Patient FAQs After Surgery | UNC Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology

Q: What if I CAN’T MOVE MY BOWELS after surgery?

Begin stool softener (Colace or generic docusate sodium) as soon as you come home. Take a 100mg capsule three times daily. A high fiber diet will help speed the return of normal bowel function. You may supplement your dietary fiber with an over the counter fiber laxative (Benefiber, Metamucil, Citrucel, etc.); twice daily should be sufficient. If you go 3-4 days and still haven’t moved your bowels, take a mild laxative like Milk of Magnesia or Senokot. Repeat every 12 hours till you get results.

Q: I have DRAINAGE FROM MY INCISION. Is this normal?

Increasingly, we have been closing incisions with surgical glue so there are usually no sutures present. Incisions closed with the glue should not have drainage. These may be washed immediately with soap and water. If they appear to be opening, push the edges together and apply steri-strips or butterfly bandages (available without prescription) over the incision to hold the edges together.

Incisions that do have sutures and/or steri-strips can also be cleaned with soap and water in a shower immediately. If incision looks at all open or is oozing it is a good idea to apply 1⁄2 strength hydrogen peroxide (mixed half and half with tap water) followed by Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment twice daily. Any such oozing should improve quickly; if it does not, or if fever is present, call the office.

Q: I have SUTURES in my incisions. What should I do with them?

We generally use sutures that dissolve and come out in about 2 weeks. You should not need an appointment for stitch removal.

Q: I have STERI-STRIPS (narrow white paper bandage strips) on my incisions. What should I do with them?

These strips help to hold the edges of the wound together. After about 10 days, their job is done, and they may be removed by gently tugging from one end.

Q: I have a HEAVY PRESSURE sensation in my lower pelvis. It hurts to sit a long time and I feel as though all my pelvic organs are trying to fall out.

Many women experience a reactive muscle spasm in the muscles of the pelvic floor. These muscles attach at the pubic bone in the front and the tail bone in the back. The vagina and rectum are between them. When they go into spasm, women experience a downward pressure feeling that may increase when standing for prolonged periods, sitting on those muscles, or passing a bowel movement. The best recommendations are to consciously relax those muscles, ie “Let it fall out!” Apply a heating pad to the front and/or back, and take ibuprofen. This should improve after a few days of employing these measures.

Q: I feel like I NEED TO URINATE ALL THE TIME and when I do go, it burns and not very much comes out. What’s wrong?

You probably have a bladder infection. Drink a lot of water and avoid caffeine.

Q: I don’t have pain at the start of urination, but do have INTENSE PAIN AS I FINISH EMPTYING MY BLADDER. What’s wrong?

You are probably experiencing bladder spasms. While this may happen after any surgery, it is most common after a hysterectomy. This usually improves gradually during the first several weeks after surgery. As long as you don’t have frequency, urgency or burning, this is not a problem. However, if the discomfort is bothersome to you, you may try “AZO-standard” over the counter. If this does not offer enough relief, medications may be prescribed temporarily.

Q: I’m EXHAUSTED and just don’t feel well after my surgery. Is this normal?

To some extent, your fatigue is related to your general condition before your surgery and the difficulty of the surgery itself. After resting for a couple of days post-op, some muscle weakening is to be expected and you will need to rebuild your activity gradually. However, if you are short of breath going up stairs, feel generally ill (rather than just sore), or are running a fever over 100.5 degrees for more than 24 hours, please call the office. Each day, you should feel a little better. If this is not the case, please let us know.

Q: I’m having my first period after my laparoscopy and my FLOW is unusually heavy and my cramping is worse than usual. Is this normal?

During a laparoscopy, an instrument is placed inside the uterus which allows your surgeon to move the uterus about. This instrumentation and manipulation often increases the flow of the first menstrual period after surgery and may also make the cramping more severe. This does not predict how you will do in the future.

Q: I had a HYSTERECTOMY within the last month and am now experiencing VAGINAL BLEEDING Is this normal?

Light spotting is normal for up to six weeks while the suture line heals. Some women experience a gush of blood followed by spotting for several hours. This is usually due to a clot or small collection of blood forcing its way through the suture line at the top of the vagina. If you experience this gush, sit down, put your feet up and see if the bleeding lessens and stops. If it does, do not worry about this. If you have bleeding that requires pad changes more frequently than every 2 hours or less that persists, please come in to the Emergency Department.

Q: How can I make my incisions SCARLESS?

As a scar “matures” over the months after a surgery, it shortens and tends to become attached to the layers of tissue underneath. One of the best things we’ve found for incisions, both small incisions from laparoscopic surgery and larger incisions from open laparotomy surgery, is to have a person MASSAGE the scar once it has healed for about three weeks. Place your hand over the scar and apply gentle pressure while moving your hand in a circular motion. Do this for a few minutes each day, and keep doing it for the first few months after surgery. This may both make the scar feel more comfortable and keep it from developing an indentation or “puckered” look.