Any hospital workers, what do I do?

[Theblackdogagain]

I've got an operation coming up. However there is a strong possibility I'll be on day 1 or 2 of my period. I can be really heavy and I don't want to leak everywhere. I'll wear period pads and a thick pad but what would happen if I did leak while on the operation table?

They’d clear it up. It’s really nothing out of the ordinary. Hope it goes well.

It happens.
Put a fresh pad on before hand and let the nurses know.

How long is the operation?

They'd clear it up and nobody would bat an eyelid, but let the anaesthetist or surgeon know if its abdominal surgery so nobody panics they've hit something they shouldn't have.

They'll have inco pads to pop under you and then just change them if needed. They won't bat an eye lid so don't worry too much about it!

Ex scrub nurse here. Wear your normal pads. Just let someone know in the anaesthetic room just before you’re wheeled into theatre. We would pop an absorbent pad under you, depending on your positioning on the table and length of the operation we might adjust the pad just to prevent any pressure damage. We would make sure you were all in check before leaving theatre.

I work in theatres and we literally wouldn't bat an eyelid at this. Is it a surgery that requires pants off or can you leave them on? I'd pad up and let someone know just for the heads up!

If you leak it won't even be considered, operating tables get messy.
Do not under any circumstances wear a tampon or a mooncup (or anything inserted inside you). If there are delays/complications, you don't want it accidentally left in for too long - toxic shock from a tampon is not a complication you want post op.

@negomi90 mooncups don’t have the same risk as tampons so actually they’d be fine.

I found that during an anaesthetic period blood flow decreases. Not sure if that’s the same for everyone.

[quote LowlyTheWorm]@negomi90 mooncups don’t have the same risk as tampons so actually they’d be fine.[/quote]
If there were major complications or a prolonged stay in icu or a period of cognitive impairment post-op a moon up could easily get forgotten. It’d be pretty honking by the time any HCP went looking for it unless they knew it was there! Best to stick to pads peri-op.

I had to have a gynae operation and on the day my period started. To say the surgeon gave not two fucks would be overstating it! Don't worry about it, they are used to the workings of the human body.

I’m a surgeon. This is completely normal and we would not bat an eyelid. We always make sure patients are clean ans dry before they leave theatre so if you had leaked onto your legs you would be cleaned . Blood is run of the mill in my world. Just mention it to a member of your team ( surgical or anaesthetic) ....

It's a short foot operation so shouldn't be long and completely different part of the body. OK I'll mentioned it bit hopefully it will be OK.

It will be cleaned up.

For some reason anecdotally it’s really common for women admitted to ICU (so intubated and essentially anaesthetised) to start their period. It’s cleaned up the same as everything else, and definitely nothing we haven’t seen before.

Update, I informed people that needed to know and had to apologise for getting blood in the urine sample but all OK. Period pants held everything in until I could get myself sorted and I could wear my black short shorts as well .