Thanks Rachel! Yes, yogurt is central to my post op nutrition plan and probiotics were already in the list. I'll be bringing the laxatives the doc recommended. I don't want to risk bad luck by packing a mirror (breakage) but my phone camera should serve :-).

Quote from: SadieBlake on April 08, 2017, 03:02:12 PM
I don't want to risk bad luck by packing a mirror (breakage) but my phone camera should serve :-).

For year I used a makeup compact with a mirror on the inside. It was a bit small but it worked and I still have it intact. A mirror is real useful when dilation to make sure you hit the entry.

Quote from: Lucie on April 08, 2017, 03:46:28 AM
Thanks Audrey for the link, the list of supplies you give sounds quite relevant and useful !

glad you found it useful.

Quote from: Dena on April 08, 2017, 05:03:23 PM
For year I used a makeup compact with a mirror on the inside. It was a bit small but it worked and I still have it intact. A mirror is real useful when dilation to make sure you hit the entry.

agreed! Both of mine broke in my luggage. shoulda kept it in my carry on bag.

Quote from: SadieBlake on April 08, 2017, 03:53:16 AM
Thanks Audrey, on your list, my surgeon specifically recommends vinegar douche (massengill is the one they specifically state).

vinegar douches will dry out your vagina very quickly and can make them dry, itchy and burn.

the medicated Summers Eve have iodine which actually promotes healing of the incisions and helps to prevent infection and keeps things nice and sterile in there.

I'll never understand why surgeons say to use a vinegar douche. smh.

Quote from: audreytn on April 09, 2017, 11:04:03 AM
I'll never understand why surgeons say to use a vinegar douche. smh.

Ya, my surgeon told me in no uncertain terms DO NOT use a vinegar douche.

Whatever, I didn't write this thread to debate the pros vs cons of various hygiene approaches. My doc says vinegar, and only 1-2 times a week and that's what I'll be doing.

Povidone iodine douche is indicated for bacterial vaginosis, which I don't plan on inviting. My first intent after initial healing is to establish a naturally healthy lactobacillus vaginal flora. How we get there is secondary.

Here's my amended list complete with 20:20 hindsight

A few notes:

I made do for the first 6 weeks of dilation with KY jelly, finding time to buy surgilube didn't make it into my list. Several people in this thread have posted recommending McKesson lubricant. I found it's main lubricating ingredient is polyacrylic acid polymer (trade name carbopol) with the pH corrected using sodium hydroxide. While i like both of these better than KY for their using polyethylene glycol instead of glycerin, PAA doesn't strike me as being as body friendly as the ingredient in surgilube which is the cellulose polymer HPMC (trade name hypromellose). HPMC is used as a lubricant in eyedrops and I've used it as an excipient in drug development, I'm more comfortable with surgilube. Also a single 4 oz tube of lube lasts me about 2 weeks so the expense isn't so much.

I never felt the need for adult diapers (huge amount of waste there as well as expense, I try to stay as green as possible), instead have relied on the mesh underwear from the hospital stay -- they wash out easily and Always maxipads have worked well along with sterile gauze pads used to line the suture lines where the sutures had separated some (this was directed by Dr Wittenberg). Thinking pantiliners would be useful was clearly far too optimistic in my case, maybe in a couple more weeks, I'm sure the ones I have will be used eventually.

Vinegar douche has worked fine, a couple of times a week and I've just made my own by putting 10% vinegar 90% water. Ive been adding probiotics to that which seems to help with odor.


Laptop, headphones books, phone charger

Pre-op

2x fleet enemas
Magnesium citrate

Post-op 3 weeks of recovery in SF

Maxi pads 18
Panty liners 12
panties, cotton, cheap 8
Regular (loose) clothing, long skirt
Nightgowns because it's SF and runs cold
As many mesh panties as can be snagged from hospital. That was 4 and has been enough, I've been washing these out daily in the shower

Arnica sublingual & topical
Aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen
Surgilube or similar
Douche bulb
HRT supplies for time away from home
Vitamin E
Probiotics

Shampoo and conditioner

Things to get in San Francisco

Cranberry juice
Lots of maxi pads
Chux (aka underpads)
Sitting ring
Vinegar for douche
More yogurt than I can believe I actually ate
Gelatin or Jell-O (as a dietary source of collagen for healing)

During recovery I've really let my appetite be my guide for what to eat and ive felt very little desire for sweets or pastry, lots of desire for protein and nutrient rich veggies. When I was training hard for triathlon and rock climbing food had been all about fuel and protein for recovery from the stress of training. I'm very much back in that habit, which feels pretty good.

Great list, Sadie!  Shopping lists based on real-life experience are much more thorough than the handouts I've seen from surgeon's offices.  I've saved this one in my planning notes.

Thank you for sharing this.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Hope the healing is going well! I'm having surgery 8/11 and I know it will be here in the blink of an eye.  I'm making lists and beginning to stock pile items. . . . 

I'd be careful with the vitamin E.

The effects of topical vitamin E on the cosmetic appearance of scars.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10417589

I think aspirin is prohibited before surgery, and probably some time after.

I believe surgilube contains chlorhexidine, a powerful disinfectant. I know some surgeons reccomend it, but I cant understand how that's a good idea.