Question:
Surgery is scheduled for July 20th (two days)

Yikes! I just got my period. My question is can I use tampons? Should I wear one while in surgery? I don't want to bleed all over the place while in surgery and I know that they will catherize me. This is my luck! Also, will I be able to put one in (or take it out) after surgery? Will I be able to bend at all? I am having Open RNY. Please give me some advice on this!!! Thanks.    — Dawn H. (posted on July 18, 2001)

July 18, 2001
I got my while they were wheeling me in for surgery. They gave me pads to use. I would not use a tampon you are going to be really sore when you get out of surgery, and I found I would never have been able to reach down there and get it out let alone put a new one in.
   — Tracy C.

July 18, 2001
Great timing huh? Don't worry. What seems gross/messy to you is probably old hat to Dr's and nurses. The morning of my surgery I was still having the effects of the bowel cleaning. I told the nurse that there may be an accident during surgery and she said if there is (and it's happened lots of times before), they'd just clean it, and me up. You will be sans undies during surgery so that takes pads out of the equation. My guess would be that a tampon would be ok (I'm sure you'll ask your surgeon). In the hospital they have those old fashioned pads with the belts. Whether or not you use a tampon after surgery will depend on your level of pain and also the catheter. A little complex I know but believe me, I'm sure you aren't the first. Good luck!
   — [Anonymous]

July 18, 2001
I got my period the day after my open gallbladder surgery 20 years ago. I was 23 years old and mortified because a girl I went to high school with was my nurse. I asked my surgeon if I was allowed to use tampons; his response was that if my mother said yes, then he had no problem with it! lol...I imagine your doctor will feel pretty much the same way.
   — [Anonymous]

July 18, 2001
I don't think that wearing a tampon during the surgery is a wise idea because of the length of time you will be confined in the OR and Recovery room. Not to mention how drugged and helpless you may be for hours afterwords. It isn't safe to wear a tampon for much more than 4 hours at a time and if you go too long without changing it, toxic shock syndrome could become a real risk.
   — Donna L.

July 18, 2001
I started my period the day before surgery. While in the prep are for surgery, the nurse had me remove my tampon and put a Chux(blue pad) under me. There was no way I could have removed a tampon or inserted one after surgery.
   — Vickie C.

July 18, 2001
My surgery is scheduled for July 31,01 and I was worried about starting my period during surgery. last Friday, during pre-ops, the nurse told me without me asking, that if I started my period not to worry about it, they would use a pad, but she specifically said not to use a tampon. But miracles will never cease, I started two days ago and hopefully the shock of the surgery will not cause it to start again.
   — dee L.