The night before surgery may be a
restless night for you as you prepare mentally for the
surgery. This is to be expected, so don't be alarmed. If
you need to take a mild sedative to get to sleep, that's
fine. Be sure to take all of your normal medications unless
the medical doctor has instructed you not to take certain
medications.
Medications such as "blood thinners" (Coumadin,
aspirin, ibuprofen and the other anti- inflammatory medications)
may cause a greater blood loss. Usually we have you
stop taking these medications. Ask to make sure!
You can
eat about anything you wish the night before surgery and
you can eat solid food until midnight. After midnight,
you should not eat or drink anything unless your doctor
has told you otherwise. This means nothing - not coffee,
not water, not ice chips.
To ensure you are properly prepared, make sure you have everything
you will need at the hospital, that all of your questions
are answered, and that you have your advanced directives
available if you wish. |
