Pre-op questions (and a couple surgery ones as well)

[Guest guest]

I will be going in for my pre-op a month from now and I was hoping

someone could tell me what all is involved? I assume various x-rays

taken and moulds done and forms filled out.

Is there bloodwork done?

For how long are you at the hospital that day?

Are you admitted that day or do you get to sleep at home/the hotel

the night before your surgery?

How long do you have to fast before your surgery ~ and do you need

to fast before the pre-op?

Surgery:

Do you actually walk into the operating room and lie on the table,

or are you already out by then?

Do they rig you up to IVs, catheters and other accessories AFTER you

are asleep or before?

Thanks to anyone who answers ~ unfortunately, I will not receive any

info about my surgery until a week beforehand=( I wanna know now!

I'm starting to get jittery.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I had upper only on Dec. 8, so I'll answer your questions from my

experience, although it is different for everyone.

> Is there bloodwork done?

The hospital I went to did not require me to have any bloodwork done,

and my surgeon never even brought up having blood drawn and stored in

case I needed it for surgery.

> For how long are you at the hospital that day?

My pre-op appointment was at my OS's office, not at the hospital. I

think it took about an hour for all the molds, measurements, photos,

etc.

> Are you admitted that day or do you get to sleep at home/the hotel

> the night before your surgery?

Like I said, my pre-op was at my OS office, so I didn't even go to

the hospital before my surgery day. I slept at home the night before

surgery. Had to get to the hospital around 8am for a 10:15 surgery.

> How long do you have to fast before your surgery ~ and do you need

> to fast before the pre-op?

I couldn't have anything to eat or drink after midnight the night

before my surgery. Didn't have to fast before the pre-op.

> Surgery:

>

> Do you actually walk into the operating room and lie on the table,

> or are you already out by then?

I got to the hospital around 8. They took me to my own private room,

where they gave me the hospital gown and all that to wear. Had to

give a urine sample for a pregnancy test. They took my blood pressure

and temperature. Nothing too difficult. Then I just hung out until

they were ready for me in another room. Then I walked to the other

room. That room was full of beds pretty close together, seperated

only by curtains. I laid down on that bed, and all of a sudden there

were people everywhere! One nurse put these velcro things around my

legs that supposedly inflated and deflated during surgery to prevent

blood clots. Then the anestheologist tech came in and put in my IV.

He put something in there that he said would make me feel slightly

intoxicated and more relaxed. Then my OS came in and fashioned some

cool turban kind of thing so my hair wouldn't get in the way, and

answered any last minute questions I had. Then the anestheologist

came in and introduced himself and answered any questions I had. Then

they wheeled me on that bed to the OR. From there, I don't really

remember anything until I woke up. I think I woke up in the same room

I was in prior to being wheeled to the OR, but it's a pretty fuzzy

memory!

> Do they rig you up to IVs, catheters and other accessories AFTER

you

> are asleep or before?

The IV came before I was asleep. I didn't have a catheter. All other

accessories (like the nasogastric tube) came after I was asleep. And

I don't remember having the nasogastric tube taken out, although they

claim I was awake for that!

Hope this helps!! Ask away as you think of questions, there are

plenty of people here to answer them with their experiences!

[Guest guest]

My surgeon used the molds made by my ortho...

I did have to have an EKG, and blood work, and a doppler study of my

carotids (because I had some bruits in there, which were no problem

at all). Also, a chest x-ray, I think.

It was a typical doc's appointment, and there was no talk of staying

anywhere overnight. I went and spent an hour or so, and that was it.

However, had my surgeon wanted his own molds and x-rays, I'm sure it

would have taken longer. (My two guys have worked with each other

for so many years that I swear, they think in unison, at least about

this stuff.)

I was told to have nothing (except meds, with a tiny sip of water)

after midnight for a 7 a.m. op.

The nurses installed an IV almost immediately when I got to the

hospital ward, so as to start antibiotics and steroids. It was an

ouchy, but nothing worse.

They put the catheter and ng tube, as well as the tube for general

anesthesia, in after I was out of it, and I was wheeled into the OR

on a gurney. I think. I have no memory of that, at all. They took

the tubes out before I awakened, except for the catheter, which my

sweet and gentle male nurse removed, with no embarrassment to either

of us, the morning after.

C.

>

> I will be going in for my pre-op a month from now and I was hoping

> someone could tell me what all is involved? I assume various x-

rays

> taken and moulds done and forms filled out.

>

> Is there bloodwork done?

>

> For how long are you at the hospital that day?

>

> Are you admitted that day or do you get to sleep at home/the hotel

> the night before your surgery?

>

> How long do you have to fast before your surgery ~ and do you need

> to fast before the pre-op?

>

> Surgery:

>

> Do you actually walk into the operating room and lie on the table,

> or are you already out by then?

>

> Do they rig you up to IVs, catheters and other accessories AFTER

you

> are asleep or before?

>

> Thanks to anyone who answers ~ unfortunately, I will not receive

any

> info about my surgery until a week beforehand=( I wanna know now!

> I'm starting to get jittery.

>

[Guest guest]

the pre-op appointment and pre-surgical procedures are different for

every doctor and every hospital, but i will also tell you what mine

was like.

pre-op appointment:

started at the OS office, where they took molds and x-rays and gave me

a quick physical. my doctor went over the surgery with me again, step

by step, and answered any questions i had. i also signed all the

release forms. i then went to the hospital to get my blood drawn.

they did a full CBC and panel to check that all my organs and blood

levels were healthy.

i stayed at home the night before the surgery, i don't think anywhere

is going to keep you the night before! i was not allowed to eat after

10pm the night before my 8am surgery.

morning of surgery:

got there at 6am and went into a room where they prepped me. they gave

me a gown to change into, had me take a urine test to make sure i

wasn't pregnant, set up my IV and started steriods and anti-biotics.

at about 7:45 the anesthesiologist (forgive my spelling) came in and

talked to me about what he was going to do and then gave me a shot (in

the IV) to sedate me (not because i was nervous, its to help the

anesthesia). about 15 minutes later they put a turban on my head and

wheeled me into the operating room. i was awake for like 30 seconds in

there and then woke up in the recovery room. the only new gadget i had

on me after was the naso-tube, which they put in after i was out.

good luck!

gina

>

> I will be going in for my pre-op a month from now and I was hoping

> someone could tell me what all is involved? I assume various x-rays

> taken and moulds done and forms filled out.

>

> Is there bloodwork done?

>

> For how long are you at the hospital that day?

>

> Are you admitted that day or do you get to sleep at home/the hotel

> the night before your surgery?

>

> How long do you have to fast before your surgery ~ and do you need

> to fast before the pre-op?

>

> Surgery:

>

> Do you actually walk into the operating room and lie on the table,

> or are you already out by then?

>

> Do they rig you up to IVs, catheters and other accessories AFTER you

> are asleep or before?

>

> Thanks to anyone who answers ~ unfortunately, I will not receive any

> info about my surgery until a week beforehand=( I wanna know now!

> I'm starting to get jittery.

>