Pre-Op details

[Stacia143 0]

I am having a lot of anxiety surrounding the surgery. I want to know every detail. I think this is me trying to have control over something so drastically life changing. I am having surgery in Washington State on Sept. 30th. I anticipate when I get there, they'll do a urinalysis, and blood work. What exactly will they be testing for? I imagine pregnancy, blood count...what else? Will they be checking Vitamin levels? Please let me know what all you were tested for day of and all details you are willing to share.

If my Vitamin D and Iron is low, will my surgery be cancelled? I've struggled (even with supplements) to bring my Vit. D levels up.

I imagine an IV, heart monitor. Can they give me something for anxiety?

I guess...I've waited so long for this, it doesn't seem real. I am terrified something will take this from me.

[The Greater Fool 1,971]

I don't recall them doing an urinalysis.

You might talk to your Doc beforehand expressing your unusual anxiety. Perhaps the anesthesiologist if the Doc doesn't pan out. Try some relaxation techniques..

If you're worried about Vitamin D or Iron go to the local pharmacy and get a supplement. Slow-FE works well for me, still. Unless you have extraordinarily low iron I can't see it being an issue. D even less so.

You're finding stuff to worry about which is not unusual. Hang in there, address whatever you can if it will relieve your anxiety.

Post op, if you're looking for something to read, I recommend "How to Make Yourself Miserable" (Dan Greenburg, 1976). I found it quite enlightening and entertaining.

Good Luck,

Tek

Edited September 26, 2020 by The Greater Fool

[catwoman7 10,981]

have they done labs before? I had them done at the start of my program (about six months before surgery) and then again as we got closer. I do remember my vit D was crazy low on the first set of labs, so they put me on prescription vit D to bring it up. I would think if they've already done labs on you, then maybe your levels weren't low enough that they'd cause issues with the surgery (otherwise, I'm sure they would have had you do something to boost them up to a safe level)

I didn't have a urinalysis the day of surgery - in fact, I don't think my surgeon ever ordered one at all. I don't think I had a blood test the day of, either - although some surgeons test you for nicotine (I was tested for nicotine, too - but not the day of surgery - may have been like a month before)

you'll have an IV and a heart monitor. And the anesthesiologist will give you a sedative if you're really anxious - just ask (or they may ask YOU first....)

[BigSue 1,325]

Keep in mind that every hospital is a little different, but I can tell you what they did where I had surgery. When I arrived, they took my temperature before they let me in the building (COVID precaution). Then I checked in and had to sign some paperwork, and then they took me to a room and told me to take off all my clothes (including underwear) and change into a hospital gown, grippy socks, and mask (I wore a cloth mask in, but they wanted me to change into a disposable mask). A nurse came in, weighed me, and took my blood pressure, then gave me a cup for a urine sample (pregnancy test). Based on your picture, you look like a woman of childbearing age, so they will almost certainly require a pregnancy test. This was an issue for me because I was not allowed to have anything to drink after midnight the night before, and I peed before I left the house, so I was not able to produce a urine sample at the hospital. The nurse pleaded with me to squeeze out three drops, and I tried, but I couldn't, so they had to do a blood test for pregnancy. The nurse told me the blood test would take longer and could result in delays, but that was not true at all because I can see the time on my results and the pregnancy test came back at the same time as the rest of the bloodwork (45 minutes after they drew the blood).

These are the blood tests I had the morning of surgery:

• Pregnancy
• Comprehensive metabolic panel
• Complete blood count (CBC)

After they drew blood, they did an EKG, which consisted of a nurse sticking leads all over my body and then hooking it up to a machine, and a doctor came in to look at the results. That part was very quick and easy. My surgeon said they normally do the bloodwork and EKG a few days before surgery, but they started doing it the day of surgery because of COVID precautions. I was worried that something would come back abnormal and they would cancel the surgery, but the surgeon assured me that was very, very rare. He said that the EKG and bloodwork are mainly so they have a basis for comparison after the surgery.

After the testing, they moved my bed into a staging area with a bunch of other patients. Several nurses came over one by one and introduced themselves, then asked me my name, date of birth, and what surgery I was having (they ask this over and over again and compare to the wristband to make sure they have the right patient for the right surgery). My surgeon stopped by and talked to me briefly. A nurse started an IV in my hand. The anesthesiologist came over and asked me a bunch of questions about my medical history. Another nurse said she was going to give me a heparin shot in my stomach, but then said she would wait until the Versed kicked in. I was lying there waiting for the nurse to come back, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up after surgery.

My surgeon did not test me for Vitamins before surgery, but my PCP and endocrinologist did. My Vitamin D was very low, so I was taking a prescription Vitamin D, but it was still low even after I had been taking the prescription for months (I am now on a higher dosage).

[Stacia143 0]

Thank you BigSue! This really helped to put my mind at ease!