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How can you care for yourself at home?
Activity
- Rest when you feel tired. Getting enough sleep will help you recover.
- Be active. Walking is a good choice.
- Ask your doctor when you can drive again.
- Most people are able to return to work within 1 to 2 weeks after surgery.
- Shower or take baths as usual. Pat your anal area dry with a towel when you are done.
Diet
- You can eat your normal diet. If your stomach is upset, try small amounts of food.
- Drink plenty of fluids (unless your doctor tells you not to).
- Include high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, in your diet each day.
- You may notice that your bowel movements are not regular right after your surgery. This is common. Try to avoid constipation and straining with bowel movements. You may want to take a fiber supplement every day. If you have not had a bowel movement after a couple of days, ask your doctor about taking a mild laxative.
Medicines
- Your doctor will tell you if and when you can restart your medicines. You also will be given instructions about taking any new medicines.
- If you stopped taking aspirin or some other blood thinner, your doctor will tell you when to start taking it again.
- Be safe with medicines. Take pain medicines exactly as directed.
- If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
- If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, take an over-the-counter medicine such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve). Read and follow all instructions on the label.
- Do not take two or more pain medicines at the same time unless the doctor told you to. Many pain medicines have acetaminophen, which is Tylenol. Too much acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be harmful.
- If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.
- If you think your pain medicine is making you sick to your stomach:
- Take your medicine after meals (unless your doctor has told you not to).
- Ask your doctor for a different pain medicine.
Incision care
- You may have gauze and bandages over the opening of your fistula, or you may have a string coming from the fistula. Your doctor will tell you how to take care of these.
- After a bowel movement, use a baby wipe or take a shower or sitz bath to gently clean the anal area.
Other instructions
- Place a maxi pad or gauze in your underwear to absorb drainage from your fistula while it heals.
- Sit in a few inches of warm water (sitz bath) for 15 to 20 minutes. Then pat the area dry. Do this as long as you have pain in your anal area.
- Support your feet with a small step stool when you sit on the toilet. This helps flex your hips and places your pelvis in a squatting position. This can make bowel movements easier after surgery.
- Try lying on your stomach with a pillow under your hips to decrease swelling.
When should you call for help?
Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
- You passed out (lost consciousness).
- You are short of breath.
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
- You have nausea or vomiting and cannot drink fluids.
- You have signs of a blood clot in your leg (called a deep vein thrombosis), such as:
- Pain in your calf, back of the knee, thigh, or groin.
- Redness and swelling in your leg or groin.
- You have signs of infection, such as:
- Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness.
- Red streaks leading from the incision.
- Pus draining from the incision.
- A fever.
- You cannot pass stools or gas.
- Bright red blood has soaked through the bandage over your incision.
- You have pain that does not get better after you take pain medicine.
Watch closely for any changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if you have any problems.
Current as of: July 31, 2024
Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
