Day Surgery

[IkeaBagLady]

I’m due to go into hospital on Thursday for Gynae Day Surgery. It’s for general anaesthetic so I’ve had the info about not eating, can’t drive afterwards etc. What I’m not sure on is what I need to take. If you have experience of similar what would you advise?
I have been told I should be going home at the end of the day, so hopefully I won’t need a full overnight kit- but do you wear pyjamas? I’m already really anxious about the procedure so I’m getting myself worked up even more worrying about clothes/ water bottles/ phone charger - probably as a diversion tactic. Any tips welcomed. Thanks.

I’m surprised the hospital didn’t give you info on what to take - where I am they always do and it helps take some of the stress and worry when you have this information.

in case of day surgery we are advised to bring slippers, dressing gown, any medications and toilet bag. This is so if you have to walk anywhere - even to the loo ahead of surgery - you are comfortable. If you have a toilet bag and medications with you then you are covered in the unlikely event you have to be kept in overnight. I’d also bring my phone charger and some change just in case I wanted a paper or drink from the shop.

good luck with your surgery.

Wear comfy clothes into hospital that won't put pressure on your tummy for when you get dressed to go home. Bring a dressing gown and slippers, phone charger, lip balm.
You will wear a gown to theatre for your procedure and they will likely ask you to remove your underwear before you go down. If you have a dressing gown on then you will feel more comfortable. Also bring any medications that you usually take too in case of an overnight stay.

Also depending on what type of gynae surgery you are having down, you may want to bring some sanitary towels with you in case of any bleeding afterwards- this will vary depending on procedure. Don't worry if you don't bring any and you do end up needing them- the hospital will provide them but they are very bulky and you may prefer your own.

I took a dressing gown and sleepers. Mine was a morning one, so I arrived comfortably dressed - tracksuit bottoms, loose t shirt and fleece.
They might want you to do a pregnancy test before the procedure, so leave some urine to squeeze out. I was completely empty after the night fast and had to run water trying to wee

I always have two pints of water just before the 6.30am cut off. I also get up early do do a workout. It helps the nerves and it's usually the last exercise I'm allowed for a while.

I go in joggers with a nice warm jumper but a vest underneath. I'm always allowed to wear a non metallic cropped top for modesty.

I wear hotel slippers and take a long cardigan to go over my gown to walk to theatre.

I generally get up the moment I'm able to for a wee and put my clothes straight on. Then once the consultant has been round, you can go home.

I took period pants for any bleeding. Pads are not my thing.

I've had 5 gynae procedures in theatre in the last year. I'm a bit of a pro!

Thank you, I wish I had been given more info, it would take some of the worry out of it. I think I’ll try phoning the unit tomorrow to see what they can tell me as I don’t even know if I can have my normal morning medications before I go in at 7am.

Dressing gown seems like a good idea, but mine is fleecy and very bulky. I think hospitals are normally hot.

Also it will be hotter than hell. Take a fan.

Fan, lip balm, power pack for phone, long cardi, pads, spare pants. If I wear crocs they would do as slip on shoes/slippers I guess. I’m trying not to take too much as I imagine you don’t get a full bed space on the ward? I don’t want to be a nuisance and have luggage. Hoping to keep it to a rucksack.

For a hysterscopy I took a full bag in which really wasn’t needed it became very apparent on day it was just a day unit, just essentials, book, phone, lead, cardi, possibly period pain relief for afters though I got oramorph before leaving. I think I was encouraged to put the gown on as soon as on the unit and went to theatre in my own underwear which stayed with me as I remember recovery well and was most concerned about my pants if nothing else. 🤣 The female surgery was a breeze compared to the other two operations in all fairness.

I’ve been promised that I can keep my pants and a (no metal) bra on. Then I guess they will remove pants during the op. This is due to historic sexual traumas, which the surgery team are aware of so I am hopeful they will be kind on the day.

I would take phone and charger, a book, a long cardi or dressing gown to wear over hospital gown, slippers or sliders, tooth brush (to get rid of anasthetic taste), maybe some wetwipes. Wear loose comfortable clothes.

I really wouldn't take much of anything you will be in a hospital gown and asleep for the majority of the day. Take a phone charger, wear comfy clothes, don't wear jewellery or fake/painted nails or heavy makeup.

I don't think you will need a dressing gown Thursday is going to be hot and hospitals are like ovens. You really don't need anything for a day case

a dressing gown is usually suggested for modesty reasons not warmth - lots of people (completely sensibly) don't want to walk from the ward area to theatres wearing just a hospital gown.

A long cardigan would cover that need and might feel less vulnerable than a dressing gown.

Pack pjs. You may not be fit for discharge / go to theatre too late to be able to be discharged before nighttime. Assume you’re staying overnight when packing your bag just in case.

To answer this, you won't have a bed space usually for day surgery. You'll usually go from seated waiting area to changing room then walk to theatre with your belongings, which will follow you back to the recovery ward and then you'll be discharged. Some hospitals may have lockers but they're usually quite small.

Fit everything into a rucksack so it's easy for you to carry and for them to tuck under the trolley with you on the way back.

Don't take anything valuable or that you'd be upset to lose. All you need are your medications, slip on shoes (crocs are a good solution), something to wear over your gown so you'd feel comfortable between changing and arriving in theatre, and a bag to hold your clothes after you get changed into the gown. You may want a book or something to do while you wait beforehand.

Afterwards you'll have 1:1 care on recovery while you wake up, they'll make sure you're recovering ok, give you a drink, make you eat something, make sure you can urinate, and then they'll discharge you with any information you need.

If you look on your hospital website they may have a patient information leaflet about day surgery generally and/or your procedure specifically. This can help get a clearer picture of how they run things.

Although yes this is a fair point that it's possible you may need to be admitted. Although you may not want more than very basic toiletries and a hairbrush. I've been kept in because I wasn't well enough to be discharged on the day and slept in the gown - I wouldn't have been well enough to attempt changing into PJs, hence being kept in. But everyone is different.

If you've space in your rucksack for very basic overnight essentials and change of clothes, no harm and can be reassuring to know you're prepared. Or you could have them set aside at home for the person who was going to be collecting and supervising you to bring over if required.

I had the same recently and, as I had no one to drive me home was a pre planned overnight - I took a change of pants (period ones as there would be bleeding), tooth bush/paste, face stuff, phone charger, pj’s, slippers and a dressing gown

Whenever iv had day surgery iv been wheeled on the bed or got changed literally outside the theatre iv never walked anywhere far. You wouldn't be able to take a dressing gown into a theatre. If you do have to walk far ask for a 2nd gown and put it on backwards iv done that as an impatient multiple times

what surgery is it? I’ve literally just been in 2 weeks ago and barely used anything to be honest

i took a lightweight dressing gown and slippers and wore clothes to come home in. Packed some pads and change for the vending machine

ended up 8hrs in theatre so stayed overnight but I only used my phone charger as was still bleeding and didn’t want to put my pjs on! Wish I had packed some snacks and drinks, that’s the only things I could have done with
hospital gave me a toothbrush and toothpaste

Hospitals are very well equipped if you end up staying in and a partner can't bring you things. I really wouldn't be taking loads of crap with you that has to be lugged about. The reason you haven't been sent a list of what to take like you do when your staying is because you really don't need to be taking stuff

I had to walk to theatre in a gown, then sit in another room and wait for 15 mins then walked into the small anaesthetic room where they took the dressing gown, slippers and my glasses off me and packed them into a bag

Really iv never walked i always seem to get wheeled everywhere in hospital. I suppose different hospitals do it differently. But I would still go with the double gown then take a dressing gown their so bulky and will fill a whole bag

I took a v lightweight one that folded up small, fitted in a rucksack. A long cardigan would have done as well

where I work (as an anaesthetist), patients routinely walk to the anaesthetic room if they are able. Most chose to wear a dressing gown, which we then either return to the ward along with whatever they have on their feet while they're asleep, or bag up in a patient property bag that remains with them until they return to the ward. Some people are happy just using a gown, but lots aren't. Different hospitals have different set-ups though.