You have spent weeks going to appointments, preparing your home, and getting healthy before surgery. Now it is time for surgery. You may feel relieved, nervous, or both at this point.
However, taking care of a few last-minute details can help make your surgery more successful.
Two weeks before surgery you may have been told to stop taking drugs that make it harder for your blood to clot. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), and other drugs.
You should take only the medicines your doctor told you to take before surgery. This includes prescription medicines. If you are confused about which medicines to take on the night before or the day of surgery, call your doctor or refer to your pre-surgical instructions.
DO NOT take any supplements, herbs, vitamins, or minerals before surgery unless your doctor said it was OK.
Bring a list of all your medicines to the hospital. Include the ones that you were told to stop taking before surgery. Make sure you write down the dosage and how often you take them.
You will probably be asked to take a shower or bath both the night before and the morning of surgery.
Your doctor or nurse may give you a special medicated soap to use. Look for instructions for how to use this soap. If no one gave you special soap, use Dial or another antibacterial soap you can buy at the store.
It is important that you do not shave the area over or around your hip. The doctors or nurses will do that at the hospital.
Scrub your nails with a brush. Remove nail polish and makeup before you go to the hospital.
Most of the time, you will be asked not to eat or drink after midnight. This usually means avoiding both solid foods and liquids.
You may brush your teeth and then rinse your mouth in the morning. If you were told to take any medicines on the morning of surgery, you may take them with a sip of water.
Rarely, you may have symptoms that your surgeon needs to know about before your surgery.
Bring along these clothing items:
You should check with your hospital ahead of time about whether you need to bring your crutches, cane, or walker in for after surgery. Be sure to bring them if you've been instructed to do so.
Personal care items:
Other items may include:
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