Prepare for Surgery

Before Surgery

Our team is here to help make the process of scheduling and preparing for surgery less stressful. Please contact our surgical coordinator with any questions.

After the initial decision for surgery has been made and your physician submits the order, we will verify benefits with your insurance carrier. Then, our surgical coordinator will contact you to review the estimated out of pocket expense, confirm the surgery date, schedule the pre-op visit, and provide other important details. Our policy is to collect co-pays/co-insurance at the pre-op visit and maintain a credit card on file to be used for any balance that may remain after the claim has processed.

We take our patients’ scheduling needs and considerations into account when choosing a date, and then coordinate the patient’s needs with the surgeon’s schedule and Rex Hospital’s availability. It is a complicated and time-consuming process. There is a $150 fee for canceling a surgery without providing a two-week notice.

If you anticipate having to fill out Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or short-term disability paperwork, please bring these forms to the pre-op appointment or fax them to 919-790-1254. The forms will be returned to the patient unless accompanied by a written authorization form which allows us to release medical information to a third party.

Pre-Op Instructions

In general, all patients should follow the following basic preoperative instructions:

A pre-op appointment with your surgeon will be scheduled within 10 days of surgery to review medical history, discuss any medications you are taking, order pre-surgical blood work if indicated, and sign surgical consents. Specifically, blood-thinning medication may need to be stopped about 7-10 days before the procedure. The surgeon will provide specific instructions about which medications you should stop taking as well as any that should be taken on the day of the surgery.
Do not take any nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (Ibuprofen, Motrin, Naprosyn, Aleve, Aspin, etc.) for seven (7) days prior to surgery unless otherwise instructed by your doctor.
Unless otherwise instructed, patients should have nothing to eat or drink for 12 hours before the procedure.
Arrive at the hospital 2 hours before the scheduled surgery time.
Follow the doctor’s instructions on the need for bowel preparation prior to surgery.

Postoperative Care Instructions

Below are general postoperative care instructions for surgeries provided by our physicians. This information is not intended to replace specific instructions from your doctor. If you have any questions, please contact our office.

If you have urgent needs after normal business hours call 919-876-9797 and leave a detailed message. The physician on call should return your call within 30 minutes. Call 911 for emergencies and life-threatening situations.

Dilation and Curettage (D&C) or Dilation and Evacuation (D&E)
- There may be bleeding for 7-14 days after the procedure. We recommend using pads during this time.
- Observe pelvic rest (nothing in vagina – tampons, sex or douching) for at least 2 weeks after the surgery.
- Take the prescribed pain medications per the doctor’s instructions. Some medications need to be taken with food in order to avoid feeling ill.
- Schedule a follow-up appointment for 2 to 3 weeks after the procedure.
- Call our office at 919-876-9797 if the patient has a fever greater than 100.5, severe pain, heavier than expected bleeding or any concerns during recovery.
- Some patients may experience post-surgical constipation. If this occurs, she may take Milk of Magnesia, MiraLAX or Colace twice a day.
Vaginal Procedures (including Endometrial Ablation) & Hysteroscopy
- Observe pelvic rest (nothing in vagina – tampons, sex or douching) for at least 2 weeks after the surgery.
- Take the prescribed pain medications per the doctor’s instructions. Some medications need to be taken with food to avoid feeling ill.
- Some patients may experience post-surgical constipation. If this occurs, she may take Milk of Magnesia, MiraLAX or Colace twice a day.
- Call our office at 919-876-9797 if you have a fever greater than 100.5, pain not controlled by the prescribed medications, severe nausea or vomiting, heavy bleeding or any concerns during recovery.
Abdominal Procedures (Hysterectomy, Cesarean Section, etc.)
- Our goal is to have patients walking and active as soon as possible after surgery.
- Patients should avoid driving for two weeks and until they are weaned off narcotic pain medication.
- The patient may take a shower. Bathing should be avoided for the first 7 days after surgery. You should avoid intercourse, douching or tampons until after the follow-up appointment, which should be scheduled for 4-6 weeks after surgery.
- While bathing, patients should keep the incision dry and may use a cool blow-dryer to help.
- Take the prescribed pain medications per the doctor’s instructions. Some medications need to be taken with food.
- Some patients may experience post-surgical constipation from the anesthesia. If this occurs, you may take Milk of Magnesia, MiraLAX or Colace 2 times a day.
- If the incision was closed with non-absorbable staples, an appointment for staple removal should be made for 3-7 days after the surgery. Please confirm with you doctor on the appropriate timing for staple removal.
- If the incision was closed with glue, it will flake off in 10-14 days.
- If the incision was closed with Steri-Strips, they will start peeling off in about 1-2 weeks. They can be removed after 10 days if they have not come off on their own.
- Call our office at 919-876-9797 if the patient has a fever greater than 100.5, pain not controlled by the prescribed medications, severe nausea or vomiting, redness surrounding the incision, heavy drainage from the incision or any other concerns during recovery.
Laparoscopic Procedures
- Some patients may have bloating and abdominal and right shoulder pain in the first 24-48 hours. The symptoms will often subside if the patient lies flat.
- You should avoid heavy lifting and other strenuous activity for 7-10 days after surgery and avoid driving until weaned off narcotic pain medications.
- You may take a bath or, preferably, a shower. But, you should avoid intercourse, douching or tampon use until after the follow-up appointment, which should be scheduled for around 2 weeks post-surgery.
- Take the prescribed pain medications per the doctor’s instructions. Some medications need to be taken with food.
- Some patients may experience post-surgical constipation, if this occurs the patient may take Milk of Magnesia, MiraLAX or Colace twice a day.
- If the incision was closed with glue, it should flake off in 10-14 days. It can be removed after 10 days if it has not come off on their own
- Call our office at 919-876-9797 if you have a fever greater than 100.5, pain not controlled by the prescribed medications, severe nausea or vomiting, redness surrounding the incision, heavy drainage from the incision or any other concerns during recovery.