Big Ideas, Real Impact.
6 weeks before surgery
Begin working on the preoperative exercises in order to strengthen yourself. Generally speaking, the stronger you are before surgery, the smoother the recovery will be after surgery.
If necessary, appointments for preoperative clearance with your primary care physician will be arranged. Additional appointments with other physicians, such as a cardiologist, might be required as well.
Obtain your preoperative labs.
Ensure that you have a healthcare power of attorney.
Incorporate nutritional changes such as increasing your water intake and implementing an anti-inflammatory diet. Make sure that you have adequate protein intake of at least 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Surgery may be delayed if preoperative lab testing indicates insufficient protein intake and malnourishment.
Quit smoking. The surgical risks associated with smoking are significantly diminished if you do not smoke for 4 weeks prior to surgery and for 6 weeks after surgery. Surgery will be delayed if you are still smoking.
Begin taking at least 2000 IU of vitamin D3 daily. A loading dose of 50,000 IU at the beginning of the week for 4 weeks can be helpful if vitamin D levels have been low in the past. Consider supplementing your nutrition with B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc as well.