Understanding how to prepare for surgery is vital to ensuring a smooth procedure and recovery. Major procedures such as Whipple surgery come with more extensive recovery periods than laparoscopic surgeries, which you can prepare for proactively.
Read on to familiarise yourself with how to prepare for major surgical procedures and learn practical tips for managing potential feelings of distress.
Dr Michael Chu's expertise includes open surgery procedures for pancreatic surgery, liver surgery, hernia surgery, and gallbladder removal.
Whichever type of surgery you're undergoing, you can expect an anaesthetic assessment before a date can be confirmed. You can expect your medical provider to inform you of other medical administrative tasks and carry these out for you. These include taking blood tests 1-2 days before your surgery, when and where to arrive, and a timeline for pausing consumption of liquids and solids.
If you're feeling scared before surgery, it's wise to create a checklist to ensure that all boxes are ticked for a smooth experience during and after the operation.
The specific steps for preparing for surgery can vary, but the following general tips will help you formulate a plan specific to your circumstances based on the advice of your medical provider.
It is generally recommended that you discontinue or limit your smoking before surgery to reduce the risk of complications and improve your recovery rate.
For nutrition, continuing to eat a well-rounded diet is beneficial. You can support your diet with specific multivitamins or supplements that address your dietary needs, which your medical provider can advise you on. Keeping well hydrated also enables your body to stay in optimal condition for procedures such as liver surgery.
Consider informing your friends and family of the procedure to plan for discharge, which includes arranging transportation from the medical provider, as driving after major surgeries is restricted. Talking to others ahead of time also accounts for the recovery period so the people around you can learn how to prepare for surgery and support you the best they can.
Notifying your place of work or making general arrangements depending on your employment situation is also a key step in preparing for surgery. This will allow others to account for your recovery period and reduced capacity.
Preparing for surgery involves organising your living spaces for recovery and coordinating the help you may need during this time. Whatever the expected duration of your recovery, setting things into place ahead of time is essential to a pleasant post-surgery experience.
Check household items to make sure they're easily accessible, and place anything you use regularly in easy-to-reach places. Minimising strain is essential for recovery, which includes not lifting heavy objects beyond 5-6 kg for up to two months and avoiding putting any strain on your wound sites.
An unexpected challenge during recovery can be a lack of things to do due to post-surgery limitations. Resting at home could feel like a dramatic change of pace, and adjusting to a temporarily less active lifestyle can be difficult. Consider picking up old hobbies, organising books to read, watching shows, or finding games to play that will keep you stimulated.
If you're wondering how to prepare for surgery from a mental health perspective, knowing how mental wellbeing links to physical wellbeing is useful. While surgeries target the state of our physical body, our emotions are also important – especially for recovery after surgery.
Being scared before surgery is normal. Fortunately, you can manage feelings of anxiety, stress, or fear leading up to major medical procedures through different techniques or strategies.
Surgery can feel like a significant life event, and acknowledging any emotional or psychological impacts you may be internalising is an invaluable first step. Stress and other unpleasant emotions can manifest as physical symptoms such as a tight chest or nausea. Writing these down in a journal and sharing them with friends and family are two ways of externalising your feelings and getting validation for them.
Finding ways to occupy yourself more than usual can be beneficial for taking your mind off the surgery. Where appropriate and as your medical provider advises, picking up light physical activity or continuing your exercise routine helps keep your body and mind productive and busy. You can do this through regular walks, yoga, or low-impact sports.
Alternatively, an educational approach can help soothe your mind by finding the answers to your questions. Your doctor or medical provider can assist you by providing facts and reassurance. Knowing what to expect before, during, and after surgery is a practical way of building confidence.
Open surgeries are a major life decision that benefits from thoughtful preparation and care. Dr Michael Chu takes a holistic approach to patient wellbeing, accounting for all areas of health to facilitate medical procedures that cause minimal disruption and stress. With years of specialised expertise in surgical care and complex HPB surgeries, contact Dr Michael Chu's medical practice to discuss your options for major surgery today.