Going For Surgery

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 MONTH BEFORE

· Contact your urologist if you have been admitted to hospital for a serious condition in the last 4-6 weeks of surgery (eg heart attack, stroke, pneumonia)

· Stop smoking

· If you have not attended or been sent a Preadmissions Clinic appointment, expect to receive a letter for an appointment before surgery. This is a pre-surgery appointment to ensure that you are fit for surgery

 WEEK BEFORE

· Most patients need to STOP taking their blood thinning medications 7-10 days before surgery. If you have not received clear instructions on what to do and are still taking the medication, contact your General Practitioner (GP) or urologist.

· List of blood thinning medication include:
- Clopidogrel
- Warfarin/Coumadin/Marevan
- Iscover
- Plavix
- Aspirin


· Make an appointment with your GP to do a urine test to exclude a urinary tract infection

 DAY BEFORE

· Non-Diabeticss and Diabetics on diet control only
Fast from MIDNIGHT (no food or drinks) before if surgery is due in early morning (0800 hours)

· Diabetics on insulin
Because you are fasting, most patients take only half their usual insulin dose in the morning when it is due. Have a sweet drink or snack if you develop symptoms of low sugar (hypoglycaemia).

 THINGS TO PACK

· ALL relevant tests – CT scans, ultrasound scans, x-rays, blood and urine tests.

· ALL current medication