Postoperative Instructions
Dr. Brian Nelson
The first few days after surgery are the most difficult.
After surgery, it is important to:
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Rest.
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Take your pain medicines regularly.
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Stay well hydrated.
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Get up and walk around at least 4 times daily.
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Call your doctor if you have any problems.
You may have shoulder or neck pain for several days after your surgery if it involved laparoscopy. This is from the gas placed in your (belly) abdomen during surgery. The pain is often gone within a few days.
To help with the pain you may:
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Use ice or heat.
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Change positions.
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Use pain medicines.
Take non-steroidal pain medicines (NSAIDs) on a schedule for the first few days. We often prescribe Toradol (Ketoralac). If not, you can use over the counter NSAIDs. This includes Ibuprofen 800 mg (4 tablets) every 6 hours or Naproxen 440 mg (2 tablets) every 12 hours. Take your prescription medicine (hydrocodone, oxycodone) as needed. Remember to take your pain medicine when you start to feel the pain getting worse. Do not wait for the pain to become severe before taking your medicine since it will take about 30 minutes to start to feel better. Do not take non-steroidal medicine if told to avoid them for other medical conditions (stomach or intestinal issues, allergy, etc.)
You may apply a heating pad or ice to your abdomen for more relief. It is common to feel pain on your right side, especially with movements. Your abdominal wall will feel swollen for 6 to 10 weeks after surgery.
Remove all band-aides the day after surgery. You may shower the day after surgery and take a bath 1 week after surgery. Remove the steri-strips 1 week after surgery.
You may eat and drink whatever you feel like. If you don’t have much of an appetite, try to at least stay well hydrated. Aim to drink at least 8 cups of liquids daily. Several small meals a day may work better at first. Be sure to eat something before taking your pain medicines. This will decrease the chance of nausea.
Pain medicine and decreased activity may make it harder to pass a bowel movement (constipation). Please start taking a stool softener (Colace, MiraLax, or Metamucil) when you get home from surgery. You can stop taking the stool softeners when you stop your pain medicines and resume more normal activities.
You will need to follow-up with Dr. Nelson for post-op visits as recommended. Most times, this is around 2 and 6 weeks post-op. Please call the office when you get home to schedule those appointments.
Some vaginal discharge and light bleeding or spotting can be normal depending on the type of surgery you had. This should get lighter with time and is often gone by 4 to 6 weeks.
The first couple days after surgery are the hardest. After that, every day should feel better as long as you don’t overdo it. If you don’t feel like you are improving after the first couple of days, please call your doctor’s office.
You may drive a car when you are no longer needing pain medicine and you can react to an emergency if needed such as (swerve, turn your head, slam on the brake pedal, etc. while driving). There is no specific time period, and everyone is different. Listen to your body. Ask yourself, “would I want someone in my state to be driving on the road with my family?”
Do not have sex or put anything else in your vagina until after your doctor has told you it is safe to do so.
This is most times after:
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2 to 4 weeks if you had endometriosis excision only.
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4 weeks for a rectocele or mid urethral sling.
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14 weeks if you had a hysterectomy with endometriosis excision.
If healing is taking longer than usual, this may be longer.
You may slowly return to normal activities. Please do not lift more than 20 pounds 3 to 4 weeks. If you have to hold your breath to lift something, it is too heavy. If you have had any surgery for prolapse (sacrocolpopexy, mesh, cystocele or rectocele repair, or uterine prolapse repair) no straining or heavy lifting for 6 weeks. It is safe to start exercising whenever you feel ready as long as you are not having to hold your breath to strain. If it doesn't hurt, it is likely ok.
If you are sent home with a bladder catheter, make sure the tubing does not get twisted or blocked. This will not allow your bladder to drain properly and could lead to further problems. If the catheter is irritating your urethra you may use “Azo-Regular or Extra Strength”. This will numb the bladder and urethra while you have it in place and will make you more comfortable. The medicine can be purchased at Walgreen’s or other grocery stores. It will turn your urine orange so, but this is just from the medicine and completely safe.
If you were told to use estrogen cream in the vagina before surgery, you should start using it again after the 2-week postoperative appointment.
Other reasons to call your doctor’s office include these warning signs: