Before Your Surgery

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Follow these general guidelines in preparing for your surgery at our HCA Virginia hospitals and outpatient surgery centers unless you are directed otherwise:

  • Stop eating and drinking at midnight the night before your surgery.
  • Take your prescribed heart, blood pressure, asthma, thyroid, seizure or pain medications, as discussed with your physician, with just enough water to swallow them.
  • Talk to your doctor if you are on blood thinners.
  • Stop insulin the day of your surgery.
  • Bathe or shower prior to your procedure.
  • Dont apply makeup or lotions.
  • Wear comfortable clothing and remove all jewelry and body piercings.
  • Leave valuables, credit cards and money at home.
  • Bring containers for glasses, dentures or hearing aids, and place these items in their containers before entering the operating room.
  • Pack a small bag with what youll need for an overnight stay, including pajamas, slippers and toiletries. You may want to leave these items in the car until you have been assigned an inpatient room number.

Your physician will provide you with additional directions on how to prepare for your surgery. We also offer interactive tutorials that provide in-depth, easy-to-understand explanations for many procedures offered at HCA Virginia. To view these tutorials, you will need an access code from your doctor or hospital.

View patient education tutorials.

Check our online Health Library for information about what to expect before, during and after your specific medical procedure.

After Your Surgery

After your surgical procedure:

  • Your physician will talk with your designated caregivers about your procedure.
  • Depending on the use of anesthetics during your procedure, you may be taken to a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) where your blood pressure will be continuously monitored.
  • As your anesthetic wears off, sounds may seem louder than normal and you may experience blurred vision, dry mouth or chills. While these are usually normal symptoms, please let your nurse know about any symptoms you experience.
  • If you are experiencing pain, a nurse will provide pain medication upon request.
  • Your physician or nurse will determine when its appropriate for you to return home or be moved to a post-operative room to continue your recovery.
  • Before you are discharged, youll be given written instructions on how to care for yourself at home and information on who to call with any questions you many have during recovery.

Dont hesitate to ask a member of your surgical team if you have further questions about preparing for your surgery or post-surgical care.