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By Mayo Clinic staff- Gather information. It's normal to feel anxious about having a hysterectomy. Before the surgery, get all the information that you need to feel confident about it. Ask your doctor and surgeon questions. Read information about the procedure and learn all the steps involved if it makes you feel more comfortable.
- Follow your doctor's instructions about medication. Find out whether you should change your usual medication routine in the days leading up to your hysterectomy. Be sure to mention over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements and herbal preparations.
- Discuss what type of anesthesia you'll have. You may prefer general anesthesia, which makes you unconscious during surgery, but regional anesthesia — also called spinal or epidural block — is often an option. If you're having a vaginal hysterectomy, regional anesthesia will block the sensation in the lower half of your body.
- Arrive fasting. It's best not to eat anything but a light supper the night before surgery. A small amount of clear liquid may be all right, but check with your doctor.
- Arrange for help. Although you're likely to recover sooner after a vaginal hysterectomy than after an abdominal one, it still takes time. Be sure to have someone to help at home for the first week or two.
