Day of your Appendectomy surgery:

• You will recover in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) after surgery. You will stay there until you are more awake.
• You can eat regular food after your surgery. We will start you on foods that are easy to digest.
• Most patients leave the same day of surgery. If you do stay overnight, discharge time is at 10 am.
• You will need a friend or family member to take you home. Please let your care team know before surgery if you will need help getting home.
• Before leaving the hospital, your nurse will give you an After Visit Summary (AVS). Please read the instructions in your AVS carefully. Take the AVS home with you.

Pain:

• Tylenol and ibuprofen are the most effective and safest medications to take while healing after surgery. Both are available over the counter (OTC). Instructions for how to best take these medications will be on your discharge paperwork
• We will prescribe a narcotic pain medication. You can take it if your pain after surgery is severe.

Constipation:

• It is common to have constipation after surgery. This is especially true while taking narcotic pain medication.
• You can take over the counter Dulcolax® or Miralax® to help relieve your symptoms.

Medications:

• When you return home, you may resume taking all your regular medications (including multivitamins and supplements). Do this unless your care team tells you otherwise.
• If you take a blood thinner, check with your care team first before you start taking it again.

Caring for your incisions (surgical cuts):

• If you have glue on your incisions (surgical cuts), leave it in place. It will come off on its own in 1-2 weeks.
• If you have paper strips over your incisions, leave them in place. They will come off on their own in about a week. If you have a clear plastic dressing over your incisions, you can remove it 2 days after surgery.
• Bruising is normal. Having pain, tenderness and muscle spasms near your incisions is also normal.
• You can use cold packs to relieve discomfort around the incisions. You can do this for the first few days after surgery.
• If you have muscle spasms or cramping, warm compresses will help more than cold packs.
• You can take a shower the day after your surgery.
• You cannot go into pools, lakes, oceans or bathe in a tub for 4 weeks after surgery.

Activity:

• We encourage you to walk while you heal from surgery.
• Avoid lifting anything heavier than 20 pounds for the first 4 weeks after surgery. This is to help avoid hernias and wound complications.
• You may start all activities again at 8 weeks after surgery. This includes doing abdominal exercises and heavy lifting.
• Do not drive, ride a bicycle, or do any similar activities that need you to react quickly while you are taking your narcotic pain medication. Narcotic pain medication can make you feel drowsy.

Diet:

• You will have no diet restrictions after your surgery.
• Focus on foods that are easy to digest, at first. Then, increase to your normal diet as tolerated.

Returning to work:

• Most people are able to go back to work 1-2 weeks after surgery.
• If you have a job that requires intense activity or heavy lifting, please talk with your care team about going back to work.
• If you need a work excuse letter or have disability paperwork, please contact our office at (212) 263-7302.

Follow up visit:

• Call (212) 263-7302 to schedule a follow up visit with your care team for 2-3 weeks after surgery.
• If your incisions are healing and you are feeling well, this appointment can be a telehealth visit.
• If you have any questions or concerns, please schedule an in-person visit.

Go to the emergency room if you have the following signs and symptoms:

• Fevers higher than 101°F or 38.5°C
• Severe abdominal pain
• Nausea or vomiting that does not go away
• Shortness of breath or chest pain