What kinds of things do you need before surgery?

valzie · June 25, 2007

I know I saw someone had posted a great list of things that you need before having your surgery. I looked through past boards and couldn't find it. If anyone has it please post it for me.

faithmd · June 26, 2007

It's in the FAQ's and references forum:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f73/

Which has many great threads like what to ask the doctor, technical references, etc...

Here's the thread:

Post-op Checklists - Things to have before surgery.

o2bthin · June 26, 2007

I took almost everything on every list I could find. I found the only things I really needed were toothbrush, hairbrush, nightgown (for hotel), change of underwear and my purse.

faithmd · June 26, 2007

Yep, all I needed to take were:

my pillow (for my hospital bed and to cushion the seatbelt on the way home)

hairbrush

slippers

toothbrush and paste

one change of underwear (I didn't wear any during the OR case or during the night after-can't imagine having to pull them down to pee)

something to read (but I didn't read much)

lip balm

my ID cards (just in case, but I didn't even use those!)

I wore home what I wore to the hospital-a loose flowing dress.

In terms of important things to have in place pre-op, I have found these invaluable in the past four days:

liquid tylenol

popsicles

a shaker to mix my drinks in (nope, haven't used my blender)

my pillow to splint my belly while coughing or getting out of bed

loose nightgowns

slip on shoes

gas-x strips

lipbalm

Gerber apple prune juice in the four ounce bottles (drink one a day to keep things moving)

medcups for meds (I didn't need them to stop myself from gulping, but it might help someone else)

hydrocortisone cream to put on the rash the tape left on my skin

baby oil to remove all the yellow OR gunk

The first day I used my kitchen timer to time my drinks every fifteen minutes, but by day two, I didn't need it.

valzie · June 26, 2007

Thank you for the great information. I want to try to get some of this stuff together. I hope to hear when my date will be the second week of July after insurance clearence!