Pre-Op Instructions for Gynecologic Patients
- If your surgery is scheduled for early in the morning, do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your procedure. In the morning, you may shower, brush your teeth and take your prescribed medicines with a sip of water. If your surgery is planned for the afternoon, you may have water, tea or coffee up to six hours prior to your surgery time, but absolutely nothing thereafter.
- You must make arrangements for a responsible adult to drive or accompany you home. No one will be discharged from the hospital alone.
- Please leave all valuables, jewelry and contact lenses at home.
- You should wear comfortable clothing that you can easily put on after surgery.
- Remove all nail polish from either your left or right index finger.
- If you have received a prescription for pain relief prior to your surgery, be sure to have it filled so it will be immediately available to you.
- If ordered, please have your blood tests completed one to three days before surgery.
- Do not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes 10 days before or after surgery.
- If you smoke, stop smoking before your operation. Any period of not smoking helps. It is best if you quit at least two weeks before surgery because general anesthesia will change the normal function of your lungs for a while. If you quit smoking, your lungs will be in better shape before the operation, you will adjust to the anesthesia better, your lungs will be able to resume their normal function with less effort after surgery, you won’t cough as much, and the risk of infection will decrease.
- If you are taking medication, ask your doctor if you should keep taking it before or after the operation. Medications may be prescribed for you by a doctor or obtained over-the-counter. Some medications should not be taken before an operation. Others may conflict with other medication your doctor may prescribe.
- Do not take any of the following medications, which may affect bleeding, for a week prior to your surgery: Vitamin E, ginkgo, aspirin, Empirin, Anacin, Excedrin, Bufferin, ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil or Aleve. If you need pain relief, Tylenol products are fine.
