2 Questions: avoiding certain foods beforehand, and showing before surgery

[Cellar_Door]

On my surgeon's website, they say to avoid the following:

Any mixture containing:
Vitamin E
Effamol G
Evening Primrose Oil
Salmon Oil
Codliver Oil
Ginseng
Imedeen
Garlic


Now, maybe I'm entirely wrong, but aren't there a LOT of foods that contain those things? Vitamin E especially.



The second question I have, is sort of stupid, but it's on my mind. It would obviously be best to shower before the surgery. In my case, I'll be sleeping over in an airport the night before my surgery, so I won't have a chance to have a proper shower. I intend, however, to bring my own soap and towels and thoroughly cleanse in a bathroom somewhere beforehand. Would that be ok? Or perhaps I should arrive early at the hospital and request a shower before surgery?

[George Pope, M.D.]

Don't worry.  You'll be prepped with some sort of surgical soap at the beginning of the procedure.

And regarding the foods and items to avoid, if you know a certain product contains a vitamin to avoid, then avoid it.  But the concentrations of Vitamin E, for example, in natural foods are pretty low, so I wouldn't worry about those.  I would avoid the supplements.

Dr. Pope, M.D.

[DrCALOCA]

I suggest that you eat normally and just avoid oral vitamins or medications. At our clinic, for example, our recovery rooms have a shower so that our patients can take one if necessary. It is best to do so, of course.