Get plenty of rest. Don’t worry if you feel tired for the first couple of weeks after your surgery. Fatigue is common. Nap when you feel tired. 

Take medicines as advised by your healthcare provider.

Wash the skin around your cut (incision) daily with mild soap and water. It's OK to shower the day after your surgery unless your healthcare provider says not to.

If there is a gauze dressing on your incision, change it daily or as often as needed to keep it dry and clean.

Eat your normal diet. But don't eat rich, greasy, or spicy food for a few days. Many surgeons advise a low-fat diet for the first month after surgery. Don’t eat fried food during this time.

You can walk around the house, do office work, climb stairs, or ride in a car if you feel able to do so.

Ask someone to drive you to your appointments for the next week. Don’t drive until you have stopped taking pain medicine. Make sure you can step on the brake pedal with no delay. 

Don’t do any sports or hard physical activity for 4 weeks.

Don’t lift anything heavier than 10 pounds for 4 weeks.

Eat more fiber and drink plenty of fluids to prevent constipation. You may use a stool softener if you are constipated. Light activity, including walking, as advised by your healthcare provider may also help prevent constipation. Pain medicine can cause constipation. Talk with your provider if you need more help.

Don’t sit in a bathtub, swimming pool, or hot tub until your healthcare provider says it’s safe. Wait until the incision site is healed and any surgical tubes (drains) are removed.

Place a pillow firmly over your incision when you need to cough or sneeze to ease discomfort and protect your incision.

Don't smoke or let people smoke in your house or car. Smoking and secondhand smoke can delay wound healing and put you at risk for infections.

Extreme tiredness (fatigue)

Pain around the incision

Diarrhea or constipation

Loss of appetite

Yellowing of your skin or eyes (jaundice)

Chills

Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or as directed by your provider

Redness or swelling of the incision

Fluid leaking or a bad smell from the incision

Incision pain that gets worse

Dark or rust-colored urine

Stool that is light in color instead of brown

Upset stomach (nausea) and vomiting

Increasing belly pain

Rectal bleeding

Trouble breathing or shortness of breath

Persistent cough

Leg swelling