Preparing yourself for an operation is not child’s play and there is no guidebook in existence that can ease you through the thought process and tell you how to act. It doesn’t matter whether you are the patient or the patient is someone close to you; the feelings of anxiety are the same.  Sleepless nights, an inability to concentrate on simple things and the feeling that you are helpless to do anything about your situation are all part of a natural process experienced by thousands of people every day, but the news that you are not the only one feeling the anxiety is not going to help you at all.

What can Help Before an Operation?

Support and reassurance can only help to a small degree and in most cases, people would rather not speak about a situation than hear someone’s opinion that everything will be okay, but there are some things you can do that definitely help you prepare for an operation. The fittest patients have less to fear because they are less likely to suffer or be affected by complications if they arise during an operation. The recovery rate of a fit person is also a lot quicker than someone who is considered unfit because the body supplies vital nutrients and oxygen to affected areas more efficiently in an active individual. Nobody has to be marathon fit before an operation, but any help to improve blood flow through exercise prior to an operation will help during the procedure and boost your recovery.

Refrain from Some Medication

Your doctor should know what medicine you are taking, but there are always cases of oversight reported that result in negligence cases every year because the medication a patient has been taking prior to an operation has created these problems for the patient. In most cases but not all, patients need to stop taking medications such as warfarin and other blood thinning medications because they prevent the blood clotting which is sometimes necessary for a patient to heal after an operation. Your doctor should do a medication review before your procedure and if you think this may have been missed, it is better to be safe than sorry and ask the surgeon.

Drinking and Smoking

Smokers and drinkers have usually heard the negatives so often that the warnings pale into insignificance, but smoking and drinking alcohol are bad at any time of your life; not just before you go for an operation. If you are a heavy smoker or drinker, cut down as much as possible before your go into hospital because your blood pressure will reduce and this will remove or lessen the risks associated with high blood pressure and the side effects it causes. It is important not to drink (or eat) anything immediately prior to many operations. Refraining from eating and drinking are serious parts of any medical procedure that need to be adhered to by the letter to ensure maximum personal safety. You could put yourself at undue risk if you eat after the time instructed to be ‘mil by mouth’.

Be Hydrated before the Operation

This may sound like a strange instruction, but your body will be much more efficient if you thoroughly hydrate for a week before an operation, as this will aid recovery. Most of us do not drink enough water and this means we often go through periods of dehydration that we are not aware of because we don’t allow ourselves to become seriously dehydrated. Your body is dehydrated if you begin to feel thirsty because that is your body’s way of telling you to drink.  These tips are only guidelines and you should always follow your doctor’s instructions. Also, consult your doctor before making any serious changes to your lifestyle, including eating and drinking habits.

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About the author: Bill Jobs is a writer who understands that things can go wrong in operations or you can get nasty side effects from medication prescribed to you by a medical professional. If you feel that you have suffered unduly from a medical procedure, then you should consult medical negligence solicitors.