, pain killers, catheter removal, etc. I saw that some women complained that nurses werent following the directions stated in their records.

I dont want to have to worry about this when its too late. I was curious if all of these things are covered at the PRE-OP or when I check in before my surgery?? If its covered in my PRE-OP will I get a COPY of everything I SIGN before I come home?? Do I need any specific information to designate my boyfriend as the AUTHORITY for any situations that may arise???

Just what all do they do in a PRE-OP?? I dont want to bore my boyfriend if its just diagnostic testing. But I do want him fully aware of any written agreements so he can fight my battles if need be.

thanks****

I, too, will be going for pre-op tomorrow. My DH is going with me - he has no other choice.

I think it's a good idea to bring someone with you, I wish I had.

Every pre op is different! I had mine yesterday and it was horrible so I'm calling my doctor today.

I went in and waited in the gyn/obstetrics waiting room for an hour with all the prego mom's and babies ... how appropriate!

Then I went up and said hey I've been waiting an hour and this is not okay ... it's hard. (Do they not know the difference between a hyst pt and a obs pt?).

I finally went back and then had to go back out to the waiting room for 15 mintues. Went back again and waited half an hour to see a doc that wasn't even my doc!

I had to sign forms .... get pulse, bp and heart etc checked. They threw info packets at me and then the doc (again not my own doc) asked me if I understood everything.

By this time I am too upset and just say yes I understand and I left.

This is at the same hospital where I work LOL so you can bet I'm raising some hell today!

Anyhow, don't think that all pre ops are like mine ... be more prepared and have someone with you incase you do get upset

HUGSSSSSSSSS

Carlygirl

Fiesty........during pre-admission, I assume you mean this instead of pre-op (as that is where you are prior to going to the OR)....they take your medical history, do blood work, chest xray, ekg, etc. You need a list of your daily meds you are taking with you to give to them, including doseage.

When talking to the one particular Nurse during pre-admission, you will discuss Anesthesia and pain management (make sure you do discuss this) and it is there where things are written down on the paperwork on behalf of the decisions you have made for this. You normally do NOT get a copy of this paperwork.
But try asking for it and see what they say, that way you maybe able to have a copy to give to your boyfriend to hold onto.

From researching the boards here and other places on the Net, I was able to determine exactly what to tell my DH in case of problems. I had code words ready and he knew what they were. Such as itchy, meant the morphine was making me itch like crazy and he would then get the nurse to switch to a different med. Another was being nausea, he knew to get the nurse to give me a shot because I was beginning to be nauseous. This was all researched by me and prearranged with DH, so he would know the code word and what to do. I did need to use the "nausea" code word the evening of the surgery, as I was sick to my stomach and even with the shot, ended up throwing up.

The basic rule in my opinion would be to research and set up code info with your boyfriend, so he knows what to ask for on your behalf and WILL fight for it; knowing full well the directions you gave at pre-admission are written into the records. Just have him keep on insisting they are in the records and don't let anyone bully him. You need someone with strength that is willing to buck the system if there is a problem. But this is my own humble opinion on this. I'm sure others will follow with additional advice for you.

I just happen to be a strong willed lady who refuses to relinquish complete control to people who do not necessarily have my best interests at heart (ie: nurses with no clue <lol>). Also, having paperwork with you in the hospital itself is a BIG help when there are differing opinions, as when I needed a different sleep med and they refused to give it to me (though it was listed in my meds they requested from me). I took with me to the hospital the original documentation from the other doctor who ordered this med for me and shoved it in their face and said READ it and MAKE IT HAPPEN. After a little arguing with the nurse and the doctor (on the phone at midnight) yes indeed, they obliged and followed the other doctor's order for my meds. I refused to back down on that one, as it was a sleeping aid and I wanted my sleep .

BJOzzie:

I was asking about the PRE-OP appt. I was wondering if all these agreements were made at the PRE-OP. I was told when they booked my appt that I would be having my VITALS and blood checked at the >>PRE-OP<<.....not Pre-admission. Im trying to find out if they agree to anesthesia and pain management at the >>PRE-OP<< in advance.

It sounds as if maybe you didnt have a separate""PRE-OP""appt??? This appt is tomorrow for me, OCT 22nd. My surgery is OCT 31....nine days later.

Fiesty it sounds like it's just a difference in terminology the way your hospital does it compared to mine. Pre-admission testing or in your case Pre-Op testing is basically the same from what you are saying here. Just a different terminology, but after all my hospitalizations, I have found it to be called Pre-admission testing all these years. But no matter what they call it, the results are the same: vitals, history, meds, etc.

You shall do fine and yes, that is where the agreements are made. I'm sure by now at your own doctor's office you have signed the paperwork agreeing to the surgery. If I remember correctly, my hospital had this paperwork also (a copy) and asked me to review it to make sure I understood the procedure I would be going through.

If in doubt, call the hospital and ask them about all of this, they will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you might have.

No....I havent signed anything as of yet. But thanks for the info.

Feisty:

My pre-op appt was with my doctor, and the pre admit was with the hospital. I did it all on the same day.

At the doctor's office he did an internal exam to make sure nothing had changed (my uterus was large for the LSH, so he just wanted to make sure it had not gotten bigger since my previous appt.). He gave me all my pain prescriptions in advance so I could have them filled ahead of time and have them at home waiting for me after the surgery. He also gave me samples of the Vivelle dot and an Rx for them too, so I could have that filled. Also had to sign a paper giving the doctor the authority to remove uterus and ovaries.

Hospital Pre admit included a trip to billing office to make sure all the payment information with insurance was correct. Then to OR pre-op where nurses did the vitals, checked on allergies, medications I was taking, instructed me what not to take prior to surgery, when and where I needed to check in on the day of surgery, what I should bring, what I should not bring, signed all their forms, etc... On the day of surgery there was a little more admission stuff to do when I got to the OR holding area, but it was pretty quick. They also did all the vital stuff on that day too.

My mom is retired, so I asked her to come with me (DH had to work) and be a second set of ears at the hospital OR preop and the one with my doctor. I find in my anxious/nervous state, sometimes I miss something or just can't remember the details. My DH is not a detail kinda guy, so it was my mom that I instructed to find out exactly what they did to me. As it turned out my doctor spent about 10 minutes right after surgery going over the whole thing with my mom, dad and DH, so I was well informed when I woke up. My DH is a director/vp level at his company and great at demanding stuff (in a nice way) when things are not being done right. Fortunately, the nursing staff at my hospital was good and very attentive, so it was not necessary for him to do anything...but I had him ready just in case!