PREPARING FOR SURGERY; Everything you would expect your MD to have told you.

[taurabird 142]

I was putting together my preop and postop plan to get myself in peak condition for surgery and I thought that some of you may be interested in what you can do to help yourself heal after surgery. I am a nurse, a lot of this I have learned over the years from managing surgical patients and from doctors. I hope that maybe some of information below will help someone recover from surgery faster and heal better. If you have any chronic illnesses or diseases be sure to speak to your doctor, in other words, don't solely take my word.

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Building up your Protein levels so you are in peak health for surgery is the #1 thing you can do for yourself since it is protein that facilitates healing of the stomach staple line. If your blood levels of protein and albumin is low your chances of suffering from delayed healing is greatly increased. I have started drinking 2 Protein shakes a day as a way to increase my protein stores and as a way to start getting used to the shakes so it is not such a shock mentally once that is all I am eating.

PREPARING FOR SURGERY; Everything you would expect your MD to have told you.

Now until 2 weeks from surgery; Below will prepare your body for surgery

1) Increase protein intake to at least 1 gram per kilogram of body weight. For my weight (260lbs) I SHOULD eat at least 120 gr of protein daily.

2) Take Omega 3's daily - Among Other Things (AOT) it will help your hair postop

3) Take Multivitamin daily

4) Take Vit C daily - AOT it helps healing

5) Take Zinc daily - AOT it helps healing

6) Take amino acids, L-Glutamine and L-arginine - AOT it helps healing

7) Take Coenzyme C-10 - AOT it helps healing

8) Take probiotic - prepares your gut for the change to liquids and possible antibiotics postop

9) Drink at least 1 ounce of Water per Kilogram of body weight daily.

At least 10 days before surgery you MUST STOP below things; Causes bleeding or interacts with anesthesia

1) Stop Vitamin E, K, C and B including your daily multivitamin and all other herbals

2) Stop Fish oils, aka, omega 3's

3) Stop drinking green tea, alcohol, caffeine, aspartame (equal)

4) Stop eating cayenne pepper, ginger, flax seed, tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant, sugar, fried foods, transfats and MSG, fatty fish such as salmon

5) Stop Aspirin and NSAID's

ONLY take the 5 things listed below from 10 days up to the day before surgery;

1) Zinc

2) amino acids (L-Glutamine and L-arginine)

3) Coenzyme Q-10

4) Probiotics

5) Prescription medications okayed by your surgeon

Postop Day 3; RESTART everything below as okayed by your doctor;

1) Restart everything that you stopped 10 days before surgery

2) Keep your protein as high as you can; try for 1mg/kg (this helps healing and minimizes hair loss)

[Frustr8 7,886]

I found this older posting- do you agree or disagree with what she says?