Patient guide/Chapter
Discharge & Recovery
A safe return home after surgery
Discharge is not the end of care — it is the home phase of recovery. Use this checklist; if hospital instructions differ, follow the hospital plan.
When in doubt, call. Early contact keeps many problems small.
Ask before you leave
Confirm prescriptions, wound care, bathing, diet, lifting limits, follow-up date, and who to call in an emergency.
- Pain and stomach-protection medicines
- Wound / drain care
- Follow-up appointment
- Emergency contact pathway
First 48–72 hours
Rest, but do not stay in bed all day — short walks lower clot and lung risk. Take pain medicine as directed; report rising pain.
- Key note inside
Wound care
Wash your hands. Follow dressing instructions. Seek review for spreading redness, heat, foul drainage, or wound opening.
Eating and bowel habits
Unless restricted, take fluids regularly and advance fiber gradually. Constipation is common with pain medicines — ask for a plan. Bloody vomit or black stools need urgent care.
Work, sport, and driving
Driving, heavy sport, and return to work depend on the operation. After abdominal surgery, heavy lifting is usually limited for weeks.
Emotional recovery
Fatigue and mood swings are common. Ask family for help and tell the team if low mood persists.
This page is for education. It is not medical advice and does not replace a visit with your physician. Medical editor: Assoc. Prof. Cengiz Dibekoğlu, MD · Last medically reviewed: August 2026.