Preparing for any surgery:
Once you and your doctor decide that surgery will help you, you will need to know what to expect from the surgery and develop a treatment plan to get the best results afterwards. Mental and physical preparation for surgery is an important step towards a successful outcome. Understanding the process and your role in it will help you recover more quickly and face fewer problems.
Work with your doctor
Before surgery, your doctor will perform a full physical examination to make sure there are no conditions that may interfere with the surgery or the results. Routine tests, such as blood tests and x-rays, are usually performed a week before any major surgery.
Discuss any medications you take with your doctor and family doctor to find out which medications you should stop taking before surgery
Discuss with your doctor options for preparation for possible blood replacement, including blood donation, medical interventions and other treatments, before surgery
If you are overweight, losing weight before surgery will help reduce the stress you put on the new joint, for example. However, you should not diet during the month before surgery
If you are taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory medications, heparin, warfarin or any other drugs that increase the risk of bleeding, you will need to stop taking it one week before surgery to minimize bleeding.
If you smoke, you should stop or shrink to reduce the risk of surgery and improve healing
With regards specially to Shoulder surgery, depending on the condition.
Your Doctor may need to discuss with you the following:
- Need for shoulder pouches, slings or immobilizers
- How you might adapt to sleeping for the first few nights after surgery
- Your first visit after the surgery
When you will be able to drive a car