If you are preparing for an upcoming surgery, you need to be well informed. As part of informed consent, a doctor should discuss with you the risks and benefits of your surgery as well as alternatives. To understand your options as best as possible, you should know what to discuss with your Georgia doctor in advance of your operation. Here are a few suggestions offered by the WedMD website.
First, you should be ready to discuss your medical history with your surgeon. Your present allergies, current medications, and prior surgeries and treatments can have an impact on how your surgery will proceed, and your surgeon should know about them. If you have experienced problems during past surgeries, now is a good time to bring them up. Also, talk about previous medicines or treatments you have used for your condition.
Ask about how to prepare for the operation. Some operations require the patient to undergo tests, give blood, or stop eating or drinking for a certain time before the surgery. Your doctor may also caution you against activities that may cause complications during the operation, like smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, or taking certain medicines. Also, your doctor can counsel you on activities such as healthy eating or exercises that can build up your strength.
Be aware that you may not be able to learn everything you need about your surgery in one sitting. Your doctor might also be pressed for time and cannot answer everything you want to know on the spot. Consider asking your doctor if you can come back at another time or call up with more questions. Breaking your question and answer period into two sessions can give you time to reflect on what you have already learned and perhaps lead you to additional questions you did not think of last time.
Talking about an upcoming operation can be a nervous experience, which might make it hard to concentrate on what you want to discuss. Consider asking someone to come with you. Ask a friend or family member to be with you and take notes. It is possible to miss certain details because of a case of nerves. Your companion can inform you of anything you might have forgotten.
These steps are no guarantee that mistakes will not occur during surgery. Still, open dialogue with your surgeon on your medical history and other issues can do a lot to keep you well informed about your upcoming operation, which is crucial for any successful medical treatment. Keep in mind that this article is only presented as general information and not legal advice.