Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery. This includes water, coffee, gum, or mints. If you do, it may be necessary to cancel your surgery. Do not smoke or use chewing tobacco after midnight the night before your surgery.
Please stop taking all herbal remedies, aspirin, and anti-inflammatory medications (Advil, Aleve, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Naproxen, etc.) seven days prior to surgery unless otherwise instructed. However, it is okay to take Tylenol (acetaminophen) if something is needed for pain.
Do not take herbal supplements, including vitamin E and Fish Oil, one week before surgery. Do not take anti-inflammatories (such as ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, Daypro, Aleve, Naprosyn, naproxen, etc.) for five days prior to surgery, or as instructed by your surgeon. Do not shave the operative site for 48 hours prior.
Can I wear deodorant before surgery? Refrain from using deodorants, powder, perfumes, lotions and moisturisers, as the products can leave residue on your skin.
Oral hygiene must be excellent prior to surgery. Therefore, during the 2 to 3 days prior to surgery, brush your teeth with toothpaste and use mouthwash several times a day. On the day of surgery, before reporting to the office, brush and rinse with mouthwash.
Do not shave or wax any area on your body for a week before surgery (legs, bikini, underarms, etc.). Shaving can nick the skin and increase the risk of wound infection. If hair needs to be removed, it will be done at the hospital.
The best meals before surgery will include a balance of lean protein, unprocessed carbohydrates, vegetables, and healthy (mainly plant-based) fats. Lean protein sources could include eggs, chicken, and fish. You can add a range of healthy carbohydrates like bananas, buckwheat, quinoa, sweet potatoes, and more.
General anesthesia is an anesthetic used to induce unconsciousness during surgery. The medicine is either inhaled through a breathing mask or tube, or given through an intravenous (IV) line. A breathing tube may be inserted into the windpipe to maintain proper breathing during surgery.
Within 24 hours of any surgical procedure that involves anesthesia, you should avoid high-fiber foods of all types, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. During the two weeks leading up to surgery, you should avoid eating fish or taking fish oil or omega-3 supplements.
Before your surgery, your skin needs to be as clean as possible. You can decrease the germs on your skin and reduce your risk of infection by following the shower instructions we have provided. You are required to shower both the night before and the morning of your surgery.
Relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, meditation or muscle relaxation can be helpful. These techniques can be learned in classes or with the help of pre-recorded audio training courses. Massages, acupuncture, homeopathy, aromatherapy or hypnosis are sometimes offered before surgery too.
The Don'ts
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery. This includes water, coffee, gum, or mints. If you do, it may be necessary to cancel your surgery. Do not smoke or use chewing tobacco after midnight the night before your surgery.
The process of waking up from anesthesia is known as emergence. During emergence, the anesthesiologist will slowly reduce the amount of anesthetic drugs in the body. This helps to reduce the intensity of the effects of anesthesia and allows the patient to regain consciousness.
Answer: Most people are awake in the recovery room immediately after an operation but remain groggy for a few hours afterward. Your body will take up to a week to completely eliminate the medicines from your system but most people will not notice much effect after about 24 hours.
During a general anaesthetic, medicines are used to send you to sleep, so you're unaware of surgery and do not move or feel pain while it's carried out. General anaesthesia is used for surgical procedures where it's safer or more comfortable for you to be unconscious.
Hair: Many hair products and hair pieces contain highly flammable products. Your safety is our first priority. That's why we require that you wash your hair the night before or the morning of surgery using only shampoo and conditioner. DO NOT use any other hair products after washing.
Include protein-rich foods with each meal. Some healthy choices are lean meat, fish, poultry, beans, eggs, cheese, nuts, tofu, milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, and protein drinks. Drink at least 6 to 8 eight-ounce cups of fluid each day to stay well hydrated.
Common sleep medications such as Ambien, Ativan, or Valium taken at 10 pm won't complicate the anesthetic course which begins 9 hours or more into the future on the following day.
Hair is removed to avoid problems during and after surgery, for example when stitching up wounds or applying dressings. However, some studies claim that removing hair could cause infections after surgery and should be avoided.
No, you can't wear hairspray during surgery. Hair products could be flammable and may be dangerous to have in the operating room. It's best to put your hair up in a braid or ponytail so it can be out of the way.
Shaving the hair the night before surgery has been associated with increased incidence of surgical site infections when compared to shaving immediately before surgery by the technician. It is therefore recommended that you do not do this (even if it is an area habitually shaved such as the armpit, pubic area, or legs).