Questions? > after surgery at home (12 entries)

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  • Will I be on the same medications after surgery?
    For the most part, yes. Plus you will be on some pain medication. Your diabetes and blood pressure dosages with probably be modified for a litttle while. We provide you with ...
  • Will my activity be limited after surgery?
    For the most part, no, but you will feel weak and tired for a couple of weeks. By the time you go home we like to have you up, walking, and ...
  • When can I take a bath?
    Once you get home, you can take a shower. We prefer you not soak in a tub for a couple of weeks. Most incisions require no special care. The stiches are ...
  • When can I have sex?
    Any time you feel up to it. You are not going to hurt anything, and you are safer now than you were before your operation. Remember, no heavy pushing with ...
  • What if I have problems after I am home?
    If you have a problem with your incision or other surgical issues, call us and we will get it taken care of. Long-term medical and medication issues are best dealt with ...
  • Can I take over-the-counter stuff for constipation?
    Yes. Lots of people get constipated after major surgery. Pain meds and inactivity are the main problems. In general, anything you can buy in the aisles at the drug store are ...
  • Who will be my doctor after surgery?
    You willl keep the same doctors who referred you to me. You will ordinarily have a visit with us in the surgery office about two weeks after discharge. You will need ...
  • Why are my ankles swollen?
    We pump a lot of fluid into your body in the hospital. In the short term, walk a lot and keep your legs elevated above your heart when sitting. Patients with ...
  • I think my incision is infected.
    It could be, but infection after a "clean" operation like heart or lung surgery is rare. Minor redness around the incisions and drainage tube sites is normal healing. Sometimes the chest ...
  • My chest tube site just gushed a lot of fluid.
    Sometimes there are fluid pockets not fully drained when the tubes are removed. Protect your clothes and bed with absorbent dressings until the drainage stops. If it is pus or persists ...
  • Why is the top of my chest incision swollen?
    I try to keep the sternal incision as short as possible. As a result, sometimes the skin closure will lump up a little at the top. Don't worry. Over the next ...
  • Why is my chest numb?
    Entering the chest by any incision requires the compression or division of nerves. Thoracic surgery patients often have numbness adjacent to their incision traveling around to the front. Coronary artery bypass ...