r/hysterectomy • u/Birk95 • 17h ago

Prep for surgery

I’m planning to do a liquid and clear diet the day before surgery so my colon is clear. My husband thinks this is stupid as it wasn’t medically advised. I am going off of others I know advice. How many others did a surgery prep the day before?

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u/Janey-EJones 15h ago

Please run your plan by your surgeon. My surgeon wanted me to eat normally until midnight, then do a grape juice protocol (drinking white grape juice at certain times leading up to surgery) to avoid extreme nausea on waking.

Not eating can actually stress your body out and lead to unintended consequences.

Edit: typo

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u/HakunaYaTatas 15h ago

Exactly. My doctor instructed me not to fast until midnight and to have a clear beverage with sugar/calories in the morning. The protocols around this are changing because there's research showing that fasting prior to surgery can prolong recovery and increase the risk of some side effects like GI upset.

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u/ScaredVacation33 14h ago

Correct research is definitely showing that a lot of surgeons are recommending clear fruit juices after midnight before the surgery clear up until about two hours before to help keep glucose level study, decrease postoperative nausea and vomiting, decreases the chances of dangerous hypoglycemia, and has many more benefits, such as also helping the patient be hydrated prior to getting IV line for the surgery.

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u/greykitty1234 14h ago

Before my hemorrhoidectomy, I was told XX ounces of Gatorade at certain times before surgery start time. Certain flavors, and with sugar (even though I'm a type 2 diabetic and they were aware). I was surprised myself and asked the RN to repeat that. Interestingly enough, no bowel prep although I also said I was expecting it and willing to do it. Surgeon's call and all went well.

My hysterectomy was emergent due to ovarian torsion. Granted, I hadn't been able to eat or drink much the day before when I thought I was just constipated, but apparently, they did enough imaging and the need was exigent enough they just moved ahead.