No deodorant (or lotions/sprays) for THREE days before surgery??!!??

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Chessie

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I just had my pre-op lab work done. I was given a product call StartClean. The instructions state that I am to shower, using the product, for three shower/days prior to the day of surgery. And after the first shower, no shaving, no deodorant, to lotion, powder or sprays are to be applied. This is crazy. I work out like a banshee every day. There is no flipping way I am going without deodorant. :bignono:
 
@Chessie , what did they say at your pre-op about this? New one on me I must admit. I know about using products like that but not so extensively and for so long. Lotions and sprays I can understand the day of the op. Hmmm - maybe someone will weigh in on this one.
 
@Chessie , what did they say at your pre-op about this? New one on me I must admit. I know about using products like that but not so extensively and for so long. Lotions and sprays I can understand the day of the op. Hmmm - maybe someone will weigh in on this one.


Well I didn't read the instructions before I left. They simply told me it was a shower wash that I was to use, 3 days before surgery. And when she said that, I commented "3 days before? That's kind of weird...seems like it would be the night before...because I'm getting all kinds of dirty in the three days before..". And she just smiled. So at the time, it *sounded* like it was a wash, to use 3 days prior. Not a wash to use EVERY DAY for 3 days, with NOTHING ELSE PUT ON THE SKIN. That's really nuts. I've googled and I don't see anything like that. I can see the night before, but if they think I am just gonna work and go about my daily life (which includes sweating!) for that three days WITHOUT deodorant, well...no. I'm not going to do that. That's absurd.
 
Only thing I was told was to either not shave or use an electric instead to reduce the risks of a cut and infection. Taking a shower the morning of the operation was encouraged.

I have a very hairy hip. The nurse had a hell of time trying to shave it down to below a stubble with the battery operated lady electric disposable shavers they use. She exhausted the batteries in the first one and had to get a second one. It was like trying to clear a hardwood forest with a pair of scissors. Now that I know where the hip needs to be shaved I'll hit it with my lumber jack super turbo electric shaver the day before the next operation.
 
@Chessie I had a similar product but was to use it once, in the shower a few hours before surgery-- and then no rinse, no DO, no lotion etc, and then had some more to wash the site with when I got to the hospital. I understand your strong desire to, um, not smell ripe LOL. The no shaving rule (I had to go 5 days, I think) is because of the microscopic cuts and abrasions you get from the razor, and we don't want any infection creeping in via open wounds, ever how small they be!! The no-lotion one would drive me mad with itchy skin!! But you know, in the big picture, at the end of all this unpleasant prep, you will Have A New Hip!!!!!!!!!! :happydance::spin: And you can put on all the lotion and DO you want to!! :) :) (while posting here drunkenly under the influence of those pain meds teehee)
 
I had to wash for 5 days prior with a special antibacterial soap and no lotions deodorants for day of surgery. I was able to keep my toenail polish on so it was well worth all the other:)


LTHR Direct Anterior May 19, 2014
 
I totally understand the shaving. They said not to shave anything (other than the face - which is not an issue for me thank goodness!! :heehee: ) for 3 days prior. And I am fine with lotions and sprays too...I really don't use them much anyway. But deodorant, for a gym rat like me? Not happening. I won't use it after my shower the night before, but that's as far as I go. I'm sure it will be just fine.
 
@Chessie oh my goodness, are you the woman I see on the step trainer at the YMCA in Churchland?? :) :) If you are, you sure don't look your age!!!!!!! Or, do you sometimes go by "chesa", and do you know a "chrisa"??
 
@Chessie oh my goodness, are you the woman I see on the step trainer at the YMCA in Churchland?? :) :) If you are, you sure don't look your age!!!!!!! Or, do you sometimes go by "chesa", and do you know a "chrisa"??

LO!L No that isn't me....I don't live in Churchland, and I don't go to the Y. I go to a gym that has several locations near work and near home. And for my lunch hour at work I go to our police/fireman gym. :)

@zauberflöte, Oh I see you are in my area. Where was your surgery done? Have you had any issues since?
 
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I think just on that day of surgery for deodorant.. You will not be working out that morning ( lol) so you should be fine.. The surgery is a workout in it's self:)


LTHR Direct Anterior May 19, 2014
 
I think just on that day of surgery for deodorant.. You will not be working out that morning ( lol) so you should be fine.. The surgery is a workout in it's self:)


That^^ is for darn sure. :)
 
I didn't have restrictions with deodorant except morning of surgery. In fact they told me to shower night before. Wait thirty minutes and then use special anti-bacterial pads to wipe entire body and then sleep in clean clothes in clean sheets.

Morning of surgery only allowed to wash face with water and brush teeth. Once arrived I was given same pads again and asked to wipe down entire body before putting on hospital gown. My hospital took sterilization very important and I didn't have an issue with this process. Can't imagine your have issue either just using the wipes three nights before as they said.

Tee (LTHR 5/28/14)


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@Chessie, there is a lot at stake here, don't you think? I had exactly the same instructions and I followed them to the letter. There is a reason for the instructions and there is NO WAY I would have ignored what they told me to do. This will likely be a few weeks of inconvenience - some pain, a lot of tiredness, some impatience, some fear (although that will probably go away as soon as the surgery is over), and a whole lot of other emotions. In the end you'll come out of it with your hip pain gone, able to walk without a limp and probably able to do things you haven't been able to do for a long long time. Give yourself a break and the best chance for success, do what they tell you to do. You won't be sorry.
 
@grandma chris Totally agree with you... too much at stake not to follow instructions. @Chessie Sorry if this seems obvious, but given the magnitude of this op & the possible consequences of infection, what would happen if you didn't follow your work-out routine for those mere 3 days & stayed out of the gym? While not something you like, admittedly, seems a very small price to pay for lessening a risk so you can obey their rules. You'll have a whole new pain-free life in the gym once you recover!
 
I will say though that prior to my surgery the gym is all that kept me going. Moving the hip on elliptical actually helped reduce my level of pain and not going for more than a day in a row, made it exponentially worse. So sometimes, just sometimes asking someone to give up the gym is a hard thing to do. I still think precautions can be made and if you smell sweaty at the gym - so does everyone else. Go home and shower :)


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@Chessie, there is a lot at stake here, don't you think? I had exactly the same instructions and I followed them to the letter. There is a reason for the instructions and there is NO WAY I would have ignored what they told me to do. This will likely be a few weeks of inconvenience - some pain, a lot of tiredness, some impatience, some fear (although that will probably go away as soon as the surgery is over), and a whole lot of other emotions. In the end you'll come out of it with your hip pain gone, able to walk without a limp and probably able to do things you haven't been able to do for a long long time. Give yourself a break and the best chance for success, do what they tell you to do. You won't be sorry.

Sorry - but I have googled this until my brain is tired. I called the hospital and asked for a good reason to skip deordorant for 3 days, and they could not give me one. I suspect that there are *certain* things that some people may use as a deodorant (lots of odd ducks out there!) that are known to have some ingredients that might be questionable, and that is the reason for restricting it across the board. I have never read in any surgical prep procedures where they think it is necessary for a person to skip deodorant for three days prior. This is a call I know I am safe making. :ok:
 
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I will say though that prior to my surgery the gym is all that kept me going. Moving the hip on elliptical actually helped reduce my level of pain and not going for more than a day in a row, made it exponentially worse. So sometimes, just sometimes asking someone to give up the gym is a hard thing to do. I still think precautions can be made and if you smell sweaty at the gym - so does everyone else. Go home and shower :)

I shower before I ever leave the gym. :thumb: I assure you. But if you think that one shower ends the sweating when it's 90 degrees outside and I just climbed 150 flights of stairs, you are woefully mistaken! I mean - I WISH it did!! I don't have a problem with smelling sweaty at the gym, ever - I use deodorant. :)
 
@grandma chris Totally agree with you... too much at stake not to follow instructions. @Chessie Sorry if this seems obvious, but given the magnitude of this op & the possible consequences of infection, what would happen if you didn't follow your work-out routine for those mere 3 days & stayed out of the gym? While not something you like, admittedly, seems a very small price to pay for lessening a risk so you can obey their rules. You'll have a whole new pain-free life in the gym once you recover!

I can't explain what exercise means in my life to those that don't have the same priorities. I won't even attempt to do that. But thanks for your response. Appreciate it! :)
 
I didn't have restrictions with deodorant except morning of surgery. In fact they told me to shower night before. Wait thirty minutes and then use special anti-bacterial pads to wipe entire body and then sleep in clean clothes in clean sheets.

Morning of surgery only allowed to wash face with water and brush teeth. Once arrived I was given same pads again and asked to wipe down entire body before putting on hospital gown. My hospital took sterilization very important and I didn't have an issue with this process. Can't imagine your have issue either just using the wipes three nights before as they said.

I did not say that I did, and I certainly don't. What I take issue with is the restriction on deodorant that no one else seems to have.
 
I really appreciate the responses folks. My post was more of a vent than anything else. If the hospital could have given me a logical reason to do this, I would. But there is none. I even think the three days of surgical wash is nonsense, but I will absolutely do that. I agree that the risk of infection is far too great to not do everything one can to prevent it. :ok:

I should add, that I was told that I could get my labwork done anywhere, but if I had it done at the hospital, they would provide me with a pre-surgery wash kit (which they did). If I had it done somewhere else, then they wanted me to purchase and use a chlorhexidine wash from the drug store. I looked at these in the drugstore yesterday, and the directions, at most, are to shower the night before and the morning of, surgery, and to use no deodorants. So if I had not gotten my lab work done at the hospital, I would not even be using the wash kit they gave me and I wouldn't even know any different. So really, it's a non issue as far as I am concerned.
 
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