Colon Surgery
Post-Op Instructions

Activity

• You may climb steps.
• No driving for 2 weeks after surgery, or if taking narcotic pain medication.
• Walking every day is encouraged. You may experience some abdominal muscle soreness at first, which can be relieved with a heating pad for 20 minutes at a time on low heat. You can expect to feel weak and tired for the first few weeks after surgery and begin to feel better and gain more energy within the coming weeks.
  

Diet

• You may resume a soft diet. Stay away from fried, spicy and greasy foods for the first few weeks or any foods that bothered you before surgery.
• Drink eight (8) – 8 oz. glasses of water per day.
• Colostomy and Ileostomy patients will get special instructions from the enterostomal nurse on diet.
• Your appetite may not return to normal for the first few weeks after surgery. It may be helpful to eat small meals 4–6 times daily.
  

Medications

• You may resume your previous medications unless instructed otherwise.
• Do not take aspirin or blood thinners for two (2) weeks after your surgery, unless your physician specifically instructs you.
• You will be given a prescription for pain medication upon discharge from the hospital .
• You may take antacids for indigestion and gas.
• Bowel function may be irregular at first. You will need to call the office for specific instructions from the nurse if symptoms persist.

Wound Care

• If your staples were removed before discharge, steristrips were applied and will come off in a few weeks. It is OK to shower unless otherwise instructed.
• If your staples were not removed prior to discharge, you will need to call the office to make an appointment to have them removed.
  

When to Notify the Physician

• Large amounts of bleeding with or without a bowel movement. It is normal to have small amounts of bleeding with bowel movements up to six weeks after surgery.
• Severe pain not relieved by pain medication.
• Fever over 101 F.
• Inability to urinate.
• Severe diarrhea.
• Ileostomy patients should call if the daily output appears to be more than 32 oz. or ostomy appliance is emptied more than 6 times per day.
• If incision appears red, hot to touch, or having large amounts of bleeding or drainage.
• Please do not hesitate to call the office with any questions or concerns at any time. If you call after our regular hours, our answering service will page the doctor or nurse, who will promptly return your call.

Post-Operative Check: Your surgeon will want to see you for a follow-up appointment. If you have not already arranged an appointment with our office, please call to do so. In the meantime, if you have any questions or problems, do not hesitate to contact USA at (423) 267-0466.