THINKING CLEARLY
If general anesthesia is given or if you are taking narcotic pain medication, it may cause you to feel different for 2 or 3 days, have difficulty with memory, or feel more fatigued. You should not drive, drink alcohol, or make any big decisions for at least 2 days
NUTRITION
When you wake up, you will be able to drink small amounts of liquid. If you do not feel sick, you can begin eating regular foods.
Continue to drink lots of fl uids, usually about 8 to 10 glasses per day.
Eat a high-fi ber diet so you don’t strain during bowel movements
ACTIVITY
Slowly increase your activity. Be sure to get up and walk every hour or so to prevent blood clots.
You may go home in 1 to 2 days for a laparoscopic repair. If your appendix ruptured or you have other health issues or complications, you may stay longer.
WORK AND RETURN TO SCHOOL
After recovery, you can usually return to work within 2 to 3 days.
You will not be able to lift anything over 10 pounds, climb, or do strenuous activity for 4 to 6 weeks following surgical repair of an umbilical hernia.
Lifting limitation may last for 6 months for complex or recurrent repairs
WOUND CARE
- Always wash your hands before and after touching near your incision site.
- Do not soak in a bathtub until your stitches or Steri-Strips are removed. You may take a shower after the second postoperative day unless you are told not to.
- Follow your surgeon’s instructions on when to change your bandages.
- A small amount of drainage from the incision is normal. If the drainage is thick and yellow or the site is red, you may have an infection, so call your surgeon.
- If you have Steri-Strips in place, they will fall off in 7 to 10 days.
- If you have a glue-like covering over the incision, allow the glue to fl ake off on its own.
- Avoid wearing tight or rough clothing. It may rub your incisions and make it harder for them to heal.
- Protect the new skin, especially from the sun. The sun can burn and cause darker scarring.
- Your scar will heal in about 4 to 6 weeks and will become softer and continue to fade over the next year.
BOWEL MOVEMENTS
Avoid straining with bowel movements by increasing the fiber in your diet with high- fiber foods or over-the-counter medicines (like Metamucil® and FiberCon®). Be sure you are drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water each day.
PAIN
The amount of pain is different for each person. Some people need only 1 to 3 doses of pain control medication, while others need more. The new medicine you will need after your operation is for pain control, and your doctor will advise how much you should take. You can use throat lozenges if you have sore throat pain from the tube placed in your throat during your anesthesia.