HELP!!!!!!!!! PRE SURGERY QUESTIONS

[NHMike]

I though as much hidders and mike but was trying to figure out how to take my tabs on the morning,,
Looks like ive to kip them surgery day I suppose
Thanks x

There was something in the booklet I got on meds but I didn't keep the booklet. You could ask your surgeon's office about it.

[Eleda]

The problem mike is whenever u mention its " integrative meds" they automatically say no!!!!!
I understand they can't look up the contraindications of all natural meds but id like to try get them in pre and post surgery ASAP to try avoid metastasis and help avoid imunosuprrsent after surgery thus leading to other complications
ADELE X

[Caat55]

Elena,
Stanford had me dri[url][/url]nk a high electrolyte beverage several hours before check in. My surgery was schedule for 7 so I woke up to take it. I didn't really need any pain melds except neuontin and a very low dose of Tylenol, what I had at home was actually a higher dose.

They gave me hospital gown, pants. I did have two bms in hospital, first took me completely by surprise and I needed help getting cleaned up. Second time I knew what it was and better much made it to bathroom, handled it myself. That was it until last month. In hospital I used gowns, pants, my robe and slippers. I walked all over. Catheter came out the morning after surgery. I had a walker to use when I wanted to move and go outside which you can pretty much do all year in California. No one looks down under. The surgeon check wounds once, residents came twice a day to check, remove a drainage bottle. I had stoma nurse in daily to do teaching with ileostomy but the cans and nurses thought me too. Everyone was great.

I had a home health nurse come a few times but I really had it down after two complete bag changes. I only needed Tylenol and a few nuerontin after the first week post op. Did use them for the 6 hour round trip back to see surgeon.

I have a low resection too. Surgeon says I should have bowel function again. Not enough to wait till I get home but enough to excuse myself and walk to bathroom( we will see).
Susan

[Eleda]

Thanks Susan, that's,a great help knowing what to expect ahead of time
For me not knowing makes me stress more,,,
The more info the better I deal with stuff!!!!!
Im getting a bit anxious now tbh ( im cooking lol,,, thats a sure sign of stress for me lol)
Apparently now studies,show, drink electrolytes before and after surgery,asap to aid recovery and avoid dehydration???
But my crowd are still in fasting mode!!!
Thanks ADELE

[NHMike]

Thanks Susan, that's,a great help knowing what to expect ahead of time
For me not knowing makes me stress more,,,
The more info the better I deal with stuff!!!!!
Im getting a bit anxious now tbh ( im cooking lol,,, thats a sure sign of stress for me lol)
Apparently now studies,show, drink electrolytes before and after surgery,asap to aid recovery and avoid dehydration???
But my crowd are still in fasting mode!!!
Thanks ADELE

If you're going through the colonoscopy prep with Gatorade, then you might get enough there. If there are electrolyte issues,
they can always add them via IV during surgery.

[rp1954]

Rp,,, can u tell me did u take yr meds,night before 1st surgery and morning of??? I imagine therir bloodstream absorbed so should b ok????
And can u drink water morning of surgery??? To take meds,and electrolytes???

We stepped back various things during the week before surgery (e.g aspirin 1 week) with many supplements shutting down the day before. For the 2nd surgery a year later, the head surgeon was pretty lenient as long as we could hit PT and APTT for required bleed times. This was a very special surgeon. He wanted 1.0 for PT/INR; we hit 1.03 with a number of sins, with some pilotage by prior blood tests.

NPO (nothing allowed orally) hit late the night before, for a ~6/7 am surgery. Then they started a drip late night. The last "food", hospital gelatin, was about 12 hours before surgery (I was out of the room 3/4 hour) - then wife had a sugar spike that I had to almost had to tackle the student nurse over an insulin shot that would have caused hypoglycemia. On the second surgery, our surgeon actually slightly broke NPO several hours before 2nd surgery at 6am to allow cimetidine tablets in place of IV cimetidine, no longer readily available (China?). This replaced the newer proton pump inhibitors they typically use now for prophylaxis of acid reflux and aspiration during surgery (cimetidine reigned during the 80s and its in their surgery tables).

Ill ask for tramadol and toradol for pain hopefully that will get me by

After both surgeries, Celebrex/celecoxib was used by our surgeons, which I was happy with since it is highly recommended for CRC inhibition in the LEF articles.

[Eleda]

Wow, ur lucky u have such an accommodating surgon,,, mine will all just say, ,its,a government hospital with private and public rooms so no bending any rules!!!## so I want to add in what will b helpful without causing any surgical problems,,, cemitadine is not used here at all, that s why it will b concidered "AN ISSUE"
Thanks Rp
ADELE X

[DarknessEmbraced]

I hope your surgery goes well!*hugs*

[Eleda]

Thanks DE,,,
getting a little anxious now but been 15 weeks since finishing neo adjuvant so im also happy now to b doing somthing active again as there's always, a worry of matastizing while waiting... So on to the next step now,,,
ADELE X

[L.andr]

Hi Eleda:
I am praying for your surgery day which comes soon, and a smooth post-op. If you can, think of it as a spa time, where you are waited on, you really have no duties except follow what the hospital staff request.

I am 12 days post-op from a sigmoid colectomy. Pain is not bad, I had the push-button Dilaudid the first day post op, which had very little side effect and was very helpful. the tablets not so much, I switched to extra strength or reg strength Tylenol which works well. You just have to be sure not to take it more than 4- 6 hours between doses to save harm to the liver.
I took the washable pad that was on the chair in my room home with me - if you see those, take it, they are very useful at home. I was having bowel leakage with urinating after the foley came out. But that has improved.
I would suggest the night dress over the pajamas for the reason you mentioned, also bring soft clothes to wear as you don't want pressure on your belly. drawstring pajamas better than elastic.
If they tell you they want you to get in the chair or move in any way, do it, the more you move the better!
They will give you hand sanitizer, use it like crazy. If you see someone go to care for you without cleaning their hands first, nicely ask them to please clean their hands.
All good wishes and speedy recovery Eleda!
hugs too, Lynn

[Eleda]

Thanks Lynn,
the lengths we have to go to to get a bit of R,& R LOL
That's exactly what I'm going to do
As for the cushion , I doubt there will be anything floating around in our hospital,,, FRUGLE comes to mind lol
I think I have everything, if not I'm ,15 minutes from the hospital so not going to be a problem...

Not looking forward to prep day tomorrow but I'll keep busy and my VIT C Infusion usually kills any hunger
Soon I'll be on the other side of it awating phase3''''

In fact if anyone could chime in and tell me if I'd b able for a holiday in Spain first 2 weeks of August (hot) or am I totally in cuckoo land as I'm assuming I'll b starting chemo in June?????
Adele X

[lakeswim]

Just reading these posts and wanted to say good luck to you, Eleda. I am just starting this process. Sending you healing thoughts!

- Susan

[Eleda]

Thanks Susan, hopefully it will b an uneventful ride lol, will post up Fri or sat when it's all over

[Eleda]

Can anyone help with my pain, I'm 18days post op after 10.5 hour TATME, and have hourindous pressure pains I can't get on top of mainly because I'm opiate sensitive so can't take them so ATM taking
75mg lyrica ( reducing from 150)
Tramadol
Paracetamol
Ib profen, ...
Cipro and flagyl for infection,,, and UTI
Innohep injections for another 3weeks
I'm n agony,, I can't sit or sleep or rest!!!!!!
Discharge is also very random so I don't like leaving the house unless I've incontinence pants on
THANKS ADELE

[DarknessEmbraced]

I'm sorry you're in so much pain!*hugs* I hope that members will be able to give you suggestions to help!*hugs*