Preparing for Myomectomy: Questions to Ask Your Surgeon + Pre-Op Tips (Diet, Anemia, Fibroid Shrinkage)

Medicine Made Simple Summary 

Preparing properly for a myomectomy can make the difference between a difficult recovery and a smoother one. The right questions, the right investigations, and the right lifestyle habits before surgery lower risk and support faster healing. This guide explains what to ask your surgeon, how to correct anemia, what you should eat before your procedure, how doctors sometimes shrink fibroids before surgery, and what to prepare at home so that your recovery is not stressful. The more prepared you are going into surgery, the calmer you will feel and the better your body will heal.

Preparing for surgery is not just about booking a date and showing up at the hospital. It is about strengthening your body, calming your mind, and organising your life so that healing can begin smooth and uninterrupted. Women who prepare consciously for myomectomy often experience fewer complications, recover faster, and feel more emotionally stable through the process. Preparation is not optional care; it is part of treatment.

Understand Your Surgery Before You Change Anything

Before adjusting diet, stopping medicines, or arranging recovery support, you should clearly understand what type of surgery you are having and why. Many people enter surgery without real clarity, and this uncertainty increases anxiety, which can directly affect pain perception and healing. Your doctor should explain the location, size, and number of fibroids, how much of the uterus will be incised, and whether fertility could be affected. If something is unclear, ask again. Do not leave the room confused. Knowledge gives control and reduces fear.

Ask for visuals or scan explanations if you do not understand reports. Most surgeons are happy to show you where fibroids sit in the uterus and explain why a particular surgical method is being recommended. If you understand what is happening inside your body, you will cope better emotionally and physically.

Essential Questions to Ask Your Surgeon

Never assume anything. Good surgical outcomes begin when patients ask clear questions. You are allowed to ask. You are expected to ask.

Ask about the procedure, risks, and long-term impact:

• Which type of myomectomy will I have and why?
• How many fibroids will be removed?
• How deep is the uterine cut expected to be?
• What is the chance of heavy bleeding?
• Will I likely need a blood transfusion?
• Could hysterectomy become necessary if something goes wrong?
• Will I require cesarean delivery in future pregnancy?
• When is it safe to try to conceive after surgery?

Also ask about recovery:

• How long will I stay in hospital?
• How much pain should I expect?
• When can I bathe?
• When can I return to work?
• When can I exercise?
• When can I resume sexual activity?

No question is embarrassing. What feels small now can feel enormous later if unanswered.

Correct Anemia Before Surgery

Anemia is one of the most important things to fix before myomectomy. Fibroids often cause heavy periods, and many women enter surgery with low iron levels without knowing it. Anemic patients tolerate blood loss poorly and recover more slowly. They feel exhausted after surgery and are more likely to need blood transfusions.

Your doctor may prescribe iron supplements, iron injections, vitamin B12, folate, or in some cases a transfusion if anemia is severe. Dietary changes alone are rarely enough if anemia is significant.

Iron-rich foods to prioritise include dark leafy vegetables, lentils, beans, eggs, red meat (if appropriate), dried fruits, and jaggery in moderation. Vitamin C aids iron absorption, so pairing iron-rich foods with citrus fruits or bell peppers helps. Tea and coffee reduce absorption. Avoid them close to meals.

Correcting anemia is not cosmetic care. It is surgical safety.

Shrinking Fibroids Before Surgery

In some cases, doctors give medicines to shrink fibroids before operating. This does not remove fibroids permanently, but it reduces blood supply to them and decreases their size to make surgery safer. Smaller fibroids bleed less and are easier to remove.

These medicines alter hormone levels temporarily and may cause menopausal-like symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, or sleep disruption. These effects reverse once treatment stops.

This approach is used when fibroids are large, deeply located, or difficult to access. Shrinking is not done for convenience. It is done to reduce surgical risk.

How to Eat Before Surgery

What you eat in the weeks before surgery affects how well your body heals. Healing demands protein, iron, fluids, and vitamins. Simple foods digest better under surgical stress than heavy meals.

Prioritise easily digestible nutrition. Mild, cooked food is better than raw or fried food. Protein is essential for wound healing, so include lentils, eggs, curd, paneer, fish, or chicken if appropriate. Avoid alcohol completely before surgery. It interferes with anesthesia and wound repair.

In the final days before surgery, reduce spicy food, oily meals, and sweets. Drink water generously. Hydration improves circulation and reduces constipation after surgery.

Disclose Every Medication and Supplement

Many patients forget to mention over-the-counter medicines, herbal tablets, or home remedies. This is dangerous. Some substances increase bleeding risk or interfere with anesthesia.

Tell your doctor about every medicine you take, including painkillers, herbal supplements, weight-loss products, hormonal treatments, diabetes or thyroid medication, and birth control pills. Never stop medicines suddenly on your own. Your doctor decides which medicines to continue and which to pause.

Honesty is not optional in surgery. It is safety.

Mental Preparation Is Physical Preparation

Your emotional state affects how your body handles pain. Anxiety increases muscle tension and pain sensitivity. Fear interferes with sleep and appetite both before and after surgery. Calmness improves outcomes.

Avoid excessive internet searching. Online experiences are often unbalanced. What you read at 2 a.m. is rarely encouraging.

Prepare emotionally by talking to your surgeon, involving your family, and understanding recovery timelines. Develop a mindset of healing rather than fear. Practice slow breathing exercises. Visualise healing rather than complications.

A calm body recovers faster.

Prepare Your Home for Recovery

When you return from hospital, your main job is healing, not managing household chaos. Preparing in advance prevents stress.

Arrange help with cooking, cleaning, and childcare for at least one to two weeks depending on surgery type. Keep commonly used items at waist-height to avoid bending. Buy loose clothing that does not press against your abdomen. Arrange your bed with extra pillows. Keep medicines and water near.

Create a recovery corner in your home. Comfort helps healing.

What to Pack for the Hospital

Pack light but smart. Hospital essentials include clothing that is easy to wear, toiletries, sanitary pads, slippers, documents, phone charger, medical reports, and prescriptions. Leave jewellery and valuables at home. Carry calmness, not clutter.

The Night Before Surgery

Sleep may be restless. This is normal. Do not judge the night. Your body is resting even if sleep feels light.

Follow fasting instructions strictly. Eating too close to surgery risks aspiration under anesthesia. Take only medicines your doctor has approved.

Shower, wear comfortable clothes, and try deep breathing. Anxiety does not mean weakness. It means your body understands importance.

The Morning of Surgery

On the surgery day, the anesthesia team will speak to you. They may repeat questions. This is not confusion. It is double-checking for safety.

You may feel cold and nervous. This is expected. An IV line will be placed. Vitals will be checked. Family will accompany you until the mid-stage.

Trust the process. This is a controlled medical environment, not uncertainty.

Let Go of These Myths

Many beliefs harm confidence more than scars.

“Surgery will ruin my body.”
Healing restores, not destroys.

“I will never feel normal again.”
Most women feel better than before.

“This pain will be unbearable.”
Pain is controlled.

“My fertility is over.”
For many, it improves.

Truth heals faster than fear.

Conclusion

Preparation is not worry. It is wisdom. When you prepare well, you recover well. Surgery is one day. Healing lasts much longer. Treat preparation seriously. Your future self will thank you.

If myomectomy is planned, begin preparing today. Ask your surgeon. Strengthen your blood. Organise your recovery. The more you prepare, the less you suffer. Good preparation is an investment in smooth healing.