Recovering from Surgery

01Straight after your operation

You’ll be taken to a recovery area or back to the ward, and the team will tell you how the operation went. After a general anaesthetic it’s normal to feel drowsy and muddled for a while, and you may be given oxygen through a mask or small tubes in your nose.

Feeling sick is common after a general anaesthetic, and anti-sickness medicine can help. So are a sore throat and a dry mouth. Nurses will check your blood pressure and temperature regularly.

Questions worth asking

• Did the operation go as planned?
• How has it changed my condition?
• How am I likely to feel once I’m home?
• How long will it be before I’m back to normal?

02Managing pain

Some pain after surgery is normal. Tell a nurse as soon as it starts rather than waiting for it to build up: painkillers can take around 20 minutes to work, and they do more good given early.

03Getting moving and preventing clots

Staying in bed for long periods lets blood collect in the legs, which makes a clot more likely, so the sooner you’re up and about the better. Getting out of bed, walking, eating and drinking early all speed recovery. After major surgery your hospital may offer an enhanced recovery programme built around this.

While you’re less mobile, simple leg exercises help: bend and straighten your knees and ankles, and circle your feet. You may be given compression stockings to wear, and some people have injections of a blood thinner to lower the risk further.

04Leaving hospital

When you can go home depends on how quickly you recover and how much support you’ll have, and each hospital has its own discharge arrangements. Before you leave you may see a physiotherapist about exercises, and you’ll be shown how to look after your wound. You may also be given dressings, painkillers or equipment such as crutches or a splint.

Plan your support at home in advance, and don’t hesitate to ask for equipment such as a walking frame or wheelchair if it would help; you can raise this at your pre-operative assessment. After a general anaesthetic or an epidural, have an adult stay with you for at least 24 hours. You won’t be able to drive yourself home, so arrange a lift or a taxi.

Before you go, ask

• Who do I contact if I’m worried once I’m home?
• What should I be doing for myself, such as getting out of bed or going to the toilet?
• Is there anything I should avoid?
• When can I go back to work?
• How much pain, bruising or swelling should I expect?
• When will my stitches come out, or how long will dissolvable ones take?
• How should I look after the wound?
• Will I need a follow-up appointment, and where?

05Caring for your wound

Follow the instructions you’re given for any dressing. Keep stitches clean and dry, and look out for more swelling or pain, or a change in the colour of the skin around them.

You can usually shower 48 hours after surgery unless you’ve been told not to. Don’t soak the wound in a bath or swimming pool until it has fully healed or your doctor says it’s safe.

06Back at home

Expect to feel tired for a while, especially after a major operation or a general anaesthetic. Do as much as you feel able to, but try to move around from early on and follow your doctor’s advice on building up activity. Moving keeps your blood flowing, helps wounds heal and rebuilds muscle strength.

Aim to get back to your usual routine as soon as you can. Eat a healthy diet, stop smoking if you smoke, and ask which exercises you should be doing.

Your surgeon will give you an idea of how long your own recovery should take. For recovery after a joint replacement, see Total Hip Replacement and Total Knee Replacement.

07When to get help