Pre-op instructions
If you are having a gynecologic surgery or procedure, we encourage our patients to ask questions and work with our staff to make your surgery go as smoothly as possible.
Scheduling & insurance
Our staff will work with you to find a day for your surgery. We will contact your insurance and get any necessary pre-approval for your hospital stay. However, this does not guarantee your benefits; we strongly recommend that you call your insurance company so that you will know what your anticipated costs will be.
Surgery location
We perform surgery at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center. Our still will give you directions and tell you where to go once at the hospital. You will need a driver to take you home.
Medications
It is extremely important that you bring all your medicines with you to your pre-op visit and your anesthesia visit. This includes over-the-counter medications, herbs and supplements. We will review your medications and tell you which ones to take on the day of surgery. You must stop all over-the-counter medications and supplements two weeks prior to your surgery, as many supplements can cause you to bleed more easily.
Eating
It is important that you do not have anything to eat or drink after midnight the evening before surgery. If you need to take medications, you may do so with only a small amount of water.
Constipation
This is a very common problem after surgery due to medications and change in diet. We encourage you to make sure you have a good bowel movement before surgery to help prevent post-op constipation. After surgery, we recommend using a stool softener (such as Colace) twice and day. You may take a laxative if needed.
Anesthesia
You will have a chance to talk to the anesthesiology team before surgery to learn about different types of anesthesia and get your questions answered. Please bring all of your medications in their original containers to this appointment.
Follow-up appointments
Our staff will let you know when to come back for your post-surgery checkup.