para>This is a series of images showing how to care for your wound. They include washing your hands, having the doctor take out your stitches or staples, not removing the small pieces of tape over the wound, taking care of your dressing, and watching for signs of infection like pus or redness around the wound.View Original
This is a series of images showing how to care for your wound. They include washing your hands, having the doctor take out your stitches or staples, not removing the small pieces of tape over the wound, taking care of your dressing, and watching for signs of infection like pus or redness around the wound.
View Original
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what you need to do.
- You may have a catheter when you go home. If so, talk to your doctor about how to care for your catheter.
- Your urine may be bloody for up to 5 days.
- Drink 8 to 10 glasses of fluids each day. Drinking water will help flush out the blood from your urine.
- Passing urine may be painful after the catheter has been removed.
- Avoid straining to pass urine or to have a bowel movement.
- You may wash your vaginal area with mild soap and water. Do not pull anything you feel coming out of your vagina. You might pull out the packing.
- If you have your period after the procedure, use pads but not tampons. Vaginal spotting can last up to 6 weeks.
- Do not soak in a hot tub or go swimming.
- Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages
- When you may take a bath or shower
- If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work, driving, or sex
- Be sure to wash your hands before and after touching your wound or dressing.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep your visits.
- You may need to go to your doctor 's office to have your catheter taken out. Your doctor may also take out any packing that is in your vagina.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have the stitches or staples taken out. Your doctor will often want to take them out in 1 to 2 weeks.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain
- Prevent infection
Will physical activity be limited?
You may need to limit your activity for a while. Talk with your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Bladder spasm or not able to pass urine
- Injury to nearby organs
- Blood clots
- Problems with the sling, mesh, or tape used to hold up the bladder
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection such as a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, pain with passing urine, wound that will not heal.
- Signs of wound infection such as swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- Bloody urine that does not go away after a week
- You still have problems with urine leaking
- No urine for 6 hours
- Urine seems to be coming from another opening
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my procedure.
- I can tell you how to care for my catheter if I have one.
- I can tell you how much water I need to drink each day and why.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have bloody urine that does not go away after a week or more problems with urine leaking.
Where can I learn more?
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ‚
http://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Surgery-for-Stress-Urinary-Incontinence ‚
American Urological Association Foundation ‚
http://www.urologyhealth.org/urology/index.cfm?article=143 ‚
Last Reviewed Date
2015-06-29 ‚
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Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care provider 's advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved. ‚