Post-Surgery Recovery
Just because you have gone home does not mean that you’ve fully recovered. Most of your recovery happens during the first 1-2 weeks after surgery, but full recovery may take 4-6 weeks or even longer in some cases. It’s important to recognize that recovery is a process. You will have ups. You will have downs. My best advice is to take advantage of the good days and don’t beat yourself up on the bad days.
If you are consistently feeling worse and going backwards during your recovery, please contact us (443-481-3300) for advice on how to get back on track.
If you are experiencing a life-threating emergency, please contact 911 or go directly to the closest Emergency Room and then let us know. My team can talk with other medical providers to provide pertinent information for your care.
Post-Surgery Care Instructions
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These guidelines are intended to cover many of the questions you may have and assist with your recovery. However, these guidelines are for informational purposes only and not intended to replace the care and attention of your personal physician or other professional medical services.
Hospital Discharge & Initial Recovery
Your medical team will provide specific discharge criteria.
Ensure you have a support person available for transport and assist with home care for the first 48 hours following your discharge.
Take all prescribed medications as directed to maintain comfort and facilitate your recovery process.
Please ask questions of your medical team prior to discharge to make sure you are clear what medications you should be taking and when.
Effective Pain Management
Effective pain relief is essential for deeper breathing and mobility.
Most patients will continue several around-the-clock pain medicines (take on a regular schedule even if you’re feeling ok) including acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Aleve, etc), and gabapentin (neurontin - a nerve medicine) AND a narcotic as needed (take only when needed).
Typically, you will start cutting back on the narcotic first and then gradually stop the other medications as well.
Please discuss your pain medication plan with your medical team before you leave the hospital.
Respiratory Care & Exercises
Consistent use of the incentive spirometer or flutter valve is required and beneficial.
Deep breathing and controlled coughing are vital to expand the lungs and prevent potential post-operative complications like pneumonia.
Activity Levels & Restrictions
You are encouraged to engage in regular activity after hospital discharge including walking and climbing stairs. At a minimum, you should be walking around the house or outside at least 3 times every day for at least 15 minutes.
You may shower once you are home. No swimming, bathing, or hot tubs until you have your first post-surgery appointment and are cleared to do so.
Avoid lifting more than 10 pounds or performing strenuous activity after surgery until you have your first post-surgery visit in the office and are cleared to resume all activities.
Do not drive within the first few weeks after surgery, especially while taking narcotics. You should also be able to twist your neck and body to drive safely. Many patients can safely resume driving 2-3 weeks after surgery.
Returning to work is very dependent on what you do and how labor intensive your job. If you can return part time or remotely, you will likely be able to return more quickly. Please discuss this further with your medical team if you have questions.
Certain procedures will require additional restrictions. These will be discussed with you before hospital discharge.
Incision & Wound Management
Keep your surgical incisions clean and dry.
Remove your chest tube dressing 3 days after your tube was removed. If the gauze saturates before then, please change to a dry dressing. Once the small hole has scabbed over, you do not need to keep it covered.
Monitor for any signs of infection such as redness, swelling, or unusual drainage, and report these immediately to your surgical team.
Do not scrub your incision sites in the shower. Lightly cleanse your incisions with soap & water and pat dry.
Your stitches are all under your skin and will dissolve without needing to be removed. The steri-strips (tapes) over your incisions can get wet in the shower and should be removed 10-14 days after surgery.
Skin glue under the steri-strips will gradually come off over a few weeks.
Rarely you will be discharged with a chest tube or drain in place. If this happens, you will be given detailed instructions for care of this tube or drain before you leave the hospital.
Diet
Reduced appetite after major surgery is extremely common and may last several weeks as you recover. However, proper nutrition is an important part of recovery.
If you have limited appetite, focus on foods high in calories and protein. You may be able to tolerate several (4-6) smaller meals throughout the day rather than 3 larger meals.
Supplementing meals with high protein shakes may be beneficial.
Drink plenty of fluids and eat fruit and other high fiber foods particularly while on narcotic pain medications to help prevent constipation.
Sleep
Your sleep cycle was likely severely disrupted during your hospital stay and you may have difficulty sleeping especially the first few days after you leave. This is normal.
If you’re having difficulty sleeping, try to get back on your typical schedule by avoiding naps and increasing your activity during the day.
Bowel Regimen
Virtually everyone has constipation during recovery from major surgery due to the combination of anesthesia, pain medications, and reduced activity.
Continue a stool softener such as Colace after discharge if you’re still taking narcotics for pain control.
If you’re still constipated, try over-the-counter regimens such as Miralax, milk of magnesia, or senna. Your local pharmacist can also provide guidance.
Follow-up Appointment
Often we arrange a follow-up appointment for you before you leave the hospital. If you don’t have an appointment scheduled, please call the office to arrange one. Typically, we will see you 2-3 weeks after hospital discharge.
You will need a chest x-ray within a few days before your appointment. It can be done the same day as your appointment if done at our facility.
Final Results & Next Steps
Many patients are discharged from the hospital before their final pathology results are available, typically 3-5 days. If this happens, we will call you once the results are available.
If you need to consider further therapy such as chemotherapy or radiation, we will help facilitate those appointments, but the primary focus soon after surgery remains your full recovery.
Medical Forms
If you have paperwork that needs to be filled out including work release, FMLA, or insurance forms, please submit to the office. Please allow 5-7 days for all paperwork to be competed.
When to Call the Surgical Team
Fever or temperature higher than 101.5 °F.
Worsening shortness of breath that does not improve with rest.
Worsening redness or swelling at the incision sites.
Drainage from the incisions or chest tube site that is thick, cloudy, or foul smelling.
Large increase in mucus coughed up or a change in the color of mucus (yellow, green, or bright red). It is normal to cough up some dark, red blood as you recover and get stronger.
Constipation lasting more than 2-3 days, not relieved with bowel regimen recommendations.