What to expect when you return home

When you get home, be guided by your doctor’s instructions, but these general suggestions may help. If you don’t have support from family, friends or neighbours, ask your nurse or a social worker at the hospital whether it is possible to get help at home while you recover.

Learn more about:

• Pain relief
• Wound care
• Drains and stomas
• Eating and drinking
• Self-care
• Daily activities
• Scar management

Pain relief

• Take pain medicine as prescribed by your health care team.
• Strong pain medicine is usually used for only a short time after surgery as it can make you feel confused, sick or constipated.
• If your pain isn’t controlled, becomes worse, or if the medicine causes side effects, talk to your surgeon, the nurse listed on your discharge paperwork, or your GP.
• If your pain is severe, consider going to the emergency department.
• See Pain and cancer and listen to our podcast episode on Managing Cancer Pain.

Wound care

• Follow any instructions you are given about how to care for the wound.
• If the wound is left open, clean it with mild soap and warm water and pat it dry. Avoid putting lotions or perfumes on the wound and the area around it.
• If you have dressings, you might need to keep them dry while you shower.
• Your doctor or nurse will remove any stitches or staples at a follow-up appointment.
• If adhesive strips have been used, they should fall off within a few weeks, or you will be told when to remove them. Removing the strips too soon might cause the wound to open.
• Any bruising around the surgical site will fade over a few weeks.
• Avoid touching the wound or picking at scabs.

Drains and stomas

• Some people go home with a temporary drain or tube near the surgical site to collect extra fluid leaving the body.
• Before you leave the hospital, nurses will show you how to look after the drains at home until they are ready to come out. You may need to record how much fluid collects in the bag attached to the drain.
• Some people go home with a stoma. A stomal therapy nurse will see you after the operation to teach you how to look after the stoma.

Eating and drinking

• Your health care team may instruct you to follow a special diet.
• Some people feel sick after surgery. When you feel like eating, try basic foods such as rice and toast before going back to your usual diet.
• Eat fibre and drink plenty of water to avoid constipation, and avoid alcohol, especially if you are taking pain medicine.
• To help your body recover from surgery, eat a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of foods.
• A dietitian can help with any eating issues.
• For more on this, see Nutrition and cancer.

Self-care

• Unless you’ve been told otherwise, you will be able to shower. Gently wash your body and pat yourself dry. Depending on the type of surgery you had, you may not be able to take a bath for a few weeks after surgery.
• Strong pain medicines and long periods in bed can make you constipated. Avoid straining when going to the toilet. Talk to your treatment team about taking laxatives if needed.
• Some people have trouble controlling their bowel or bladder after some types of surgery. Incontinence is usually temporary. For support, see a continence nurse or call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66.

Daily activities

• You may find that you tire easily and need to rest during the day. Get plenty of sleep and take breaks if you feel tired.
• Ask family or friends to assist you with household tasks, such as cooking and laundry.
• Check with your surgeon when you can start doing your regular activities and what to avoid – such as heavy lifting, swimming, driving or sexual intercourse.
• Try to do some gentle exercise. This can help reduce tiredness, build up strength, lift mood and speed up a return to usual activities. Follow your doctor’s advice about any restrictions.
• For more on this, see Exercise after a cancer diagnosis.

→ READ MORE: Rehabilitation

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