Source: Swansea Bay NHS (Via Cat)

The other perspective of a long wait time for surgery means more time to optimise your health before the big day to improve your outcomes and recovery. We understand that this might be more difficult for others, in particular if you’re limited in what you can do and are awaiting surgery to improve that.

Although you might not be able to get involved in all of it, perhaps you might be able to try some.

Surgery has risks. Your doctors (anaesthetists/surgeons) may have discussed this with you. Whilst you can’t remove all risk, you can reduce some and therefore improve your surgical outcomes.

Look at some of the benefits suggested:

  1. Improve the success of your surgery
  2. your operation is more likely to take place
  3. Reduce your recovery time – get better sooner
  4. Speed up your discharge from hospital – get home sooner

    How?

    A) Exercise or just get more active

    B) Improve and maintain a healthier diet

    C) Get closer to a healthier weight

    D) Reduce harmful substances (Smoking, Alcohol and elicit drugs)

    E) Make improvements on any other ongoing medical conditions if you and your doctor can.