Care at Home After an Appendectomy
How You Might Feel After Your Operation
- You may feel slightly nauseated after surgery
- The anaesthetic may cause you to feel dizzy or sleepy for 24 hours
- You may have a slight temperature for 2 days
- It is normal to have a slightly red, swollen incision.
- It is normal to have a small amount of oozing from pink to dark red from your incision.
You need to call your doctor if:
- Your temperature is higher than 101°F or 38.5°C;
- You have bright red bleeding from your incision;
- You have more than a small amout of swelling around your incision;
- You develop an infection, e.g., increased redness, swelling and pain at your incision and/or you develop a “smelly” discharge;
- You develop nausea, vomiting, diarrhea which persists after 24 hours.
If you cannot contact your doctor, go to the nearest Emergency Department. |
For 24 hours after your surgery do not…
- Drive a vehicle
- Operate heavy equipment
- Drink alcohol
- Smoke
- Make any important decisions
How should I care for myself after surgery?
Nutrition
- Eat light foods for the first day, such as tea, toast, soup and Jello®
If diabetic, follow your surgeon’s instructions regarding diet and medication
Activity and Exercise
- Have a responsible adult stay with you for 24 hours.
- You will need to rest for a few days following your surgery.
- Avoid any activity that strains the areas of your surgery.
- No heavy lifting.
Consult with your surgeon about resuming normal activities and returning to work.
Pain and Medication
- Take only the medication for pain that is prescribed by your surgeon.
- Follow your surgeon’s advice on resuming your routine medications
Surgical Area
- Keep area clean and dry.
- If you have a drain (tube) in place and it falls out, do not panic. Call your surgeon. Do not try and put it back in.
- If the incision opens up, cover with a clean dressing and call your surgeon.
- If you start to have bright red bleeding that soaks through your dressing, put a clean cloth over the incision, apply pressure with your have and call your surgeon.
- If you have stitches in, your surgeon will tell you if and when they should be removed.
- Shower 24 hours after surgery. Apply clean dressing. Do not remove steri-strips.
Follow-Up Care
- Be sure to ask your surgeon if you need to return for a visit.
- By following your instructions and taking good care of yourself, you should recover quickly and safely.
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