Medical Professionals
9
How To Prepare For Fibroid Surgery
You may want to discuss
the following with your
doctor:
• What medicines/supplements
should I stop taking before
the surgery?
• How should I prepare my
home for my return after
the surgery (food, garments,
medical supplies)?
• What do I need to do the day
before and the day of surgery?
• How long will I probably
need to be in the hospital?
• Can my family member stay with
me in my hospital room?
• What can I expect the first few
hours/days after my surgery?
• How long before I can resume
normal activities?
• What will my physical limitations
be?
• What are the most likely potential
complications?
• What will be the extent of disability, if any, following the procedure?
• Is there any special equipment that
should be in the home during the
recovery period?
• What resources are available to
help in planning for these needs?
• Is there anything else that I need
to know?
Vitamin C, in particular, is thought
to play an important role in healing.
Also check with your doctor about
what you should or shouldn’t eat
right before surgery.
• Understand the potential pain.
You may not want to think about it,
but pain is an inevitable part of surgery. Talk to your doctor about what
types of pain management treatments will be used during, immediately and well after the surgery.
Written By:
Alfred B. Parchment, M.D.,
F.A.C.O.G. Monmouth Ocean
Medical Services, LLC
F
ibroids are one of
the most common
reasons women
have gyn surgery.
T cause anyone to be nervous,
he thought of surgery can
worried or scared - whether the
doctor plans on removing just
the fibroid (myomectomy) or the
entire uterus (hysterectomy). These
thoughts are understandable. But
there are things you can do before
the surgery that cannot only simply
help you worry less, but can promote faster post-operative healing.
• Make yourself healthy. Strive to
be healthy and eliminate unhealthy
habits, such as cigarette smoking,
recreational use of drugs, or excessive alcohol use.
• Educate your doctor. Provide
them with your full personal and
family health history. In addition,
share with them all prescription and
over-the-counter medications you
have recently taken or are currently
taking. This is because some condititions and medications can cause
problems during or after the surgery.
• Prepare your home. Ask your doctor about ways to make your home
as convenient as possible for your
recovery. Be sure to shop for your
post-surgery food (particularly for
the first few days after you return
home) and make it easily accessible.
• Get tested. Be sure to have all the
necessary pre-laboratory tests done
as soon as possible, including x-rays,
blood tests, urine tests and an electrocardiogram.
• Eat well. Focus on eating a balanced diet, including plenty of fresh
foods and vitamins and minerals.
• Be familiar with your pre-op day
before and day-of procedures. The
doctor or nurse will more than likely
give you a detailed list of steps that
you need to take both the day before
and the day of surgery. Unless clearly stated by your doctor or nurse,
do not skip any of these steps. If
you have any questions about these
steps, be sure to ask your doctor.
1
Surgery also has an
emotional impact.
There are so many fears: an
unsuccessful surgery, scars, a ruined
sex life, being tired for months, etc.
Typical responses to having to have
surgery also include depression,
even anger. For some women, the
anticipation of being hospitalized
and separated from family members
makes coping difficult.
Physical preparations for the
surgery, including eating well, following all of the pre-surgery steps
instructed by your doctor, even simply knowing that a loved one will
be there to support you, can all help
to ease your mind and make the
natural emotional journey a little bit
smoother.
The County Woman Magazine
Fibroids are classified by their location,
which affects the symptoms they cause and
how they can be treated. Fibroids inside the
uterine cavity (intracavitary myomas) usually cause bleeding between periods and often
severe cramping. Submucous myomas are
partly in the cavity and partly in the ueterine
wall. They too can cause heavy periods, as
well as bleeding between periods.
yourself in the future. The two types
of directives are a living will and a
health care proxy. Talk to your doctor and your lawyer about what you
need to do to begin the paperwork
process.
At some point before the surgery,
your doctor will give you consent
forms to sign. Make sure that you
understand everything before you
sign. Never sign the form if you
don’t understand what it means, if
the procedure hasn’t been adequately
explained to you, or if you don’t
want the procedure. Know that you
can may make changes; for example,
if the consent reads, “and possible
hysterectomy,” you may strike out
the phrase or refuse to sign the consent as it is written.
Surgeries for fibroid removal,
regardless of the specific type of procedure, is a major surgery, with serious risks that should be considered
very carefully. That said, this type of
surgery is one of the most common
surgeries for women. With some
thorough pre-surgery preparations,
the chances are very high for not
only a successful surgery, but a faster
and more comfortable
recovery.
If you are diabetic, also discuss how
to manage or modify your insulin
intake during the immediate preoperative period when you are not
eating.
Once you’ve decided on surgery,
you may want to consider drawing
up advance directives. These instructions communicate your health
care plans if you cannot speak for
MONMOUTH OCEAN MEDICAL SERVICES, LLC
Board Certified • Obstetrics • Gynecology
Se Hable Español
516 Duquesne Blvd
Brick, NJ 08723
Ph: 732 477-2727
Fax: 732 477-4613
4013 Route 9 North
Howell, NJ 07731
Ph: 732 364-0266
Fax: 732 364-7820
Maggio Plaza
3520 Route 33
Neptune, NJ 07753
Ph: 732 477-2727
Fax: 732 477-4613
www.TheCountyWoman.com
LLC
QUALITY VALUE
QUALITY sErVIcE
• Ultra-Sounds
• Blood Work
• Urological Testing
Our Physicians . . .
• Alfred B. Parchment,
M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
• Vanita H. Patel, M.D.
About The Doctor . . .
Dr. Parchment is a Board
Certified Physician with a specialty
in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He
received his medical education at
the University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey. He received
his medical training at Mount Sinai
School of Medicine – New York
University, where he practiced as a
fellow in maternal-fetal medicine.
Dr. Parchment has medical privileges at Jersey Shore Medical Center
in Neptune, N.J., the Kimball
Medical Center in Lakewood, N.J.,
and the Ocean Medical Center in
Brick, N.J.
Prior to establishing a successful
practice in Ocean and Monmouth
County, he was director of OBGYN
at the Hospital Center at Orange
in Essex County, NJ. He also speaks
fluent Spanish.
Dr. Parchment is an alumnus of
the United States Naval Academy,
Class of 1987. In his free time,
you may see Dr. Parchment at the
Lakewood Blue Claws game watching his favorite baseball team, playing his guitar, or in the park with
his family. He is father to Alexander
Joseph and Alexa Joanne Parchment,
as well as husband to the lovely
Suzanne K. Parchment.
November/December 2010