Patient Information

This information is general. Your surgeon, anaesthetist and hospital may give you different instructions depending on your operation, health problems and medicines; their written, individualised plan takes priority. In the days before surgery, aim for regular meals with enough protein and fluids, unless you have a specific restriction. On the day before, choose familiar, easily digested foods and avoid alcohol and very heavy or fatty meals. Follow your fasting times exactly and ask about anticoagulants, diabetes medicines, supplements and your other medicines.

Some operations require a low-residue diet, an oral bowel preparation and sometimes prescribed antibiotics; others do not. Use FORTRANS only when it has been prescribed for your operation. If your written plan specifies three sachets, dissolve each sachet in one litre of water and drink the full three litres at the exact times given by the surgical team. Continue only the permitted clear fluids and stop all oral intake at the time set by the anaesthetic team. Contact the team if you cannot complete the preparation, are vomiting repeatedly, feel faint or confused, have severe abdominal pain or are passing very little urine.

When there is no acute inflammation, a varied, high-fibre diet can help bowel function: gradually increase wholegrain cereals, vegetables, fruit, pulses, nuts and seeds, and drink enough fluids. You usually do not need to avoid nuts, seeds or popcorn just because of diverticular disease. During an acute painful flare-up, your doctor may temporarily recommend clear fluids or a low-fibre diet, with fibre then reintroduced gradually. Seek urgent assessment for pain that is worsening or persistent, fever, vomiting, abdominal distension, inability to pass stools or wind, or significant bleeding.

Food does not dissolve gallstones that have already formed, but regular, balanced meals and gradual weight management can reduce symptoms and future risk. Avoid crash diets and rapid weight loss. If fatty or very large meals cause pain, eat smaller portions and choose cooking methods that use less fat. Seek urgent help for severe or persistent upper abdominal pain, fever or shivering, jaundice, dark urine, very pale stools or repeated vomiting.

Follow your discharge plan for pain relief, wound care, diet, lifting, driving and returning to work. Increase your activity gradually with frequent walking, enough fluids and the recommended protein intake. Contact the team for increasing redness or discharge from the wound, fever, uncontrolled pain, persistent vomiting, progressive abdominal distension, inability to pass urine, stools or wind, breathlessness, chest pain, calf swelling, jaundice or any sudden deterioration.

Stopping smoking, limiting alcohol, staying active and correcting poor nutrition before major surgery can reduce complications. Ask whether you need an assessment by a dietitian, an exercise or breathing training programme, iron treatment, better diabetes control or other pre-operative preparation. Do not start supplements or stop prescribed medicines without medical advice.