no bowel prep, but enema?????

Okay, so I was very pleased to hear my doc say "no real bowel prep, just eat light the day before and drink clear liquids the day before."

Now.....I'm wondering does that mean I'm getting an enema before surgery? Not that it's a big deal I guess, but I just hate surprises and want to be mentally prepared for everything.

I'm having a TVH Wed. the 12th. Is an enema before that procedure pretty standard or no?

Thanks in advance

I had a TAH and had the same directions as you...clear liquids the day before. I didn't get an enema or anything else. I think all doctors are different but I am sure some of the other ladies on here that had a TVH will tell you their experiences. Good luck and I will keep you in my prayers.
Faith

Ask your doctor specifically what he wants you to do the day before surgery, so you don't have to worry.
Do you have endometriosis?

One of the Sisters on here told me that if someone does a bowel prep, without the doctor knowing about it, you can endanger yourself by becoming too dehydrated, so you have to do what YOUR doctor says.

Ask your doctor if he is doing any kind of surgery around your bowels and tell him if you are concerned about how to prepare for it or what the safety precautions are, ok?

I had a TAH and my doctor just said nothing to eat or drink after midnight. No bowel prep, no enema.

I really think it depends on what you are having done, why you are having it done and your doctor's personal preferences. My doc had me do a bowel prep because I had mine using a laproscope and she said deflating my bowels would help her visualize what she was doing and help her do a more thorough examination of the area for endo and anything else. She also said it is her experience that women in my situation have less bowel pain afterwards if they do a bowel prep. I want to stress "in my situation" so just make sure it is what is best FOR YOU in YOUR situation. No bowel prep and no enema might be the very best thing for YOU. If you are questioning it, do what I did and ask doctor for their reasoning. It helped me to understand it otherwise I would have been a 'bad' patient and skipped it thinking I didn't really need it.

I am also scheduled for the 12th and had pre-op today. No bowel prep and no special diet. They just advised not to eat anything that would cause gas and she said to remember that whatever I ate would sit there for about three days because it takes the bowel that long to wake up. She suggested a lite diet the day before. I am having a TVH, BSO with bladder sling, A&P repair.

Thanks everyone.......I'm definately following my doctor's instructions, no worries there. I was just wondering if I was "not being told" of a detail that I'd rather know about ahead of time. I only found out by accident about the fact that I will have a tracheal intubation by reading the forums......complete shock and surprise to me and confirmed by my doc.

When I first saw my doctor about this procedure, I presented myself as a woman who was tired of explaining the same story over and over again to different people (military medicine) over the course of the past year. That was fine and good, but I know now I should also have presented the "I want to know everything about what you're going to do to me" side too. This board has been invaluable for that. It's given me questions to ask my doc.

Thanks to you all and good luck Lake and to all the other upcoming Princesses. : )

Oki