# Please walk me through outpatient surgery **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 14, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829 "2017-02-14T17:04:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829/41 "2017-02-20T22:28:33Z")
Just back from the hospital and probably still a little drugged up, I expected your first post to be something a bit better. Where’s the mackdonna handheld shoehorn butterhorse? Glad to hear it went well. ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829/42 "2017-02-20T22:29:25Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Check with the hospital first. The last time I had an outpatient procedure, they made it very clear that I could not leave alone by bus or taxi - I had to leave with a friend or family member, and that person had to be with me when I checked in. I had outpatient surgery a couple years ago when my husband was out of town. (He could have delayed his business trip, but I’d had this surgery before and we both knew I’d be fine.) Neighbor dropped me off at the hospital. My SIL picked me up – she didn’t need to be there when I checked in, but I did have to give them her phone number before filling in the forms. I think they called her to be sure she was going to be available to pick me up. Hospital where I had the surgery had small private rooms for pre- and post-op. I believe others have mentioned that you put your clothing and whatever personal items in large plastic bag(s) for storage while you’re in the OR. I don’t think anyone has mentioned – and it may depend on what procedure they do and/or what anesthetic they use – but before they released me I had to eat and drink something and also urinate. Once I got the shakes while in the recovery room, and the nurse insisted on giving me Demerol even though I wasn’t in any pain. Another time I got the shakes and nausea at night for a few days after the procedure (again I was in no pain). I figured this was due to the anesthesia. I made the mistake of mentioning this to the anesthesiologist before a colonoscopy a year or so later. He undermedicated me – a weird experience since I was awake and felt the whole procedure, but couldn’t quite get it together to say anything. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829/43 "2017-02-20T23:58:08Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Just back from the hospital and probably still a little drugged up, I expected your first post to be something a bit better. Where’s the mackdonna handheld shoehorn butterhorse? > > Glad to hear it went well. Had none of that effect. Woke up groggy, but the fog cleared pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829/44 "2017-02-21T00:22:10Z")
Well, I just had out-patient surgery today. 🙂 It goes quite smoothly. I showed up at 5:30 AM, along with some of the staff. There were patients waiting in the reception room when I got there. There were 3 steps in the process and 1 pre-process step. pre-process: take your doctors orders to the hospital and check in several days in advance. Financial matters discussed, x-rays taken, blood drawn, questions asked. The date is assigned. You will get a call a day or 2 ahead with the time. There is a list of those services who aren’t part of the hospital and therefor may not be in your insurance network. Finding out whether they are turned out to be practically impossible. So much for informed customers. 1. The prep room. You get to model the gown. Answer a lot of questions. Have your vitals checked. The anesthesiologist will visit (at least in my case). 2. After a wait, they take you to the pre-op room where you are prepared (IV, more questions, more monitors, etc) for surgery. Some nice person injected something into your IV and that is all you remember. Surgery. No idea what happens there. 3. Recovery room. Where you are monitored until the drugs where off. In my case, they actually used the recovery room for pre-op, there were no patients recovering yet. So I lay looking up at the ceiling, closed my eyes, opened them and there was the same ceiling. In my case, I got a pee-bag so there was no doubt something happened. 🙂 I was taken back down to the prep room to make sure I could go home today. There was some question due to the procedure (a TURP). Home by 2 PM. The process is very smooth (at least 20 patients went through surgery at this relatively small hospital today), but clearly designed for throughput. I could ask any questions, but nothing depended on me. I wasn’t given the chance to make any mistakes or slow things down. It was like parachuting. Once you passed through that door, things were going to happen no matter what. Once pre-op got me in that bed, I didn’t leave until the wheelchair came to take me to the car. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829/45 "2017-02-21T00:25:40Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > One thing that wasn’t mentioned: After you’ve changed into the flimsy gown and placed on the gurney… you may be left on that gurney for quite some time, awaiting your time in the ER. It can be damn cold in there. Do not hesitate to ask for a blanket. They are available and they’re for you. I got several blankets without even asking. They have learned that a toasty warm person is happier than a cold one. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829/46 "2017-02-21T00:28:50Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Check with the hospital first. The last time I had an outpatient procedure, they made it very clear that I could not leave alone by bus or taxi - I had to leave with a friend or family member, and that person had to be with me when I checked in. The cab drivers around here are well aware of the rule. Contact them in advance. They will give you their name. Identify them by name on the sign-on forms and around here there aren’t any problems. Just make sure to prepare in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829/47 "2017-02-21T00:34:40Z")
> [@rbroome](#): > > Well, I just had out-patient surgery today. 🙂 > It goes quite smoothly. I showed up at 5:30 AM, along with some of the staff. There were patients waiting in the reception room when I got there. > There were 3 steps in the process and 1 pre-process step. > pre-process: take your doctors orders to the hospital and check in several days in advance. Financial matters discussed, x-rays taken, blood drawn, questions asked. The date is assigned. You will get a call a day or 2 ahead with the time. There is a list of those services who aren’t part of the hospital and therefor may not be in your insurance network. Finding out whether they are turned out to be practically impossible. So much for informed customers. > > 1. The prep room. You get to model the gown. Answer a lot of questions. Have your vitals checked. The anesthesiologist will visit (at least in my case). > 2. After a wait, they take you to the pre-op room where you are prepared (IV, more questions, more monitors, etc) for surgery. Some nice person injected something into your IV and that is all you remember. > Surgery. No idea what happens there. > 3. Recovery room. Where you are monitored until the drugs where off. In my case, they actually used the recovery room for pre-op, there were no patients recovering yet. So I lay looking up at the ceiling, closed my eyes, opened them and there was the same ceiling. In my case, I got a pee-bag so there was no doubt something happened. 🙂 > > I was taken back down to the prep room to make sure I could go home today. There was some question due to the procedure (a TURP). > > Home by 2 PM. > > The process is very smooth (at least 20 patients went through surgery at this relatively small hospital today), but clearly designed for throughput. I could ask any questions, but nothing depended on me. I wasn’t given the chance to make any mistakes or slow things down. It was like parachuting. Once you passed through that door, things were going to happen no matter what. Once pre-op got me in that bed, I didn’t leave until the wheelchair came to take me to the car. Thanks, but as noted above, it’s all over with. ---
**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829/48 "2017-02-21T18:38:53Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Had none of that effect. Woke up groggy, but the fog cleared pretty quickly. My sister does anesthesia and told me a lot of people wake up laughing, though she had one person wake up really angry and trying to kick the nurses. I wake up crying. My last surgery (I’ve had a couple of them on my feet), I just had a couple of tears but the time before that I was straight up bawling as soon as I woke up from anesthesia. My sister had to reassure the nurses that that’s just what happens with me. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829/49 "2017-02-21T19:04:31Z")
> [@Alma](#): > > My sister does anesthesia and told me a lot of people wake up laughing, though she had one person wake up really angry and trying to kick the nurses. I wake up crying. My last surgery (I’ve had a couple of them on my feet), I just had a couple of tears but the time before that I was straight up bawling as soon as I woke up from anesthesia. My sister had to reassure the nurses that that’s just what happens with me. The post-op nurse mentioned angry patients. I remember my daughter waking up crying. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829/50 "2017-02-21T20:01:40Z")
While it’s not in any of the drug books (or wasn’t last time I looked) “every” nurse knows that Fentanyl makes people wake up pissed off and/or crying. The wisdom passed down from older nurses to our young is, “When you’re turning off the Fentanyl drip, duck to avoid the flying fist.” Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829/51 "2017-02-21T22:20:34Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > While it’s not in any of the drug books (or wasn’t last time I looked) “every” nurse knows that Fentanyl makes people wake up pissed off and/or crying. The wisdom passed down from older nurses to our young is, “When you’re turning off the Fentanyl drip, duck to avoid the flying fist.” > > Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk Interesting. Speaking of drugs, I’m finding that other than a couple of oxy last night to help me sleep, I’m not needing any pain meds. There’s a bit of soreness, especially when I bend my neck, but the slight pain is certainly manageable. I find that the itching on my face is far more annoying. And I really, really hate oxy, as it makes me dizzy. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829/52 "2017-02-22T00:17:09Z")
One last thing: everybody who has surgery in their future should know about post operative urine retention (POUR). I wasn’t warned about this. After I got home, I crashed for an hour or two and awoke to bladder pressure. So into the bathroom and barely a trickle, which didn’t relieve the pressure. Back and forth and back and forth and the pressure was a bit painful and not abating. Checking online, I found [this](http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/Gyn/BirthCenterPostpartum/BladderAfterOutpatientSurgery.pdf). Being someone who tries the least radical treatment first, I started doing five minute tromps inside the house, living to kitchen and back and forth and very moderate exercise, which eventually cleared up the problem. It can turn into something very serious if not relieved. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829/53 "2017-02-22T00:22:14Z")
Yes, I wish someone had bothered to tell me about this after my gallbladder surgery years ago. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why I couldn’t pee afterwards, when it had been hours since I last went. I was threatened with a catheter, so I finally managed to squeeze out a little and avoided the dreaded plastic hose. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-walk-me-through-outpatient-surgery/779829.md?page=2)