After major surgery, allow yourself 6 to 8 weeks to recover fully. It’s important to take good care of yourself and follow the below advice when you go home. You’ll have my personal mobile number so you can call me if you have any concerns after your surgery.
Continue to take regular pain relief according to the discharge instructions you received in the hospital.
Panadol and Nurofen
In the initial days after surgery we recommend you take:
or
Please avoid Nurofen if you’re allergic to it or have been diagnosed with asthma.
Stronger pain relief
You may require stronger pain relief in the initial days after surgery. You’ll be given a 5-day supply of stronger painkillers (Endone, Tramadol or similar) when you leave hospital.
As you start to feel better, you can start to decrease the amount of pain relief medication.
Preventing constipation after surgery is extremely important. You can use natural remedies or buy a laxative such as Coloxyl, Metamucil or Movicol to prevent constipation. Please avoid long-term use of Senna.
Please follow this advice to care for your wound:
You may have some spotting after surgery that may last for 2 to 4 weeks. Please contact us if you experience any fresh bleeding, discharge with an unusual smell, fever or lower abdominal pain.
If you’ve been prescribed Clexane injections, you’ll need to take them for 28 days to reduce your risk of getting blood clots in your legs that can be life-threatening in some cases. These injections have a risk of easy bruising and excessive bleeding if you injure yourself. Continue to wear your TED stockings for 4 weeks.
You can gradually increase your physical activity when you go home. Avoid strenuous exercise for 6 to 8 weeks like jogging, running, Pilates or a gym workout to reduce the risk of complications after surgery.
We recommend that you don’t do:
As a general guide, avoid lifting anything that weighs more than 5 kilos or causes you discomfort if less than 5 kilos.
The recovery from abdominal surgery varies from person to person. Generally, it can take 2 to 6 weeks for women to recover sufficiently to be able to drive. Please check with your insurer as there may be policy exclusions.
You shouldn’t drive while you’re on strong pain killers that have a sedative effect.
We recommend that you resume driving ONLY when you’re:
Remember to book your follow-up appointment 1 to 3 weeks after surgery by ringing 02 9134 5853 or email [email protected].
