ACTIVITY After anesthesia, limit activity for 24 hours. Be sure a responsible person stays with you tonight. Ambulate several times a day to promote good circulation. You may climb stairs. Do not drive a car or operate hazardous machinery while taking narcotic pain medication. DIET Begin with liquids and light food. Progress to a normal diet if not nauseated. Drink plenty of liquids. (Medications may cause constipation.) Do not drink alcohol while taking narcotic pain medication or within 24 hours of anesthesia. DRESSING AND WOUND CARE You may shower. A small amount of bleeding is not unusual. Call the office for excessive bleeding or drainage. You may pass a piece of gauze with your first bowel movement. Replace the outer gauze dressing daily and after a BM (or more often if needed). Take daily Sitz baths. Sit in a lukewarm tub 2-3 times a day for 15 minutes. MEDICATIONS Resume regular medications which were taken before the operation. Do not restart blood-thinning medications unless instructed to do so. Take Tylenol or Advil for mild pain. Take prescription pain medications for more severe pain. Over-the-counter medications may be used for constipation or indigestion. Take over-the-counter stool softeners, such as docusate (Colace), and fiber therapy, such as Fibercon, Metamucil, or Benefiber. You may use an anal cream to relieve the discomfort if you wish. FOLLOW-UP CARE Call for excessive pain, fever > 102, prolonged nausea, difficulty breathing, wound drainage, or other questions. Call and schedule a return appointment to see your doctor in 7–10 days (782-8210, then 1) if this has not already been done. Call the nurses line for all medical questions during office hours (782-8210 x 234). After hours, call the physician on call for all urgent medical questions (782-8210). THE SURGEONS | EXPERTISE | CONTACT US | PATIENT INFO | POLICIES | HOW TO FIND US | FORMS | LINKS | HOME COPYRIGHT© 2006 RALEIGH SURGICAL GROUP, RALEIGH, NC