Before the Procedure:

Always tell your doctor or nurse what drugs you are taking, even drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription.

During the days before the surgery:

• You may be asked to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), warfarin (Coumadin), and any other drugs that make it hard for your blood to clot.
• Arrange for a ride home and make sure you will have enough help when you get there.

On the day of the surgery:

• You will usually be asked not to drink or eat anything for 6 to 12 hours before the procedure.
• Take the drugs your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water.
• Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to arrive at the hospital. Usually it will be a few hours before the scheduled time of your procedure.
• You may receive an enema.

After the Procedure:

You will be taken to a recovery room. The nurses will ask you to cough and take deep breaths to help clear your lungs. You will have a catheter in your bladder. This will be removed when you are able to empty your bladder on your own.

You may go home on the same day if there are no problems.

Outlook (Prognosis):

Urinary leakage decreases for most women who have this procedure. But you may still have some leakage. This may be because other problems are causing your incontinence. Over time, some or all of the leakage may come back.