Surgical Information

Bowel Preparation
Diagnostic Lap Post-Operative Instructions
Laparoscopic Tubal Sterilization Post-Operative Instructions
Hysterectomy Post-Operative Instructions

Bowel Preparation

Your bowel preparation should be completed prior to the day of your scheduled surgery.

Purchase a bottle of Magnesium Citrate (10 oz) from the pharmacy. This is over the counter and any flavor is okay. Ask the Pharmacist if you have questions.

If you are unable to find Magnesium Citrate, you can use:

1. Milk of Magnesia: take the max dose as directed on the bottle

2. Miralax: take the max dose as directed on the bottle

2 Days before surgery: Eat a normal breakfast and lunch. Eat a normal, but not heavy supper. On this day, make sure you have had a bowel movement. If not, use a suppository such as Dulcolax or take 1-2 doses of Milk of Magnesia to ensure you have had a bowel movement this day.

24 hours (or 1 day) before surgery: Consume only clear liquids. A clear liquid diet consists of the following:

Apple Juice
Cranberry juice or other clear juices
Tea
Clear broth (such as beef or chicken)
Jello
Gatorade or other sports drinks
Black coffee

You should begin one (10 oz) bottle of magnesium citrate no later than noon. This bottle should be completed in less than 2 hours. You can expect to begin having bowel movements after you begin the magnesium citrate, but it sometimes can take a few hours.

You should then take nothing by mouth after midnight unless instructed to take any of your medications with a small sip of water.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call our office at (337)480-5530 during normal business hours.

Diagnostic Lap Post-Operative Instructions

Expect to have some mild-moderate abdominal pain/bloating for the first 24-48 hours. Gas pain is very common. Shoulder pain is also common due to gas used to inflate the abdomen for surgery. This will typically resolve over 24-72 hours. Walking will help.

At first, it is better to prevent pain than to wait to treat it. I recommend taking something regularly for pain for the first 24-48 hours after surgery. This can include the pain medication prescription given to you at discharge home. It can also include Ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil/generic) in addition to your prescription pain medicine. Feel free to continue taking something intermittently for pain until your follow up appointment with me.

Beginning at least 24 hours after surgery, you may drive when you are done taking any narcotic/prescription pain medicine and you feel comfortable hitting the brakes.

Your incisions do not need any special care. In addition to dissolvable suture under the skin, they are covered with dermabond (skin glue) to protect them. Feel free to cover them with a bandage if they drain any.

You may also shower as usual. You may bathe if you are not experiencing any vaginal bleeding.
You may eat your regular diet.
You may take something to help with constipation if needed. Milk of magnesia, stool softeners, and suppositories are all ok.
You may walk, climb stair, and do things at waist level, but do not do any heavy duty lifting until instructed that it is safe to do so at your post op appointment.
Do not resume intercourse until instructed that it is safe to do so after your post op follow up with me.

Although unlikely, report the following symptoms to me, if they occur: Fever of 100.4 or greater, worsening nausea/vomiting with inability to keep down any liquids, worsening abdominal/pelvic pain unresponsive to pain medication. You can reach me or the on call MD at the above number in case of emergency.

Follow up with me about 1 week after surgery. Call my office to schedule if needed.

J. William Groves, JR., MD, FACOG
Obstetrics and Gynecology
1890 W. Gauthier Rd., Ste. 130
Lake Charles, LA 70605
Phone: (337) 480-5530

Laparoscopic Tubal Sterilization Post-Operative Instructions

Beginning at least 24 hours after surgery, you may drive when you are done taking any narcotic/prescription pain medicine and you feel comfortable hitting the brakes.

You may also shower as usual. You may bathe if you are not experiencing any vaginal bleeding.
You may eat your regular diet.
You may take something to help with constipation if needed. Milk of magnesia, stool softeners, and suppositories are all ok.
You do not have any specific lifting restrictions, but use common sense and don’t do a particular activity if it is uncomfortable. It is best to not do any heavy duty lifting until your follow up with me.
Do not resume intercourse until instructed that it is safe to do so after your post op follow up with me.

Although unlikely, report the following symptoms to me if they occur: Fever of 100.4 or greater, worsening nausea/vomiting with inability to keep down any liquids, worsening abdominal/pelvic pain unresponsive to pain medication. You can reach me or the on call MD at the above number in case of emergency.

Follow up with me about 1 week after surgery. Call my office to schedule if needed.

J. William Groves, JR., MD, FACOG
Obstetrics and Gynecology
1890 W. Gauthier Rd., Ste. 130
Lake Charles, LA 70605
Phone: (337) 480-5530

Hysterectomy Post-Operative Instructions

Pain:

It is better to prevent than treat pain. For the first 48 hours home after surgery, I recommend taking the prescription pain medication regularly every 4 hours while awake. You may take ½ of a pill if desired. Consider taking the full dose at bedtime. Also, I recommend taking Ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin/generic) 600mg (3 of the over-the-counter 200mg pills) 3-4 times daily during this time. Ibuprofen and the prescription pain medication may be taken together or alternated. After the first 48 hours home, continue the Ibuprofen 3times dialing for 2 more days and take the pain medication as needed until follow up.

Bowel function:

It is important to return to normal bowel function as soon as possible after surgery, but remember that this may take a few days. Remember that you started out with an empty bower after your pre-op bowel prep. Narcotic pain medicine as prescribed and used in surgery may tend to constipate. I recommend taking Surfak or Colace stool softener over the counter 2 times a day for 2 weeks regularly, then as needed after that. If you have not had a bowel movement 48-72 hours after surgery or if desired before that, take Milk of Magnesia over the counter 1-2 times a day. You may also use a Dulcolax suppository and/or Fleet’s Enema if no bowel movement within 24 hours of the Milk of Magnesia. If this is not successful, call the office during regular business hours.

Activity and Diet:

In general, take it easy until seen in my office in a week. You may ride in a car, climb stairs, and do things at waist level. Do not do any heavy duty straining or lifting. You may shower anytime. You may take a tub bath 2 weeks after surgery. No sexual intercourse until notified- this will be at least 6 weeks after surgery. You may drive when you are off narcotic/prescription pain medicine and when you are able to move and hit the brakes comfortably. For most people this is 1-2 weeks. Your regular diet is fine. You may have light to moderate vaginal bleeding for up to 6 weeks- this may be accompanied by discharge.

Wound care:

There is no special care needed for your incisions. You may shower normally. Dermabond (surgical glue) will cover the incisions and protect them. Feel free to cover them with a band aid if they drain any. A heating pad on a low setting may feel good and improve the healing.

Symptoms to be reported:

Fever of 100.4 or greater, increasing pain unresponsive to medication, heavy vaginal bleeding, inability to hold down food or liquids, inability to urinate or excessively painful urination.

I can be reached during the day at (337) 480-5530, and a physician can be reached 24 hours a day in case of emergency through this number.