You are here: Home Managing Your ... Surgery 101 Questions To Ask After ...
Information For Living With: Choose condition »
Information about all aspects of finances affected by a serious health condition. Includes income sources such as work, investments, and private and government disability programs, and expenses such as medical bills, and how to deal with financial problems.
Information about all aspects of health care from choosing a doctor and treatment, staying safe in a hospital, to end of life care. Includes how to obtain, choose and maximize health insurance policies.
Answers to your practical questions such as how to travel safely despite your health condition, how to avoid getting infected by a pet, and what to say or not say to an insurance company.

Surgery 101

Questions To Ask After Surgery

Next » « Previous

6/7

After surgery, it is advisable to at least ask the surgeon the following questions: (Feel free to print these questions):

  • Was there anything unexpected that happened during surgery? If so, what?  Will it complicate recovery? 
  • If there are stitches or staples, when will they come out?
  • What will I need at home to have a smooth recovery? If I need special equipment, who do I talk to about arranging it?
  • What should I do about the incision?  For how long? For instance:
    • Should I change the dressings? If so, when? Are there special instructions to follow when changing a dressing?
    • Are there dressings I shouldn't touch? There are some dressing that doctors want to fall off on their own.
    • Are there exercises you want me to do? If so, what exercise? Is there a specific way you want me to do the exercise? How often? How long each time?
  • What activities should I not do - and for how long? For example, walking up and down steps, lifting weights, going back to work part time/full time.
  • When can I resume having sex?
  • If I have questions outside normal business hours, what number should I call?
  • When should I schedule a follow-up visit? 
NOTE: If you want to know what happened during the operation, you can ask the doctor or the hospital for a copy of the report about the operation. The report
describes what the doctor did and what he or she found during the surgery. The report can be e-mailed, faxed or mailed to you. (You are legally entitled to a copy of the report just as you are entitled to a copy of all your medical records. For information about your medical records, click here.)

Please share how this information is useful to you. 0 Comments

 

Post a Comment Have something to add to this topic? Contact Us.

Characters remaining:

  • Allowed markup: <a> <i> <b> <em> <u> <s> <strong> <code> <pre> <p>
    All other tags will be stripped.