HERNIAREPAIR.docVIP

HERNIA REPAIR A FACT SHEET ABOUT YOUR OPERATION Before you leave the Hospital GP Letter You will have been handed a letter to give to your GP. Please arrange for someone to hand it to the GP, or post it in the surgery letter box, as soon as possible. Outpatient appointment It is not normally necessary for you to have an Outpatient appointment. Your GP will follow your progress. Medication You will be given some pain relieving tablets to take home. They have the best effect if you take them regularly according to the instructions on the bottle. When you get Home It is normal to experience some pain and bruising after your operation, but this should ease over the next few days. Gentlemen who have had inguinal hernia repairs may experience bruising and swelling of the scrotum. Wearing supportive underwear for the first few days may help to ease this. You will be tired for a few days after your operation, so take things easy for a while. Stitches You will be advised whether you have stitches which need to be removed, or stitches which will dissolve on their own. Dressings You will have a firm dressing applied to your wound to provide support. You may remove this after 2 days. You may have a shower the second post operative day, and can either apply another dressing which the ward staff will give you on your discharge or can leave it open to the air. The wound may bruise but should not weep, or smell very offensive. If you notice anything about the wound which you do not think appears quite right, please phone the ward where we will be happy to advise you. Lifting Do not do any heavy lifting for 6-8 weeks. Getting “up and about” You can get up and about as soon as you like. There is no reason why you cannot go outside if you feel well enough. Driving You should not drive for 10-14 days following your operation as you will be too sore to do an emergency stop. You may find that your insurance does not cover you to drive during this time. Returning to work We