Recovery After Surgery: The Do’s and Don’ts
Listen to Your Body
After surgery, it’s important to pay attention to your body’s signals and not push yourself too hard too fast. Rushing into normal activities can lead to setbacks and complications. It’s crucial to follow your doctor’s advice and take things slow.
- Ignoring doctor’s advice can lead to pain, discomfort, and diarrhea
- Pushing too fast after leaving the hospital is a common post-operative mistake
- Stick to what your doctor tells you, especially when it comes to lifting heavy objects
Mobility Is Key
Being mobile after surgery is essential for a speedy recovery. Staying in bed for too long can lead to a host of problems, including blood clots, pressure ulcers, and muscle weakness. It’s important to move around as soon as you have permission to do so.
- Mobility helps prevent blood clots, pressure ulcers, and muscle weakening
- Moving around can help combat tiredness and speed up digestion
Medication and Nutrition
Following your prescribed medication regimen and maintaining proper nutrition are vital components of post-operative care. Pain relievers should not be ignored, as they can help with sleep, appetite, and the ability to move. It’s also crucial to refuel with food and fluids to keep your recovery on track.
- Pain medication plays a key role in supporting the body’s healing process
- Food provides energy for the muscles, and fluids keep the body hydrated
Work with Professionals
Collaborating with a physical therapist can be instrumental in your recovery, particularly after a major operation. Physical therapy helps build strength and ensures a safe and effective recovery. It’s important to take these sessions seriously and follow through with the exercises at home.
- If you had a major operation, physical therapy is key to a successful recovery
- Take your physical therapy sessions seriously and follow through with home exercises
Returning to Normal Activities
Refraining from rushing back into work and daily activities is crucial for a smooth recovery. Trying to work or drive before you’re ready can lead to setbacks and accidents. It’s important to plan your time off in advance and seek clearance from your doctor before returning to your regular routine.
- Rushing back to work or driving can lead to setbacks and accidents
- Ask your doctor for guidance on when you can safely return to normal activities
Additional Considerations
In addition to the aforementioned points, it’s important to pay attention to breathing exercises, refrain from smoking until given the green light by your doctor, and to follow your doctor’s instructions diligently. Taking matters into your own hands can hinder the healing process, and it’s vital to give your body the time it needs to recover.
Insights on Surgical Recovery
When it comes to surgical recovery, it’s crucial to recognize the value of patience and attentiveness to medical advice. Rushing back into normal activities, whether physical or professional, can have detrimental effects on the healing process. While it may be tempting to expedite the recovery timeline, it’s essential to heed the guidance of healthcare professionals and prioritize a gradual approach.
One unique aspect of post-surgery recovery is the individualized nature of the process. Each patient’s body responds differently to surgery, making it imperative to personalize the recovery journey. By tuning into your body’s signals and adjusting the pace of recovery accordingly, you can optimize the healing process and minimize potential setbacks.
Furthermore, understanding the long-term implications of post-operative care is crucial. By investing in a thorough recovery period, individuals can potentially mitigate the risk of future complications and promote overall well-being. This perspective underscores the significance of viewing surgical recovery as a holistic and ongoing endeavor, rather than a mere short-term inconvenience.
In summary, post-operative recovery requires a balanced approach that integrates medical guidance and individual responsiveness. By prioritizing mobility, medication adherence, professional collaboration, and a gradual return to normal activities, patients can optimize their recovery outcomes. Furthermore, recognizing the unique nature of the recovery process and embracing the long-term value of post-operative care contributes to a holistic and proactive approach to surgical recovery.
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It was just after surgery for diverticular disease and Greg Saggio, 48, was feeling fine. That night he was already walking. The next morning he started eating.
But then he went home and, ignoring his doctor's advice, went back to work. Just a week after surgery, she was commuting 50 minutes twice a day, wearing business suits that restricted his movement, and eating abundantly.
His attempt to quickly regain his rhythm was a big mistake. Saggio suffered pain, discomfort and diarrhea, and had to hit the reset button on his recovery.
As a general surgeon and assistant professor at the NYIT School of Osteopathic Medicine, Saggio knows he made a classic post-operative mistake. He pushed too fast after leaving the hospital.
“You think you can do it all,” he says. “You think you're better than you are, you eat too much too fast, you climb stairs too fast, you go driving and you get bounced.”
Keep your own recovery on track and avoid these costly mistakes.
It's a problem if you activate too quickly, says Jonathan Whiteson, MD, director of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation at the Rusk Rehabilitation Center at New York University Langone Medical Center. If you rush, you may fall and get hurt. Your wound may not heal properly. Like Saggio, you can end up back where you started.
Your doctor told you what to do and what not to do. Pay attention to them. Maybe you have a green light for simple activities, for example, but a red light for strenuous activities. Or maybe you're supposed to walk every day but not lift anything heavier than 10 pounds.
“Stick to what your doctor tells you,” says Saggio. “Don't overdo it because you will have setbacks, especially when lifting heavy objects.”
As soon as you have permission to move, do so. People are often worried or scared about this, “but one of the most important things after surgery is to be mobile,” Whiteson says.
Being in bed can cause a series of problems: blood clotspressure ulcers, pulmonary embolisms and weakening of muscles.
Even if you feel tired, resist the temptation to sleep. When you move, you really get rid of tiredness. It also speeds up digestion. Your intestines may be sluggish after surgery, but a little physical activity It helps wake up your gut again, says Whiteson.
You may ignore pain relievers because you've heard they are addictive or make you feel sick. constipated, nausea or dizziness. But skimping on medications isn't smart.
Sometimes pain can interfere with sleep, appetite, and the ability to move, says Whiteson. And that can make it harder for your body to heal. Ultimately, the goal is to stop medication, but not before you are ready.
If you feel dizzy or haven't had a bowel movement, it's natural that you're not in the mood to eat or drink. But it is important to “refuel.”
Food gives your muscles energy and fluids keep you hydrated. When you don't get enough, your recovery can stall.
Many people think they can get through it on their own, Whiteson says, but it's important to work with a physical therapist.
One or two sessions before leaving the hospital may be sufficient after some types of surgery. But if you had a major operation, physical therapy is key. It can help you get stronger and recover safely. Take it seriously. Go to your appointments and do your exercises at home.
Like Saggio, you may be tempted to return to your job as soon as possible. But don't give up.
“I've seen a lot of people try to work while they're still in the hospital, with a computer and a cell phone,” Whiteson says. “They are not coherent and much less capable of making good decisions.”
Plan your time off in advance and ask your doctor when you can return.
If your doctor tells you not to get behind the wheel, whether for 2 weeks or 2 months, it's for a good reason. Your reaction time may be slower and you could have an accident. Until you are ready to handle it, ask a friend or family member for help. Or ask them to run your errands for you.
If you had surgery on your abdomen, heart, lungs, or spine, your doctor may give you exercises to help your lungs recover from anesthesia, the medicine that kept you pain-free during the operation.
“Doing breathing exercises is very, very important,” says Whiteson. It expands the lungs and removes the mucus that accumulates there. Do not stop smoking until your doctor tells you it is okay.
To maintain your recovery, follow your doctor's instructions. As Saggio knows, taking matters into your own hands can slow healing.
“I was a little stoic. I definitely rushed my recovery,” he says. Next time, maybe, take that extra week off.
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