The pre-op appointment helps everyone to prepare you safely for your procedure or operation, and identify any areas where can help improve with your general health before having an anaesthetic.
In order for the hospital to safely assess your suitability for the surgery, they will need to learn about your medical and surgical history, any medication (and supplements) that you are taking and any previous medical issues.
On the day of your appointment it may be helpful to bring with you:
A written list or prescription of your medications (and supplements)
A list of your previous operations or illnesses (do not worry if you cannot recall the exact dates)
Any previous copies of hospital doctors’ letters if you have them available
Your contact details and details of your doctor(s)
A written list of any questions/concerns you have - it can also help to take some paper and a pen to jot down answers at the time, as it is easy to forget the details.
Each hospital will have their own way of doing things - if you are particularly nervous, ring ahead and ask them to explain what is covered at a pre-op. Many hospitals also have details on their website.
On your arrival at the clinic, you will be asked to confirm your name, address, contact details and GP details.
In your appointment a healthcare assistant will do routine observations such as your height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate (ECG) and you may have some routine skin swabs taken. Some patients may also require a urine sample.
You will usually have a consultation where a health care provider will take a detailed medical history from you. The whole assessment usually lasts under an hour. However, if you have a complicated medical history and/or need additional tests, it may run a little longer.
Visit www.iapmd.org/surgery for lots of evidence based information and resources for those considering, going through or recovering from surgery for PMDD/PME.