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How can you care for yourself at home?
Activity
- Allow the area to heal. Don't move quickly or lift anything heavy until you are feeling better.
- Rest when you feel tired.
- Be active. Walking is a good choice. For the first few weeks after the surgery, your doctor may have you bend slightly at the waist when you stand up and walk around.
- You can do your normal activities when it feels okay to do so.
- You will probably need to take 2 to 3 weeks off from work. It depends on the type of work you do and how you feel.
- Ask your doctor when it is okay for you to have sex.
- Hold a pillow over your incisions when you cough or take deep breaths. This will support your belly and may help to decrease your pain.
Diet
- You can eat your normal diet. If your stomach is upset, try bland, low-fat foods like plain rice, broiled chicken, toast, and yogurt.
- If your bowel movements are not regular right after surgery, try to avoid constipation and straining. Drink plenty of water. Your doctor may suggest fiber, a stool softener, or a mild laxative.
Medicines
- Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.
- If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
- If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.
- Your doctor will tell you if and when you can restart your medicines. He or she will also give you instructions about taking any new medicines.
- If you take aspirin or some other blood thinner, be sure to talk to your doctor. He or she will tell you if and when to start taking this medicine again. Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do.
Incision care
- You will have a dressing over the cut (incision). A dressing helps the incision heal and protects it. Your doctor will tell you how to take care of this.
- If you have strips of tape on the incision, leave the tape on for a week or until it falls off.
- If you had stitches or staples, your doctor will tell you when to come back to have them removed.
- Wash the area daily with warm water, and pat it dry. Don't use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol. They can slow healing.
- You may need to wait a few days before you can take a shower. Follow the instructions that your doctor gives you for bathing and showering.
Other instructions
- You will likely have several drains near your incision. Your doctor will tell you how to take care of them.
- You may have a special girdle, called a binder, placed around the area where you had surgery. This binder will help ease swelling and pain. Your doctor will tell you how long to wear it.
- Your doctor may have you sleep in a recliner, or propped up in bed, with pillows under your knees. This will help keep your stitches from breaking.
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 have severe trouble breathing.
- You have symptoms of a blood clot in your lung (called a pulmonary embolism). These may include:
- Sudden chest pain.
- Trouble breathing.
- Coughing up blood.
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
- You have pain that does not get better after you take pain medicine.
- You have loose stitches, or your incision comes open.
- You are bleeding from the incision.
- You have symptoms of infection, such as:
- Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness.
- Red streaks leading from the incision.
- Pus draining from the incision.
- A fever.
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
- You do not have a bowel movement after taking a laxative.
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.
