What happens after surgery?
Most people are able to go home on the day of surgery. Painkillers should be taken regularly for the first couple of days. Some painkillers cause constipation so it is advisable to drink plenty of fluids. Sometimes a stool softener such as lactulose will help.
- Depending on the type of surgery you have, the need and frequency for pain relief will vary. After open surgery pain relief may be needed for longer.
- Wear supportive underwear such as Y-fronts for comfort.
- For the first few days you should do no heavy lifting but you can move around the house normally. You should be comfortable at rest.
- After a week most daily activities should be comfortable.
- If there is redness or weeping of the wound, this may indicate an infection. You should contact your own doctor or the specialist immediately in order to get some antibiotics. This should then resolve.
- The stitches do not normally need removal as they will dissolve with time. The waterproof dressings may be removed after a week; the other dressings may stay until clinic follow-up at the two-week stage.
- You should not drive a motor vehicle for one week after a keyhole repair and two weeks after open surgery.
- Follow-up after surgery is normally at about two weeks.
