Incisions

Your surgery was performed through small incisions on the abdomen and the incisions are closed with sutures that will dissolve in about 6 weeks. If you have bandages you should remove them the day after surgery. There is skin glue over the incisions that will peel off in 3-4 weeks. Do not immerse yourself in water for two weeks but showers are fine. If you take a shower it is best not to vigorously dry your skin around your incisions for about two weeks. It is not necessary to place cream or ointment on the incisions. If you start having increasing redness, pain or pus coming from the incisions then please contact your physician.

Diet

It is best to start with a light diet like soup or toast but after you tolerate that you can eat a regular diet. There can be periods of nausea for the first two to three days after surgery which is often a consequence of the medications used during anesthesia as well as the pain medications.

Activity

The motto should be if it hurts don’t do it. You will probably not be able to do strenuous exercise for at least one to two weeks and sometimes longer. If you had a hysterectomy it is better to avoid intercourse for at least six weeks but after other surgeries you should avoid it for two weeks. No not drive if taking strong pain medications.

Pain

It is normal to have pain after surgery. The general rule is that the pain should be the same or better every day. If pain gets worse you should contact your physician. You will get a prescription for pain medicine. If you can take anti-inflammatories, we usually use long acting anti-inflammatories like Coxerit that you take once daily. You will also get a stronger pain medicine that could be oxynorm or tramadol that you take as needed for the first few days. Don’t take these strong medications unless you need them. Sometimes other pain meds are used depending on the situation. It is normal to have pain in your shoulders but this often goes away in one to three days.

Vaginal bleeding

if you had a hysterectomy it is normal to have small bleeding intermittently for up to six weeks after surgery but if you have bleeding that is like a period or more then please contact your doctor. If you did not have a hysterectomy it is normal to have irregular or unusual periods for the first two to three months after surgery.

Follow up

Please call the reception to book an appointment for follow up which usually occurs four to six weeks after surgery.

Please contact your physician in the event of the following:

· pain is getting worse

· fever is higher than 38 degrees Celsius

· redness, pus or increasing pain over your incision sites

· nausea and vomiting where you cannot keep down fluids

· difficulty emptying the urinary bladder