Pre-Op Questions, Suggestions - Polish And Pop?

[txdee 23]

May be a stupid question, but I'm getting a pedicure next week - can you wear polish in the operating room or do they remove it anyway? (I have a friend who is in nursing school and she said they can't wear it.)

Also, what is a good, quick substitute for canned sodas, since no more carbonation? What is everyone's favorite go-to drink now? Probably tea, but is there a good, canned or bottled tea?

Another dumb question - what all IS carbonated?? Sodas and champagne - anything else? I don't want to inadvertently make a mistake and drink carbonation.

I am so glad to have this forum! So far, it is the best source of info for WLS that I have found. Other sources aren't as reliable as they should be...I'm just sayin'...

Thanks in advance!

[kczar 166]

Welcome! We're neighbors, since I live in Garland.

I know you can't have polish on your fingers because that's one of the ways they check to make sure you're getting enough oxygen. Not sure about on your toes. Maybe get a French pedicure?

Carbonated drinks are anything that has bubbles - soft drinks, fizzy Water, beer, tonic Water, etc. Gatorade, Propel, juices, etc. are safe as far as carbonation is concerned.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Wheetsin 714]

May be a stupid question, but I'm getting a pedicure next week - can you wear polish in the operating room or do they remove it anyway? (I have a friend who is in nursing school and she said they can't wear it.) Mine was inpatient so no polish. For outpatient procedures, toe polish has been OK but not finger (for the oxygen monitor). It seems to depend on where you're at.

Also, what is a good, quick substitute for canned sodas, since no more carbonation? What is everyone's favorite go-to drink now? Probably tea, but is there a good, canned or bottled tea? Lots of people drink flavored waters (crystal light, Mio, etc.) I prefer plain Water or iced black tea. Protein drinks will probably make up the majority of your fluids at first.

Another dumb question - what all IS carbonated?? Sodas and champagne - anything else? I don't want to inadvertently make a mistake and drink carbonation. Seltzers, tonics, beer, wine coolers, sparking wine, most "energy" drinks, certain waters are carbonated like Schweppes... it might be quicker to list what's not carbonated. Your chances of accidentally drinking a carbonated beverage without knowing it are slim. You'll feel it in your mouth, or see it when you pour, etc.

I am so glad to have this forum! So far, it is the best source of info for WLS that I have found. Other sources aren't as reliable as they should be...I'm just sayin'...

Thanks in advance!

[MinaT 669]

Beer, champagne, Hard Apple Cider Beer.

[Half~of~Bri 25]

I had surgery on my foot (on the side near my big toe) in February and got a pedicure the day of surgery - hey a girl's gotta look cute They didn't say anything about the polish nor did they remove it. I plan on getting one prior to my VSG as well, unless I'm told I can't of course!

[goldenraisin214 142]

I had polish on my toes for my myomectomy and for my VSG. No problems--I was told not to have polish on my fingers for the same reason others have cited.

[MinaT 669]

I have to spend the night before I go to bed in the shower using hibiclens and the next morning before I go to the hospital I have to wash with hibiclens, I was told it will really dry out my skin. I was told no earrings, no nail polish on my nails & toes, no deodorant, no lotions, no hair products, no makeup.

This all makes absolutely perfect sense to me.

I see that others are allowed to have polish and to be honest, isn't the safest bet the best bet when you are about to have any sort of major surgery.

[txdee 23]

I have to spend the night before I go to bed in the shower using hibiclens and the next morning before I go to the hospital I have to wash with hibiclens, I was told it will really dry out my skin. I was told no earrings, no nail polish on my nails & toes, no deodorant, no lotions, no hair products, no makeup.

This all makes absolutely perfect sense to me.

I see that others are allowed to have polish and to be honest, isn't the safest bet the best bet when you are about to have any sort of major surgery.

I'm with you, I think I'll forego the toenail polish this time. Also, I wasn't told to wash with anything special but I think I will. I wash with deodorant soap and an antibacterial soap that I can't think of the name of right now. Maybe I'll look for hibiclense - @ Walmart? ?

[MinaT 669]

My doctor's office gave me the hibiclens, it's an antibacterial soap, I am sure you will be fine just using a general antibacterial soap before going to the hospital. I was surprised about the shower the night before and the morning of and then when we get tot he hospital she said they will again wash my body... I am a bit OCD and am very clean, it could give a girl a complex lol.

Truthfuly, the medical group I'm going through called Healthy4life are very strict on everything they do. My surgeon is extremely strict. Admittedly it's annoying in some respects especially when I see some people don't have to do 6 months of pre-op diet and be expected to lose, they don't have to sit through seminars, groups, psychological testing, meeting with the psychologist, sitting through 2 - two hour classes of pre-op, all the testing I have had to go through.

We have 14 days strict 3 shakes a day, only allowed sugar-free Jello & popsicles, Water, crystal light, decaff tea and Water. We have two weeks of Clear liquids after surgery and about 4 weeks of full liquids afterwards.

They have great results though, with less complications and though I quit the first time there after the first month, I made it through to this point and I pray that this seven months of hard work before surgery will set me up for good results afterwards.

Closer I get to surgery the colder my feet are getting though, it almost seems like if I decided to have surgery 7 months ago and had within a month, it would be less stress, but maybe this has made me stronger.

[Wheetsin 714]

Also, I wasn't told to wash with anything special but I think I will. I wash with deodorant soap and an antibacterial soap that I can't think of the name of right now. Maybe I'll look for hibiclense - @ Walmart? ?

You should be given some instructions closer to surgery, usually when you do the pre check-in (forgetting the real name of it). Sometimes they give you special soap - one time I got the same liquid soap that surgeons use to scrub their hands pre-op. The same soap that says clearly on the bottle "not to be used as a pre-op body wash for surgical patients."

For all other surgeries I was told to wash with an antibacterial soap. Not like softsoap, like safeguard. The pre-op instructions (hygiene) specify to wash with whatever soap you're told the night before and the morning of. No deodorant, perfrume, hair products, etc.

[Tibbie 55]

My doctor's office gave me the hibiclens, it's an antibacterial soap, I am sure you will be fine just using a general antibacterial soap before going to the hospital. I was surprised about the shower the night before and the morning of and then when we get tot he hospital she said they will again wash my body... I am a bit OCD and am very clean, it could give a girl a complex lol.

Truthfuly, the medical group I'm going through called Healthy4life are very strict on everything they do. My surgeon is extremely strict. Admittedly it's annoying in some respects especially when I see some people don't have to do 6 months of pre-op diet and be expected to lose, they don't have to sit through seminars, groups, psychological testing, meeting with the psychologist, sitting through 2 - two hour classes of pre-op, all the testing I have had to go through.

We have 14 days strict 3 shakes a day, only allowed sugar-free Jello & popsicles, Water, crystal light, decaff tea and Water. We have two weeks of Clear liquids after surgery and about 4 weeks of full liquids afterwards.

They have great results though, with less complications and though I quit the first time there after the first month, I made it through to this point and I pray that this seven months of hard work before surgery will set me up for good results afterwards.

Closer I get to surgery the colder my feet are getting though, it almost seems like if I decided to have surgery 7 months ago and had within a month, it would be less stress, but maybe this has made me stronger.

I think this is great. I really do. I think what they are doing is helping ensure your success - for you AND for them! Doesn't look good to go somewhere that over half the patients have gained their weight back! This shows dedication, determination - and the chances of you succeding are far greater! Good for you for all the hard work!!!!!! It will be soooo worth it to you in the end!

[Chimera 644]

Our instructions are to make sure sheets and bedding are freshly laundered the night you go to sleep before surgery, use only freshly laundered towels and clothing. And the two showers with the soap of course

As for the new go to drinks - which replaced beloved coffee with milk and sugar and diet coke - herbal teas, occasionally with a bit of Truvia, and crystal lite - pink lemonade is my favorite.

Wow Mina your doc is strict - my husband had his vsg last week and is going batty with the liquids. Our surgeon lets us have full liquids - mainly Protein drinks and not much else. At three weeks is when they advance to mushy.

[Nanny3Kids 8]

Mina, I have been gone through everything you have, and i did them all twice i went from one hospital and did everything and my insurance wouldnt cover the sleeve my BMI is to low, and that hospital isnt a standard of excellents go figure so that was all wasted and then i went through it all again and got approved at the hospital i switched too. It is a lot of work and gets very aggervating, but i am right there with you i would have jump right in the OR with bells on & yrs ago when i first started all this and even a month ago when i got my date set for sugery but right now with a little over a week to go i am having some bit time what if's and should I's!!

[MinaT 669]

Nanny good luck to you.

My surgeon and his group Healthy4Life switched hospitals a little over a year ago. He was at Methodist Hospital, which his group and the hospital was Centers of Excellence. They moved to St. Mary's group of hospitals which is St. Mary's of Hobart and Community of Munster, Indiana. They had to start all over with the Centers of Excellence, though he is considered a Centers of Excellence (COE) surgeon, the hospitals have to be recertified. He has done over1400 surgeries, yet he's only at 100 at St. Mary's and I will be number 4 at Community. Since he was already COE he was told after 65 surgeries at St. Mary's, Medicare would come out and inspect the office, the OR's, recovery, ICU, and surgery wing. After two months of being put off, they were informed that Medicare (yes, a government agency) has outsourced the certification to another company which now requires 125 surgeries before they come inspect. This means I would have to wait until they finished 25 more surgeries and then wait for them to finally show up, which leads me out to most-likely September - November for the surgery. I decided instead of having my family and myself have to travel the 40 minutes to Hobart to have it at Community, which is about 5 minutes from my home (with the same group). I figure I will be one of Communities special patients one of their first 10. The Hospital, Community Hospital in Munster, Indiana has been named to America's 50 Best Hospitals 5 years in a row. I see so many self-pays, and I have BCBCIL 90% - with a 10% for me, if the surgery ends up costing $28,000.00, I have a $2,500.00 out of pocket cost and it may end up costing me out of pocket the max about 2k.

Chimmera, thanks for the suggestion about the clean bedding. I usually do my bedding once a week on Friday or Saturday, I'll do it on Sunday instead and make sure my husband does it before I come back home lol!