Imagine what it will be like the day of your surgery. No more waiting, wishing and wondering—it will be time to actually take the first real step in your final weight loss journey as you prepare to become a new weight loss success story. But it is not all excitement on the day of surgery. The procedure you are about to undergo requires some preparation from you.
Some of your preparations will take place at home before you come to the hospital and others will take place at the hospital. In this section, we will discuss all the big and little things you must do before you get to the hospital.
Day of Surgery Home Preparations
1. Take a shower with the antiseptic Hibiclens. You can wash your hair and brush your teeth as normal but do not swallow any water if it’s after midnight the night before surgery.
2. Do not apply any make-up, false eyelashes, lotions, creams, or moisturizers. There is no need to get pretty for surgery and your skin needs to be free of all lotions.
3. Do not wear any jewelry and be sure to wear loose clothing that is comfortable and slips on easily. Your shoes should also be easy to put on. Remember, you need to put on the clothes and shoes after your surgery so they can’t have waistbands that will irritate your incision or complicated straps.
4. Do not eat anything or drink anything after midnight the night before surgery. Take any medications that your doctor has instructed you to take and avoid those your doctor asked you not to take prior to surgery (like blood thinners). If you need water to take the medication, be sure to only take a very small amount.
5. If you have sleep apnea and use a C-PAP or Bi-PAP machine you need to bring your mask with you. The actual machine will be provided for you at the hospital, you simply need to bring your mask.
6. Bring all of your medications, your driver’s license and your insurance cards with you for surgery.
7. You will not be able to drive home after surgery, so make sure you have someone there to pick you up. This person must be able to take and understand the post-op instructions given by your doctor.
8. Lastly, make sure you get to the hospital by the appointed time.
The next group of steps involve those things you and your medical team must do at the hospital to ready yourself.