7 Important Questions to Ask After Surgery

After a procedure, it’s important to have questions to ask your surgeon prepared. Although your surgeon should provide you with detailed information about your recovery after surgery, asking specific questions ensures that there’s no confusion. Before the day of your procedure, spend some time writing down questions to ask after surgery so you’re fully prepared. Here are seven essential questions to get you started.

Questions to Ask Your Surgeon:

1. What’s The Timeline For My Recovery?

In almost all procedures, your surgeon will let you know how long it takes to heal from the surgery, but you may want more in-depth information. For example, after a facelift procedure, it typically takes around two weeks to recover; however, your surgeon should inform you of any other limiting factors like that you shouldn’t perform any vigorous activities for at least four weeks after your procedure.

As you consider questions to ask your surgeon, make sure you think about details relevant to your life. Do you play sports? Does your job require physical effort? Your surgeon won’t know these types of details unless you tell them. Ask how long it will take before you can do specific activities such as driving, exercising, and returning to work. That way you don’t put yourself at risk of complications by over-exerting yourself too soon.

Depending on the surgery, you may also want to think about questions to ask your surgeon regarding how you can speed up the healing process. Will taking vitamins or following a certain diet plan help your body to recover quicker? Are there rehab exercises that can be performed safely without the assistance of a professional? Can IV vitamin therapy or hyperbaric therapy help? Knowing these essential facts beforehand can be the difference between a fast or long and arduous recovery!

2. Will I Need to Return For Follow-Up Appointments?

Once your procedure is complete, you may still need to return to your physician for checkups. You may also need to have your stitches removed if the surgeon didn’t use dissolvable sutures. If your surgeon says you will need to return for follow-up appointments, you can ask if it’s possible to receive private nursing care at home or at a recovery center instead of going back to the hospital.

When thinking about questions to ask a surgeon, make sure you find out if you’re going to be able to drive yourself to and from appointments. At Pearl Recovery Retreat, we offer transportation services so you can focus on healing while we handle everything. We also provide 24/7 nursing care who may be able to assist you so you don’t have to go back to the hospital.

3. Were There Any Complications?

Some questions to ask after surgery are tough to think about but critical to your short and long-term healing. If there were any complications, you should be able to trust your surgeon to inform you about them. At the same time, you should still have questions to ask your surgeon ready so you can be 100% sure of every last detail.

Even minor complications may require that you take certain steps to prevent them from getting worse. In addition to inquiring about complications that may have occurred during surgery, you should also ask about complications that could occur in the future. The faster you recognize an issue, the more effective your treatments will be.

4. Will There Be Side Effects?

It’s normal to experience some side effects after surgery. For instance, general anesthesia may make you feel sick when you wake up. You may also experience soreness and bruising around the incision site.

While coming up with questions to ask after surgery, spend some time researching the procedure to find out about common and uncommon complications. That way, when you wake up, you can ask the surgeon about specific feelings you have and whether or not they’re to be expected.

5. What Do I Need to Know About Post-Op Care and Medications?

Your surgeon should send you home or to a recovery center with detailed information on how to care for your wound and how to take any prescription medications properly. Be sure to pay close attention, take notes, and ask questions after your surgery if any of the details aren’t clear.

Important questions to ask your surgeon include how often you need to change the surgical site’s dressing, how much medication is safe to take, and how medications may interact with other medications, foods, or supplements.

6. Will I Need Rehabilitation?

After surgery, your body may be weak. Before returning to business as usual, you might need to visit a physical therapist. Physical therapy offers several benefits, including improving your range of motion and muscle strength. It can also help to alleviate pain and hasten the healing process.

When determining questions to ask after surgery, make sure you ask if you can perform rehabilitation exercises alone or if you’ll need to work with a professional. Some questions to ask your surgeon may not be answerable until the surgeon has evaluated your post-op care to determine the best course of action.

7. Will I Need a Nurse or Any Special Equipment While I Recover?

Finally, make sure you find out if you’re going to need any specialized equipment or nurses to aid you in your recovery. For example, during hip replacement recovery, you may need to have a cane or a walker to help with mobility. Or, if you have a major wound, you may need a nurse to monitor your healing and provide professional care to prevent infections.

Recover in Luxury at Pearl Wellness Retreat

As you write down the most essential questions to ask your surgeon, make sure you ask if you can stay at a recovery center while you heal instead of the hospital. Pearl Wellness & Recovery is a world-class recovery facility located in the gorgeous, 5-star Viceroy Beverly Hills hotel. Enjoy recovering in a serene, luxurious environment where you can indulge in our 5-star hotel amenities and be pampered by our experienced nurses.

In addition to 24/7 compassionate nursing care, we provide a wide range of recovery amenities such as personalized pre- and post-surgery juice diet as well as private transportation to and from any follow-up appointments. Book your stay in one of our wellness suites today so you’re covered when the surgery day comes.