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Diet immediately before surgery

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User
Posted 28 Jan 2024 at 09:34

I am having a RALP in just over a week's time. At the pre op the nurse said I had to go on a 'low residue diet' (basically no roughage - white bread, rice etc) three days before surgery and then go to fluids only from 10am the day before surgery. 

I've not read this advice anywhere before and on google the low residue diet only comes up in relation to colonoscopy. Most advice says you can eat solids up until midnight before prostatectomy. 

Curious if other folks who have had or are giving a RALP have had this instruction regarding diet pre surgery? 

User
Posted 28 Jan 2024 at 12:52

Hi Rich,

Welcome to the forum mate.

I had the op a year ago, and was just told not to eat after midnight and after that drink water.

Adrian

 

User
Posted 28 Jan 2024 at 13:17

Same advice as Adrian when I had my RP three months ago, although I was told I could have a light breakfast before 7am, then only liquids. The cut off presumably depends on when op is scheduled for - in my case 2pm.

Certainly no instructions to avoid particular foods in advance. 

User
Posted 28 Jan 2024 at 14:19

Hi Rich

i was told to fast from midnight before an op that was scheduled for 9 am. No other instruction.

I  am not sure what part of the word fasting I didn’t understand but the following morning when there was a delay in my admission due to bed crisis, I drank some water (300 ml or so). When I told the preop nurse this she went ballistic but fortunately I was allowed to continue and the op went ahead at 12 or so. 

Fasting means both food and water (note to self!)

But nothing was said to me about low residue. I don’t know if they give you enema beforehand but I wasn’t conscious for it if so!

 

User
Posted 29 Jan 2024 at 08:35

Hi Adrian 

Thanks! Yes that 'don't eat after midnight' rule is what I've read everywhere which is why I was surprised to hear what they told me. I'll be passing out if I can't eat from 10am!

Cheers

User
Posted 29 Jan 2024 at 09:02
Yes I would be tempted to double check that advice if you haven’t already! That’s a long time with no food.

Richard

User
Posted 29 Jan 2024 at 16:35

Thanks Gents. Although this seems quite trivial in the whole scheme of things it is odd that I'm getting this advice that doesn't seem to be the norm. I'm going to try to check - hope they haven't got me down for a colon operation by mistake!!

 

User
Posted 31 Jan 2024 at 20:50

I did have the low residue diet instruction for three days beforehand and also the fasting on the day before, which I followed as advised. 

At my pre-op assessment, I was given four bottles of nutirica pre-op nutrient drinks, 3 for the day before and 1 before 6am on the day of the op.

Edited by member 03 Feb 2024 at 08:09  | Reason: corrected typo

User
Posted 31 Jan 2024 at 21:52

Thanks Mark 

That sounds exactly like I was told and I also was given the pre op drinks. 

Can I ask which hospital / NHS Trust you were treated at?

Rich

User
Posted 31 Jan 2024 at 22:20

Following on from my earlier reply perhaps don't tell me the specific hospital as I believe that might be frowned on in this forum (although I'm not criticising them, was just curious).

 

User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 08:12

I guess they all have slightly different pre-op processes Rich - I found the fasting absolutely fine with the drink supplements and it was all part of building up to the 'event', so didn't trouble me at all.  

User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 08:23

Thanks Mark 

Yeah I checked with the hospital and it is all correct. Did you have the operation in Hertfordshire by any chance?

Hope you are doing well.

Cheers

Rich

User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 11:36

I did, full details are in my profile. I had the RALP in June 2023 and count myself as very fortunate with recovery and outcomes. If there are any specifics you want to know, happy for you to private message me. 

One thing I would definitely suggest is some noise cancelling headphones for the overnight stay afterwards - that was the worst part of the whole event!

User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 14:04

Very good of you Mark and good to know you are doing well. I'm new to the forum and didn't even know you could do a PM. I'll send you one now if that's OK? 

Rich

User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 14:08

Spoke too soon - apparently I can't send a PM as I'm too new to the forum! Maybe if you send me one I could reply to it? But don't worry if you are busy ...

Rich

User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 19:55
Rich, a bit late in responding because I have been away the last couple of weeks.

While I wasn't given the same instruction, I was told that the major cause of pain after the operation was wind in the colon where it had been pushed around (effectively bruised) during the operation. And it certainly felt that was what went on. It would make a lot of sense to minimise this by eating foods least likely to provoke wind, and maybe your hospital had found from experience that it was helpful to patients.

I haven't heard that it is something that has had a proper clinical trial to test though.

User
Posted 04 Feb 2024 at 11:29

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Spoke too soon - apparently I can't send a PM as I'm too new to the forum! Maybe if you send me one I could reply to it? But don't worry if you are busy ...

Rich

Done Rich - see if you can read it. Mark

 

User
Posted 04 Feb 2024 at 13:03

Hi Mark

I received your PM - thanks -  but the forum still won't allow me to reply/send you a message because I'm too newly registered and haven't taken part in enough conversations apparently. 

Anyway, as I suspected, the hospital you mentioned is where I'm also having my RALP next week so it's great to hear that you had good outcomes! Can I ask which surgeon you had - reply via PM not on here - and any other tips other than the noise cancelling headphones!

Thanks again.

Rich

User
Posted 04 Feb 2024 at 15:47

Will do Rich - When is your operation scheduled for? 

User
Posted 04 Feb 2024 at 16:20

Tuesday 

User
Posted 04 Feb 2024 at 16:21

Tuesday 

User
Posted 04 Feb 2024 at 17:09

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Tuesday 

Best of luck Rich, hope all goes well and keep us updated!

User
Posted 16 Feb 2024 at 09:09

Hi 

I have my surgery in just over a week and have 2 bottles of the carbohydrate drink for before the surgery.

was advised to increase carb element of diet ahead of surgery as research shows it can help with abdominal surgeries. 

User
Posted 16 Feb 2024 at 09:29

Hi

Sounds sensible.

The hospital I (and Mark on this thread) was treated at seems to have a much more rigorous protocol re food than most. Low residue diet for 48 hours pre op, no solid food for 24 hours pre op and no solid food until day after op! I was ***** starving by then!

All the best for your op.

Rich

User
Posted 16 Feb 2024 at 09:39

Gents - thanks to all of you who replied to this post. Much appreciated. The advice I was given re food/fasting seems specific to the hospital I was treated at and doesn't seem the norm. Also I wasn't allowed solid food after the op for almost 24 hours whereas I've read guys saying they were offered food shortly after coming round in Recovery. 

Anyway, as I said initially, this is pretty trivial in the whole scheme of things. The good news for me is the op sounds like it went very well with complete nerve sparing and clear margins. I have some incontinence post catheter removal but know that is very common.

Thanks again.

User
Posted 18 Feb 2024 at 08:45

That sounds encouraging Rich. Now you're on the recovery path, still keep in mind you've had major surgery and it makes sense to keep taking it easy over the first few weeks. 

12 weeks is considered a typical period during which you'll return to normal step by step and it's often said 12 months before everything is fully back to how it was pre-op.

    

User
Posted 18 Feb 2024 at 08:55

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
 The good news for me is the op sounds like it went very well with complete nerve sparing and clear margins.

Fantastic result RIch. Wishing you a continued and speedy recovery.

 
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