• Pain and soreness in your abdomen.

• A small amount of blood or clear fluid coming from your incision or incisions.

Medicines

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.

• If you were prescribed an antibiotic medicine, take it as told by your health care provider. Do not stop using the antibiotic even if you start to feel better.

• Ask your health care provider if the medicine prescribed to you:

  • Requires you to avoid driving or using machinery.

  • Can cause constipation. You may need to take these actions to prevent or treat constipation:

    • Drink enough fluid to keep your urine pale yellow.

    • Take over-the-counter or prescription medicines.

    • Eat foods that are high in fiber, such as beans, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

    • Limit foods that are high in fat and processed sugars, such as fried or sweet foods.

Incision and drainage tube care

• Follow instructions from your health care provider about how to take care of your incision or incisions. Make sure you:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after you change your bandage (dressing). If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.

  • Change your dressing as told by your health care provider.

  • Leave stitches (sutures), skin glue, or adhesive strips in place. These skin closures may need to be in place for 2 weeks or longer. If adhesive strip edges start to loosen and curl up, you may trim the loose edges. Do not remove adhesive strips completely unless your health care provider tells you to do that.

• Check your incision area every day for signs of infection. Check for:

  • More redness, swelling, or pain.

  • More fluid or blood.

  • Warmth.

  • Pus or a bad smell.

• Keep your incision area clean and dry.

• Do not take baths, swim, or use a hot tub until your health care provider approves. Ask your health care provider if you may take showers. You may only be allowed to take sponge baths.

• If you have a drainage tube, follow instructions from your health care provider about how to care for the tube and how to empty it.

  • Do not remove the tube yourself.

  • Write down how much fluid drains each day. Note any changes in how the fluid looks or smells.

Managing pain, stiffness, and swelling

• When lying down, keep your head and knees raised above the level of your heart. To do this, you may stack pillows under your head and your legs.

• If directed, put ice on the incision area. To do this:

  • Put ice in a plastic bag.

  • Place a towel between your skin and the bag.

  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.

  • Remove the ice if your skin turns bright red. This is very important. If you cannot feel pain, heat, or cold, you have a greater risk of damage to the area.

Abdominal binder or girdle

Activity

• Rest as told by your health care provider.

• It is important that you remain in a flexed position for 2 weeks. This is also called the semi-Fowler position. Your health care provider will show you how to do this. This position:

  • Helps avoid excessive straining on the incision.

  • Helps reduce the risk of a thick, raised scar (hypertrophic scar).

• Avoid sitting for a long time without moving. Get up to take short walks every 1–2 hours. This is important to improve blood flow and breathing. Ask for help if you feel weak or unsteady.

• Do not do intense physical activity until your health care provider says that you can.

• You may have to avoid lifting. Ask your health care provider how much you can safely lift.

• Return to your normal activities as told by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider what activities are safe for you.

General instructions

• If you were given a sedative during the procedure, it can affect you for several hours. Do not drive or operate machinery until your health care provider says that it is safe.

• Do not use any products that contain nicotine or tobacco. These products include cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and vaping devices, such as e-cigarettes. These can delay incision healing. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.

• Follow instructions from your health care provider about eating or drinking restrictions.

• Wear compression stockings as told by your health care provider. These stockings help to prevent blood clots and reduce swelling in your legs.

• Keep all follow-up visits. This is important.

• Do not wait to see if the symptoms will go away.

• Do not drive yourself to the hospital.