Do not take herbal supplements, including vitamin E and Fish Oil, one week before surgery. Do not take anti-inflammatories (such as ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, Daypro, Aleve, Naprosyn, naproxen, etc.) for five days prior to surgery, or as instructed by your surgeon. Do not shave the operative site for 48 hours prior.
Please stop taking all herbal remedies, aspirin, and anti-inflammatory medications (Advil, Aleve, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Naproxen, etc.) seven days prior to surgery unless otherwise instructed. However, it is okay to take Tylenol (acetaminophen) if something is needed for pain.
One Week Pre-Surgery
Green tea, cayenne, ginkgo, garlic, ginger, flaxseed, tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant may have a negative effect on anesthesia or bleeding time. Foods high in refined sugar should be avoided as they can suppress immune function.
The best meals before surgery will include a balance of lean protein, unprocessed carbohydrates, vegetables, and healthy (mainly plant-based) fats. Lean protein sources could include eggs, chicken, and fish. You can add a range of healthy carbohydrates like bananas, buckwheat, quinoa, sweet potatoes, and more.
Some healthy choices are lean meat, fish, poultry, beans, eggs, cheese, nuts, tofu, milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, and protein drinks. Drink at least 6 to 8 eight-ounce cups of fluid each day to stay well hydrated. Add a daily protein drink if you cannot eat enough food.
Spend the time before the procedure being as active as you can, eating right and getting good sleep. If you smoke, stop as soon as possible — even if it's just a day or two before surgery — because smoking can cause problems with breathing and recovery from anesthesia and surgery.
Some patients may want to let loose a few days before surgery or have a post-surgery celebratory drink, but our physicians warn that doing so is very dangerous! Alcohol interferes with your blood's ability to clot, which could make incisions and controlling blood loss during surgery particularly difficult.
jam + 1 cup of juice Do not eat high protein, high fat foods such as: meat, eggs, cheese, fried food, margarine, butter, peanut butter, or nut butters with this snack. STOP EATING FOOD 6 hours before surgery.
Beta-carotene – Foods rich in beta-carotene can promote immune defenses by keeping skin and mucous healthy to hold back bacteria and viruses. Apricots, asparagus, beef liver, beets, broccoli, collard and mustard greens, yellow and winter squash, and watermelon are all good sources of beta-carotene.
Two weeks before surgery, start taking 500 mg of Vitamin C once or twice a day. Vitamin C promotes healing and is a free-radical scavenger. Look for Vitamin C that is time-release and pure (that is, not mixed with any bioflavonoid or anything else).
Take nothing by mouth after midnight the night before. This means that you cannot drink any liquids, eat food, chew gum, smoke a cigarette, or have a mint. If you brush your teeth, do not swallow any water. If your surgery is late in the day, please ask the nurse or anesthesiologist about having a light breakfast.
Get Plenty of Rest
Your body does most of its healing and repairing while you're asleep, making it essential for you to try and get more sleep than usual. Try to get the recommended 7-9 hours of rest each night, sprinkling in short naps throughout the day to help support the recovery process.
Five Steps to Safer Surgery is a surgical safety checklist. It involves briefing, sign-in, timeout, sign-out and debriefing, and is now advocated by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) for all patients in England and Wales undergoing surgical procedures.
What kind of fluids are we talking about that are OK to consume before surgery? Clear liquids—something you can see through. Some options include water, apple juice, Gatorade, black coffee, or tea without any milk or cream. Liquids should not contain alcohol.
For your own safety and well-being, it's best to avoid alcohol for at least 48 hours before your scheduled surgery. Alcohol consumption can lead to serious complications both during and after the procedure. It can lead to a longer hospital stay and longer overall recovery time.
General guidance is that you should avoid alcohol for at least 2 weeks after your surgery. In some cases, you will have either fully healed or been through the majority of the recovery process. For others, this may not be enough time.
Drink small amounts of clear liquids, such as water, soda or apple juice. Today, avoid foods that are sweet, spicy or hard to digest. Eat more foods as your body can tolerate. If you feel nauseated, do not eat or drink anything for one hour and then try drinking clear liquids.
Eating foods rich in protein is important for healing and repairing tissues. Protein also helps your body make new blood cells, which are necessary for wound healing. Good sources of protein include lean meats, poultry, fish, tofu, eggs, legumes, and nuts.