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For your own safety, it is important that you do
not drive or operate machinery, drink alcohol, or make important
decisions or business transactions, or take public transportation
alone for twenty-four (24) hour after surgery. It is normal to feel
dizzy and sleepy or tired out after surgery. |
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1. Activity: |
Unrestricted, so long as you don’t experience uncomfortable
pain. Avoid driving for at least 48 hours or until most of your pain
is gone. You should be able to return to your usual activities
including work in 3-5 days. |
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2. Dressings and Bathing: |
Remove the dressings or bandaids, if they are present, from your
wounds one day following operation. Leave the pieces of tape (steristrips)
directly on your wounds for 5-7 days then pull these off. You should
need no further dressings. Begin to shower or bathe the day after
your operation. Expect some bruising and tenderness. |
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3. Diet: |
Drink fluids and eat lightly for 1-2 days after your operation;
then resume your usual dietary habits. Be aware that your appetite
is likely to get very good after 3-4 weeks, so you must
control your intake so you do not gain weight. Take a laxative if
you have some tendency to constipation. |
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4. Medications: |
Resume your normal routine medicines. For pain, take either two
extra-strength Tylenol or three Advil by mouth every 3-4 hours as
necessary. Take these sparingly. You may be given a pain medicine
prescription. If you are having more pain than is controlled by
these, please call the office. |
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Please call the office for any of the following problems –
someone is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week:
- Development or redness around or drainage from your wound
- Fever over 101o, or chills
- Pulse over 100 beats per minute
- Shortness of breath
- Productive cough
- Recurrent nausea, vomiting or pain
- New or increasing right shoulder pain
- Any problems that you think may be related to your operation
and about which you are not sure.
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6. Recovery: |
Expect to feel reasonably well quite quickly (average 3-5 days).
If you don’t, please phone. You may tire easily and not have a lot
of energy for a few days to a week. |
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7. Discharge: |
You will probably be discharged the day of your operation (unless
it is late in the day), or you may be discharged the next day. If
you are not doing well or have questions, please ask the office to
notify one of us right away. |
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8. Return to Office: |
Please phone the office the day of or the day after your
discharge and make an appointment to be seen 1-2 weeks after
discharge, or as we’ve otherwise instructed you. |
