You can shower on POD 1, and you should replace the dressing only as needed, with gauze dressing or band-aids.

The first few days you will be feeling tired and you can expect to have pain. Make sure you have your prescription for pain medication before you leave the hospital. Everyone has a different tolerance for pain. You will generally need to take the pain medication more regularly for the first few days postoperatively. Walking is good for you and should be done each day to increase your strength and help your bowels return to regular function.

Insurance companies are no longer covering stays in rehabilitation facilities after joint replacement. We will ensure that you are fully weight bearing the night of surgery and are able to do stairs prior to discharge, then for 2-5 days following discharge a physical therapist will come to your home to work with you, and finally you will attend outpatient therapy for 2 to 4 weeks at a physical therapy close to your home.

I will give you specific exercises to do following surgery. I will not want you running or jumping until you are fully recovered.

The recovery phase begins soon after surgery. Most patients are sitting in a chair or standing with assistance the second day after surgery. Early mobilization reduces the risks of blood clots, pneumonia, and deconditioning. A physical therapist plays a critical role during the early postoperative period. They work closely with the patients and assist with the rehabilitation. By the third day, many patients are standing or walking under the supervision of the therapists and nurses.

Most of the procedures we do in our Sports Medicine Clinic allow for weight bearing when tolerated. However, ask your doctor before you leave the Hospital.

A hospital and/or home physical therapist will teach you how to transfer from (bed to chair) after surgery. Non-weight bearing - toe touch only on the affected side for transfers from bed to chair for 4 weeks after surgery. After 4 weeks, the physical therapist will teach you progressive weight bearing with crutches or a walker.

You will have a special occlusive dressing that will allow you to shower about two days after your operation.

Complications of prostatectomy include impotence and incontinence. However, your chances are still good that you will remain potent and that any incontinence will be temporary. After prostate removal, your ejaculations will be dry due to retrograde ejaculation. However, the experience of orgasm should remain unaffected and therefore enjoyable. Worrying too much about the ability to function sexually can create a psychological stumbling block that by itself can impair sexual functioning.

Yes, you will be able to return to all normal activities once the initial healing period is completed. At the end of 3 months, you should expect to be at about 80-90% of your normal energy level. You can still expect to feel more tired than usual and your level of stamina may not be completely normal. After six months, you should be back to normal. Some patients find the structured workout of a cardiac rehabilitation program to be helpful in recovering from surgery.

The stomach size is greatly reduced after surgery. The final size varies by the patient, but the average is about the size of a golf ball or large egg. This means meal sizes are very small.

your strength returns, you can go back to your regular activities. Most people can return to their previous line of work; however, communicate with your healthcare team about your daily routines, so they can assist you to returning to maximum health as early as possible. ostomy should not limit your participation in sports.

Sexual relationships and intimacy are important and fulfilling aspects of your life that should continue after ostomy surgery. Your attitude is a key factor in re-establishing sexual expression and intimacy. A period of adjustment after surgery is to be expected. Sexual function in women is usually not impaired, while sexual potency of men may sometimes be affected, usually only temporarily. Discuss any problems with your physician and/or ostomy nurse.

For the first few days following surgery, stairs will be difficult, but most patients can negotiate them.

Typically, patients who have had a posterior fusion performed are allowed to drink liquids the day after surgery. If this is well tolerated, the diet may be advanced to solid food. In procedures that involve anterior surgery through the abdomen, the digestive system may slow down. In this situation, the diet is advanced more cautiously to avoid nausea or bloating.

It is helpful if you can arrange for someone to be with you for at least the first week at home. If this is not possible, there are other options. We can contact social services or home care to provide visiting nurse service at home on a several-times-a-week basis.

Your ability to drive at night should be much enhanced once your cataract is removed. Patients with the AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL may notice a ring of light around headlights and other point-light sources. These are typically mild, rarely bothersome, and tend to diminish with time.

There are multiple issues that are common to all or nearly all refractive surgical procedures. Among these are factors involved in assessing the outcome of a refractive procedure. The ideal outcome of a refractive procedure would be one in which the patient can see very soon afterwards at least as well without glasses or contacts as he/she had previously been able to see with the best possible glasses or contacts and do so with no side effects.

Patients report a greater than 90% rate of orgasm, much of which depends upon good sexual health prior to surgery. (04Aug03)

In many cases the milk ducts leading to the nipple are cut during breast reduction surgery. However, some women find that they can breast-feed after surgery, at least partially. Most need to supplement their breast milk with formula.

Food tolerance is very individual. Some people eat almost everything they ate before surgery that is low in fat and sugar. However, they chew more carefully and eat smaller portions. Occasionally, patients find there are a few foods they do not tolerate well after surgery. This usually happens as they reintroduce solid foods into their eating program. Foods that can provide difficulty include red fibrous meat, doughy bread, rice and pasta.

You definitely have the potential to resume full sexual function. It may take some time before you know whether or not the surgery affected your sexual functioning, but don’t wait to meet with an experienced physician about these concerns. While some doctors may tell you to simply wait and see, other doctors experienced in sexual medicine might offer you options soon after surgery to help ‘prevent’ sexual problems from developing.

You MUST NOT get pregnant during the first 12-18 months after surgery. If you were to get pregnant during this period your fetus could suffer from abnormal development due to malnutrition. After 12-18 months it is perfectly safe to get pregnant. Weight loss surgery may make it easier to conceive after you lose the weight. Plus, with the improvement in preoperative health problems like diabetes and hypertension your chance of a healthy pregnancy is improved.

If you are under the age of 40 you should not have any problems seeing up close after surgery. Most people in their middle to late 40's naturally have trouble seeing up close and need to use store-bought readers or bifocals to read small print. The need for prescription reading correction will occur to most patients regardless if they have Laser Refractive Surgery. Patients over the age of 50 may also have more difficulty with arms length or intermediate range vision.

Food tolerance is highly individualized. Some people can eat almost everything they ate before surgery while others cannot. If you find a particular food difficult to digest, avoid it for a while, then try it again later. Over time, tolerance for these foods may increase.

Patients are generally out of bed and walking around about 1-3 hours after surgery. You'll be able to go home (or to your hotel) the same day (barring any complications), return to school/work in 2-3 days, and resume vigorous physical activity in 7-10 days.

It is recommended you sleep on your back with two pillows supporting your head until the sutures are removed. This helps minimize swelling.