ACTIVITY After anesthesia, limit activity for 24 hours. Make 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. No lifting more than 20 pounds for one month. 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 If you have a plastic dressing, remove it in 3 days, but leave the steri-strips (small bandage strips) in place. If there is Dermabond (glue) on the wound, simply shower to keep it clean. Do not try to remove it. You may shower. A small amount of bleeding or bruising is not unusual. Call the office for excessive bleeding or drainage. For swelling, use ice pack every 2 hours for 15 minutes at a time for the first 48 hours. After inguinal (groin) surgery, use a jock strap or brief underwear for comfort. Some swelling and bruising of the penis and scrotum can occur and will go away. MEDICATIONS Resume regular medications which were taken before the operation. Do not restart blood-thinning medications unless instructed to do so. Take Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen) for mild pain. Take prescription pain medications for more severe pain. Over-the-counter medications may be used for constipation or indigestion. 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 press 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