How to Manage My Pain

Managing your pain is important to us. Being completely pain free is not normally possible, but we want to keep your pain at a tolerable level. Tell your care team concerns you may have about your pain management plan.

Tell the surgeon and nurses when you feel pain.

• Describe it (use words like dull, aching, sharp, throbbing, burning, cramping or shooting).
• Rate it on 0 – 10 scale with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst.
• Locate it: Where is your pain and does it spread to any other area of your body?
• What makes your pain better or worse?
• How does you pain affect your daily activities?

Remember:

• You may not be pain free.
• Your care team will provide you with instructions on ways to manage pain with different medications and techniques. This is known as multimodal
  pain control techniques. Follow your surgeon’s specific instructions.
• Ask for and take your pain medications as soon as you feel pain.
• Take your pain medication regularly as ordered by your surgeon. Do not wait too long or skip a dose of pain medication the day of or after surgery.
• Remember, the longer you wait to take pain medicine, the longer it will take to get your pain under control.

Pain Management Tips

• Change your position frequently and position yourself for comfort.
• Apply ice to the surgical site after therapy and with pain or swelling.
• Try relaxation techniques including deep breathing, imagery and distraction. These techniques can reduce the stress and fatigue that accompany pain.

Going Home/Discharge

At discharge, you will be given written and verbal instructions on your plan of care for when you are at home. Make sure you understand all your
instructions, including any new medications for pain or nausea.

If you are discharged from the hospital on the same day as your surgery:

• You may feel sleepy, clumsy and have poor balance for many hours.
• You may vomit if you eat too soon after your surgery.
  • If you vomit, drink water, juice or soup when the nausea has stopped. Make sure you have little or no nausea before eating solid foods.
• You should spend the day resting quietly at home. Don’t drive or make important decisions for at least 24 hours.
• You should not drink alcohol, take sleeping pills or take medicines that cause drowsiness for at least 24 hours.
• If you smoke, do not smoke without someone being with you.

If you are feeling better, you may resume normal activities 24 hours after you were given anesthesia.

If you are admitted to the hospital after surgery, your care will continue there until discharge.

Home-going instructions will include:

• Your medications: what they are for and how to take them.
• Serious signs and symptoms to look for once you get home, what to do if you have them and who to call when you have concerns.
• Care related to your surgery.
• Need for additional therapy, home care, support or equipment at home.
• Follow-up appointments.

After You Are Home

Pay attention to any symptoms you are having. Watch for the following complications:

Blood clots

Sometimes, blood clots occur after surgery, especially if you have a major surgery of the pelvis, abdomen, hip or knee.

• If you have symptoms of a blood clot in your legs or arms, alert your doctor as soon as you can. Symptoms include:
  • Swelling of your legs or arms.
  • Pain or tenderness not caused by an injury.
  • Skin that is warm to the touch.
  • Redness or discoloration of the skin.
• If a blood clot is not treated, it can move or break off and travel to the lungs.
  • If you have shortness of breath, chest pain or chest pain with deep breaths, seek medical attention immediately.

Lung Infection/Pneumonia

• You may develop a cough, fever, shortness of breath or chest pain with this complication.

Surgical Site Infection

• Symptoms may include:
  • Pain around the area where you had surgery.
  • Drainage of cloudy fluid from your surgical wound.
  • Fever.