Period and surgery

[Differentstarts]

I'm having surgery in a few days under general anesthetic and have just come on my period please reassure me that this isn't as embarrassing as it feels. I have really heavy periods so am worried about leaking everywhere 😭

Just speak to the surgeon about it. Depending on the surgery you may be able to wear a tamping, pad, or keep your underwear on. Surgeons don't care though. I mean they're putting their hands inside your body. Nothing else is quite as intimate as that!

Tell the pre-op nurse. The surgeon won't be interested!

this happened to me but mine was a throat operation. I had to tell a member of the medical team who gave me a pair of paper knickers to wear which I could still use my sanitary pad with. regular knickers weren't allowed for some reason? all was OK.

maybe use a nightime towel if your periods are heavier

Speak to the pre op nurse, it must be common. Can you wear period pants, if allowed, plus night pad.

I spoke to the nurse and she said it’s so common it’s a non issue. I asked if I could wear a tampon and she said that would be fine.

I appreciate the messages I would feel better if I could wear a tampon but I will take some night time pads

Did the pad have wings, did you put them round the paper knickers or just inside because them knickers are huge. Sorry if the questions stupid im just so nervous

@Differentstarts my op was a few years ago now but I'm sure my pad would have had wings as I've always used the ones with wings. you could always ask for 2 pairs of the knickers tell them you have heavy periods. put a long nighttime pad on then the 2nd pair of knickers on top. I'm sure the medical team have seen it all before. I too felt slightly embarrassed but all was fine.

@gandeysflipflop Thankyou so much

I'm an anaesthetic practitioner and can honestly say it will hardly register! The ward staff will be able to get you set up and settled with pads etc but please please try not to worry. It really won't be something that crosses the theatre teams radar. X

It’s really not an issue. Sanitary pad is probs best…wear whatever knickers you want so long as they don’t have metal in them (!) and you don’t mind them getting skin prep on them if it’s an operation in the pants region. Wouldn’t be worried about a tampon either for some daycase type operations (so long as staff know it’s in…so someone can retrieve it later if there’s any major complications that mean your asleep for much longer than planned), but it probably is more straightforward to not use one. If the operation’s a gynae procedure it may affect the surgery but for most other things it’s fine. It’s just normal physiology… we’re used to it!