What to expect after surgery

After General Anesthesia

You may feel some minor side effects after general anesthesia. These can include sore throat, hoarseness, nausea, vomiting, headache, sleepiness, lack of appetite or muscle aches and pains. They almost always go away in 24 to 48 hours. Call your doctor or nurse for further advice if they do not settle down.
Post operative confusion (delirium) is more likely to happen if you are 75 years or older, take sleeping pills, anti-anxiety pills, drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes or use illicit drugs regularly. Telling the nurse before your surgery can help prevent this from happening.

Anesthetic drugs, including intravenous (IV) sedation may stay in the body for up to 24 hours after your operation. During this time you may be impaired. Therefore, for 24 hours after anesthetic or intravenous sedation it is recommended that you DO NOT:
Make important decisions or sign documents.
Drive a car or work with machinery.
Do any dangerous activities like bike riding, swimming, or climbing ladders.
Travel alone by public transportation e.g. bus.
Go to work or do business.
Drink alcohol.
Take tranquilizers or sleeping pills.
Have primary responsibility for the care of another person e.g. babies, small children, frail elderly.

Pain Control

Pain medications work best when taken at regular intervals and before the pain gets too bad. Do not hesitate to tell your nurse when you are getting uncomfortable. You should be comfortable enough to turn, move your arms and legs in bed and to do deep breathing and coughing exercises.

To help measure your discomfort, your nurse may ask you to rate your pain using a “pain intensity scale”. One easy method is to use a number scale and rate your pain from 0 - 10. Zero means no pain and 10 means the worst pain you can imagine. You can also describe pain with words like none, mild, moderate, severe or worst possible.

Incisions, dressings and drains

Incisions are closed with stitches (sutures), clips (staples) or dissolvable stitches. Your surgeon will decide which is the best method for you. You may have a bandage over your incision that will be changed as needed. Sometimes your surgeon needs to put a drain near the incision to help remove excess fluid. If this applies to you, your surgeon will explain this before surgery.

Fluids and diet

Your intravenous (IV) will be removed as soon as you are drinking enough fluids. Your diet will be increased depending on the type of surgery you’ve had and how you are tolerating the food.

Activity

Follow post-op activity instructions from your surgeon. Generally, you will recover quicker if you move about as soon as possible. Do not get up on your own until the nurse tells you it is okay. Your nurse will encourage you to deep breathe and cough and to do leg exercises while you are in bed. You will be helped out of bed as soon as it is allowed for your type of surgery.

Elimination

Your nurse will watch your urinary and bowel functions after surgery. Some patients will have a catheter to drain urine placed in their bladder before or during surgery. If this applies to you, your surgeon or nurse will explain this before your surgery.

Going Home

Day surgery discharge is usually one to two hours after the surgery. Discharge for overnight stays is usually between 9:00 – 11:00 AM. The staff will tell your family/friend when to pick you up.
If you are discharged before someone is able to pick you up, we may ask you to wait in the lounge for your ride.

Discharge instructions

Before you leave the hospital your nurse will:
Help you to get dressed, if needed.
Review your care instructions with you.
Provide you with written discharge instructions and prescriptions, when applicable.
Please ensure that you have all your belongings and any medications or valuables with you before you leave the hospital.

On returning home

Follow the instructions given to you.
Fill any prescribed medications and take as directed.
Make/keep appointments for follow-up care with your doctor
Contact your doctor, a walk-in clinic, HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or the Emergency Department for any problems after surgery.

Hospital bill

Most hospital stays are covered under the BC Medical Services Plan. Uninsured residents, non-Canadians, or persons not covered by the health care plan must pay the full cost of their stay and/or procedure prior to admission. You may pay by credit card, debit, cheque or cash.