WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER AN OPERATION

• You may wake up groggy after the anesthesia from surgery with 
• One or more I.V.s to provide fluids, medicines and nutrients
• Support hose to prevent clots forming in your legs during or after surgery
• A tube going through your nose and into your stomach to remove the fluids that your stomach and intestines produce
• An ostomy to control the bowel contents—but that will usually be discussed beforehand, if that's a possibility

Pain After Surgery

The pain is greater after regular surgery, but wither way, it can be controlled by medications. Often these are given so the patient can press a button and take an extra dose into their veins immediately. There is always a lock-out time so that someone can't give too much medicine. The medicines are reduced as soon as possible. Great effort is made to get patients off these medicines quickly, since no doctor or nurse wants anyone to be addicted to pain medicines, particularly opioids.     

Pain medicines and operating on the intestines can slow the time it takes for the intestines to wake up after the surgery and start working again. Liquids and then food can be started soon after surgery for many patients, but meals / eating / feedings can be delayed if the intestines are not yet working.

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