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Anne's Lap Tips
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More Lap Tips

As surgery and skills progress, the needs of patients change too. Recent members of ASE, especially Mary Johnson, have added their own tips.
 
Thanks everyone!

Bowel Prep

If you have to do the major bowel prep, don't plan on doing ANYTHING else the day before your surgery. I had to do Goleightly, which is 4 ltrs of vile liquid: you drink 8 oz every 10 minutes until it's gone.  I set a kitchen
timer and did a chug-a-lug every time it went off.  You will spend 9 minutes in between in the bathroom!  Buy and make some jello, and stock up on sprite or selter water.  Someone on one of the lists recommended eating light meals--no meals heavy on fiber, especially--a couple of days before the purge, and this was excellent advice that I was very happy to have known before the purge.

Buy moist towel wipes!!!

Use Desitin, Sudocrem or other nappy rash cream>

Scheduling the Lap

I just read someplace that it's best to have these surgeries done in the first 7 days of your cycle, because it gives your body the most time to heal before the period starts again.  This may not be a factor if you're going straight on to lupron or continuous BCP, but it's worth discussing with your doctor.

**Note** Some views are that it is better to schedule a lap during your period since any implants are likely to be bigger and therefore easier to see.

Insurance

If your insurance will only cover certain doctors at a facility, talk with the surgical coordinator in advance and request a "blue cross" anesthesiologist, for instance.
Make sure you read your insurance handbook to check on your coverage!  And get the necessary pre-approvals in advance to avoid costly additional fees. (For instance, had I failed to get pre-approval, I would have had to pay 50%, rather than 20%, of all of the fees in conjunction with my lap.)

Taking care of you.

Put together an email "mailing list" of folks who want to hear how you are doing, so that your significant other doesn't have to guess.
If you have kids, consider importing an additional relative or friend to help for the day of surgery and a couple days after. We were lucky that 1.) my Mom's retired, and 2.) we had frequent flyer miles.  Mom focused on cleaning, cooking, and getting my son to and from school. And my husband was able to focus on making me comfortable. Made a big difference.

Clothes

Loose and baggy is the best.  Waist bands drove me crazy, because they all hit at my belly button.  I hit the thrift store and bought a pair of overalls/dungarees (farmer's jeans, as some call them), and borrowed an early-maternity dress from a friend. (One of those vaguely fashionable long dresses with a tie in the back.) Any kind of longish, and loose-ish dress was more comfortable than pants.

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Important: Please remember, this FAQ is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice.