You may find the Royal College of Anaesthetists' Better Fitter Sooner resources
helpful in preparing for your surgery.
There are a number of common issues that can lead to a delay in
surgery and may increase your risks of suffering complications.
These are issues that you may be able to improve yourself.
Weight
Your weight is a very important factor in planning for your
surgery, and in your recovery afterwards. Medical professionals use
something called Body Mass Index (BMI) to help assess whether or
not a person's weight is healthy.
There are many online BMI calculators such as this one provided
by the NHS:
www.nhs.uk/tools/pages/healthyweightcalculator.aspx
Simply type in your height and weight, and it will do the
rest.
Alternatively you can work it out yourself using this formula:
BMI = W/(H x H) where W is weight in kilograms and H is height in
metres. For example, if your weight is 90 Kg and your height is 1.8
m, then your BMI is: 90 divided by (1.8 x 1.8) = 28
If you are overweight, try to reduce your weight as much as you
can, ideally so that your BMI is lower than 30.
Smoking
Smoking significantly affects your breathing so try to give up
several weeks before your planned surgery date - the earlier the
better. If you can't give up completely, try to cut down. The less
you smoke the smaller your risk of breathing problems during or
after your surgery.
If you want stop, or at least reduce, your smoking you can find
useful information here:
www.nhs.uk/livewell/smoking/Pages/stopsmokingnewhome.aspx
Anxiety
Feeling anxious about coming into hospital or having surgery is
quite normal and natural, but it can have unwanted effect, such as
increasing your blood pressure.
Some people find techniques such as mindfulness, meditation,
yoga or breathing exercises can relieve anxiety and help them to
prepare better for surgery. If you are very anxious, then speak to
your GP or specialist as soon as you can, so that they can help
you.
Pre-existing Medical Conditions and
Medication
Everyone involved in your care needs to be fully aware of your
medical history so that, where appropriate, they can tailor your
treatment to suit you and your individual needs. Any long term
medical condition you might have should be discussed with your GP
or at your specialist's outpatient clinic, and you should ask for a
check up. You should make sure to tell the medical staff about this
when you attend for preoperative assessment.
Likewise, if you are on any long-term medication or dietary
supplements (such as vitamins, glucosamine, fish oil or herbal
products), you should discuss this with your GP or at outpatients'
clinic to check whether any change to your medication is advisable
before your surgery.
Make sure you have a supply of suitable pain killers at home for
after your surgery. Hospitals vary in what and how much they are
able to give you to take home. Over-the-counter preparations such
as paracetamol and ibuprofen are very effective if taken
properly.
