Specializing
in
General Surgery
Patient Instructions
Discharge Instructions for our Patients after Laparoscopic Appendectomy
| Diet | You
may return to normal food after you go home from your surgery. You may wish to avoid fatty or heavy foods for a few days, since some people may get diarrhea from fatty foods for a week or two after surgery. |
| Incisions | Remove
gauze, if any, the day after you get home. There will be small tape strips across the incisions; leave these in place to fall off by themselves over a week or so. You may shower on the second day home; keep the incisions dry until then. |
| Activities | You
will feel easily fatigued for at least one week after discharge; this is
normal. Rest as much as you need. Count on being out of work for approximately
one week. Take short walks 2 or 3 times daily. You may ride in a car as desired. You should not drive until you have been home at least 3 days, and you must be off your pain medications before starting to drive. Do not lift anything over 20 pounds, and refrain from sports and exercise, during your first week home. You may go up and down stairs as desired. |
| Medications | Use
your pain pills as prescribed (no more often than every 4 hours). You should
switch to plain Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprophen) by the 5th
day after surgery. The pain pills (especially Tylox, Percocet, or Tylenol #3 with codeine) are prone to cause constipation. If you have not had a bowel movement by the 4th day after surgery, you should take a gentle laxative such as Milk of Magnesia. |
| General Considerations |
You
will find yourself feeling weak and tired for 1-2 weeks after going home;
this will pass. Listen to your body and rest when you feel you need to. You might experience soreness in the right shoulder, like a sprain. This is due to the gas that is put into your abdomen during the surgery - it will go away in about 4 or 5 days. Your belly will feel bloated for about one week; you may not be able to close your slacks. This will also pass as the gas in your abdomen is absorbed. In the meantime, you might be more comfortable in loose fitting clothing. The lower left incision will be the most sore. The other incisions are usually less sore. You will probably develop mild bruising around one or more of your incisions. |
| Call us if: | You
develop fevers over 101°F. You develop enough drainage from the incisions to saturate a piece of gauze. Your pain on the right side where the appendix was comes back like prior to surgery. Generally, you will feel stronger and less sore with every day that passes. If, after a few days, you begin to feel worse, rather than better, you should call us. |
| Follow-up | Call
the office when you get home to schedule a check-up visit 10-14 days after
your surgery. |
Finally, if you have any questions or concerns regarding your surgery or recuperation, do not hesitate to call our office -- we are here to help in any way we can.
We are pleased and honored that you have chosen us to perform your surgery. Thank you for your confidence in us!
Discharge Instructions for our Patients after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
| Diet | You
may return to normal food after you go home from your surgery. You may wish to avoid fatty or heavy foods for a few days, since some people may get diarrhea from fatty foods for a couple of weeks after surgery. |
| Incisions | Remove
gauze, if any, the day after you get home. There will be small tape strips across the incisions; leave these in place to fall off by themselves over a week or so. You may shower on the second day home; keep the incisions dry until then. |
| Activities | You
will feel easily fatigued for at least one week after discharge; this is
normal. Rest as much as you need. Count on being out of work for approximately
one week. Take short walks 2 or 3 times daily. You may ride in a car as desired. You should not drive until you have been home at least 3 days, and you must be off your pain medications before starting to drive. Do not lift anything over 20 pounds, and refrain from sports and exercise, during your first week home. You may go up and down stairs as desired. |
| Medications | Use
your pain pills as prescribed (no more often than every 4 hours). You should
switch to plain Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprophen) by the 5th
day after surgery. The pain pills (especially Tylox, Percocet, or Tylenol #3 with codeine) are prone to cause constipation. If you have not had a bowel movement by the 4th day after surgery, you should take a gentle laxative such as Milk of Magnesia. |
| General Considerations |
You
will find yourself feeling weak and tired for 1-2 weeks after going home;
this will pass. Listen to your body and rest when you feel you need to. You might experience soreness in the right shoulder, like a sprain. This is due to the gas that is put into your abdomen during the surgery - it will go away in about 4 or 5 days. Your belly will feel bloated for about one week; you may not be able to close your slacks. This will also pass as the gas in your abdomen is absorbed. In the meantime, you might be more comfortable in loose fitting clothing. The upper middle and the belly button incisions will be the most sore. The right side incisions are usually less sore. You will probably develop mild bruising around one or more of your incisions. |
| Call us if: | You
develop fevers over 101°F. You develop enough drainage from the incisions to saturate a piece of gauze. You eyes or skin begin to look yellow or jaundiced, or your urine turns very dark. Generally, you will feel stronger and less sore with every day that passes. If, after a few days, you begin to feel worse, rather than better, you should call us. |
| Follow-up | Call
the office when you get home to schedule a check-up visit 10-14 days after
your surgery. |
Finally, if you have any questions or concerns regarding your surgery or recuperation, do not hesitate to call our office -- we are here to help in any way we can.
We are pleased and honored that you have chosen us to perform your surgery. Thank you for your confidence in us!
Discharge Instructions for our Patients after Laparoscopic Hernia Repair
| Diet | You
may return to normal food after you go home from your surgery. You may wish to avoid fatty or heavy foods for a few days, but may return to normal food by the day after surgery. |
| Incisions | Remove
gauze, if any, the day after you get home. There will be small tape strips across the incisions; leave these in place to fall off by themselves over a week or so. You may shower on the second day home; keep the incisions dry until then. |
| Activities | You
will feel easily fatigued for at least one week after discharge; this is
normal. Rest as much as you need. Count on being out of work for approximately
one to two weeks. Take short walks 2 or 3 times daily. You may ride in a car as desired. You should not drive until you have been home at least 3 days, and you must be off your pain medications before starting to drive. Do not lift anything over 20 pounds, and refrain from sports and exercise, during your first week home. You may go up and down stairs as desired. |
| Medications | Use
your pain pills as prescribed (no more often than every 4 hours). You should
switch to plain Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprophen) by the 5th
day after surgery. The pain pills (especially Tylox, Percocet, or Tylenol #3 with codeine) are prone to cause constipation. If you have not had a bowel movement by the 4th day after surgery, you should take a gentle laxative such as Milk of Magnesia. Tylox or Percocet are also very prone to cause nausea if taken on an empty stomach. |
| General Considerations |
You
will find yourself feeling weak and tired for 1-2 weeks after going home;
this will pass. Listen to your body and rest when you feel you need to. You might experience soreness in the right shoulder, like a sprain. This is due to the gas that is put into your abdomen during the surgery - it will go away in about 4 or 5 days. Your belly will feel bloated for about one week; you may not be able to close your slacks. This will also pass as the gas in your abdomen is absorbed. In the meantime, you might be more comfortable in loose fitting clothing. The belly button incision will be the most sore. The other incisions are usually less sore. You will probably develop mild bruising around one or more of your incisions or in the groin. |
| Call us if: | You
develop fevers over 101°F. You develop enough drainage from the incisions to saturate a piece of gauze. Your pain on the right side where the appendix was comes back like prior to surgery. Generally, you will feel stronger and less sore with every day that passes. If, after a few days, you begin to feel worse, rather than better, you should call us. |
| Follow-up | Call the office when you get home to schedule a check-up visit 10-14 days after your surgery. |
Finally, if you have any questions or concerns regarding your surgery or recuperation, do not hesitate to call our office -- we are here to help in any way we can.
We are pleased and honored that you have chosen us to perform your surgery. Thank you for your confidence in us!
Location:
Frederick, MD 21702 Fax: (301) 662-5288
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