Your preparation for surgery

• Please remove hair in the surgical area one week before the surgery, if you have been asked to do so. Use a hair trimmer - not a razor.
• Buy extra non-prescriptive pain-relieving medicine.
• Prepare ice bags or bags with frozen vegetables to put in your freezer. Applying these cold bags to your surgical wound will relieve pain.
• Who will pick you up after the surgery? You must arrange transportation to and from the hospital yourself. You are not allowed to drive during the first 24 hours after surgery.
• You are responsible for collecting assistive devices, e.g. bath bench and rasied toilet seat, from the hospital to your home and returning them afterwards. Emergency and patient transport services do not bring assistive devices.
• Do you live alone? We recommend that an adult is with you for the first 24 hours after surgery or that you can call an adult.
• Do you already receive help from the municipality? It is a good idea to inform the municipality that you might need extra help for some time after you are discharged.

If you quit smoking at least six weeks before surgery, it will improve your chances of a successful surgery and healing process. 

Read more in the folder Quit smoking, before surgery from the Danish Health Authority.

Web Address: https://www.sst.dk/da/Udgivelser/2020/Stop-med-at-ryge-naar-du-skal-opereres

• The skin of the surgical area is free of wounds or scratches. If not then please call The Orthopaedic Surgery Outpatient Clinic.
• You have taken a bath and have not applied any lotion, make-up or nail polish.
• Remove jewellery and piercings.
• Please bring some practical clothes that are easy to put on and take off, e.g. trousers with zippers in the leg if your leg is in a cast after surgery, or a button down shirt if your arm is in a sling after the surgery.
• Bring your usual medication and medicine form.
• You can expect to be discharged fast even though you are in some pain, have slight nausea and feel dizzy. Most people recover better in their own homely surroundings.

Drinking too much is not necessarily the same as abusing alcohol. But the transition from a small to a great consumption of alcohol is gradual, but also different from person to person. That is why it is a good idea to keep tabs on the alcohol consumption to make sure it does not become uncontrollable.

7 statements on alcohol from The Danish Health and Medicines Authority:

• The risk of becoming sick because of alcohol is low when consuming 7 drinks per week for women and 14 for men.
• The risk of becoming sick because of alcohol is high when consuming more than 14 drinks per week for women and 21 for men.
• Having no alcohol usage is risk free for your health.
• Do not drink alcohol for your health.
• Stop before 5 drinks.
• Are you pregnant? Do not drink alcohol. Are you trying to get pregnant? Do not drink alcohol as a precaution.
• Are you elderly? Be especially careful with alcohol.

When you visit the Regional Hospital Horsens you have the opportunity to be referred to the treatment options in your municipality. You can always contact your municipality to get advice and guidance on alcohol without a reference from the hospital.

You can get practical information about your municipality's treatment options at www.sundhed.dk.