Technology has continued to offer patients less and less invasive procedures, and new anesthetics are allowing patients to undergo procedures with fewer side effects. Only a short time ago, having surgery was a far more serious and invasive process that required being admitted to the hospital and having a long inpatient recovery.
Now, more than 50 percent of all surgeries are done as outpatient procedures, meaning the patient is able to leave the facility the same day as the procedure. And recovery is done within the comforts of home. This is great for patients; it means less risk for infection, fewer medical bills, and a shorter recovery period.
Whether your procedure is inpatient or outpatient, minor or major, there are several steps that you should take to prepare for your surgery:
Prepare Yourself Physically
Preparing your body for surgery is a serious task. There are a number of steps that you should take in the weeks or days leading up to your procedure to minimize your risks for complications, speed recovery times and increase the likelihood of a good surgical outcome.
For starters, stop smoking, like immediately. As for alcohol intake, either cut back on or cut out alcohol altogether. Eat a healthy diet, especially foods rich in vitamin C, which can help speed tissue healing times. Avoid taking aspirin or aspirin-like medications that might affect the body’s ability to form clots for at least a week before your surgery. Be sure to confirm with your doctor that this is your best course of action, especially if you’re been put on an aspirin regimen.
If you are taking any medications, you should ask your surgeon how they might interact with your anesthesia or your healing time, and whether or not you’ll have to change your dosages or change your medication schedule. You should also make sure that you complete any lab work that you’re asked for prior to the procedure - including blood or urine tests, to be sure that you’re physically capable of undergoing your procedure. Depending on the type of surgery you’ll be having, you may require a blood transfusion. You have the option of donating blood in advance of the surgery, asking friends or relatives to donate for you if needed, or allowing blood that was donated at a blood bank, such as the Red Cross, to be transfused as needed.
Prepare Yourself Mentally
Surgery can be a scary, emotionally taxing experience. When the body experiences stress, it releases hormones, like cortisol, which can affect the body in a number of ways. Cortisol causes headaches or anxiety, or even weakening of the immune system, which makes it harder for the body to fight off infections or manage pain after surgery.
Educating yourself about the procedure that you’re going to be having done can help ease your stress levels. Some researchers suggest that visualization - picturing the body successfully going through the procedure, having a successful outcome and a quick recovery - can actually help the body recover more quickly. Relaxation techniques, including deep breathing and meditation, can also help you prepare yourself emotionally for the stress of surgery.
Prepare Your Environment.
Having surgery performed means that even if you are allowed to return home the same day, you will likely have limitations that you should plan for in advance of the procedure. If you have a multistory home and mobility will be an issue, set up a recovery room or area on the first floor that will provide easy access to a restroom, food, and other necessities without aggravating your surgical site with excessive motion. Prepare and freeze meals ahead of time so that you won’t have to cook for yourself while you’re recovering. Make arrangements for a friend or relative to stay with you to help around the house while you heal. If you have minor children, get help with them while you are in the hospital or in the days after the procedure. You will likely be tired, sore, on pain medications, and not able to care for them on your own. You will also want to try to schedule your procedure to maximize your time off from work and avoid trying to work, when possible Don't overextend yourself during the recovery period.
Prepare Yourself Legally
Depending on the procedure that you’re having done, make legal preparations in advance of your surgery, and consider how you’ll handle the consent forms that you’ll be asked to sign. Consider speaking with an attorney or outlining your wishes regarding everything from organ donation to extraordinary measures in what would be called either a living will or health care proxy. You may also want to assign someone medical power of attorney in the event that you become incapacitated or someone needs to make emergency medical decisions on your behalf while you are hospitalized.
Prepare Yourself Financially
Surgical procedures often come with large price tags. Be sure that you are financially prepared for the expense of the procedure to accommodate for lost wages during days missed from work. You'll also want to manage any additional costs you’ll face after the procedure, including medications, physical therapy, and more. Contact your health insurance provider to discuss your coverage and find out what kinds of costs you should expect to face, including copays and out of pocket maximums, if there are any. Ask your surgeon what bills you should be expecting, and keep in mind that you will likely be receiving separate bills from the hospital, surgeon, anesthesiologist, and others who participate in the procedure.
You should also be sure that you are abiding by your health insurance policy’s terms: some policies require preauthorization from the company prior to having a procedure done; others require physician referrals. Looking into the financial burden of the procedure in advance is a great way to avoid sticker shock when the bills start arriving.
Nobody wants to have surgery, but these helpful hints will prevent you from adding insult to injury.