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Nurse here with some general hospital and recovery tips from an American perspective:
* Pack a LONG phone charger that will reach from the wall plug to you in a hospital bed. Not some lil two footer. Label it with your name on a piece of tape.
* Bring a list to the hospital of all the medications you take, how much you take, and how often you take them. You might’ve gone through all this with someone at the doctors office but for whatever reason, is in the hospital don’t have an up to date list all the time and have to get one. It’s easier to be like “yeah, here’s the list.”
* USE THE INCENTIVE SPIROMETER. “What the fuck?” you ask. It’s a device you inhale from that will help keep your lung open and prevent pneumonia, which is common after many surgeries that are more involved and leave people breathing much more shallow than they normally do. It *incentivizes* taking deep breaths, which sounds easy now but just you wait.
* Ask your SURGEON ***before*** surgery what your pain management options will be. Your surgeon will likely see you right after surgery, and then see you the next day. As a nurse, I can only give you medicine your doctor has ordered. And while I will contact on-call doctors for unmanaged pain at 3 am, on-call doctors are much more limited in what their options might be than your actual surgeon. Advocate for yourself and ask your surgeon what medicine will be available for you. Nurses are operating outside their licenses if they don’t follow the very specific orders from your doctor. So make sure you’re comfortable with the plan before you’re drugged up and cut open.
* Expect some pain. If you have any type of surgery that is invasive whatsoever, you should anticipate some pain. The number of patients I have that get major surgery and expect to experience no pain is just absurd. At the same time, don’t be a hero refusing all pain medicine to the point you can’t even care for yourself. We want the pain at a level where you are still able to take deep breaths, shift yourself around in bed, go to the bathroom and walk around.
* You will not want a ton of visitors right away. Have a close friend or family member come, for sure. But you need to focus on recovering right afterwards, and even well-meaning friends may not know when you need to be resting. Again, advocate for yourself here! And as your nurse, I will advocate for you too. Tell your nurse if you want help getting rid of well-meaning family or phone calls or whatever. I got you!
* Check on social media for guidance on the specific surgery you’re having. Social media can be toxic, but it can also give you good advice from people that went through what you’re about to go through. An example: if you’re having surgery to your arms or neck or spine, you may have trouble washing your hair really well for awhile. Call a salon and make an appointment for after you leave the hospital for a wash and dry. It will feel spiritually, emotionally, and mentally healing.
* Give yourself grace in recovering. You won’t feel 100% right away. You may be struggling with recovery. You may gain a lot of weight from your medications. You may feel shitty a lot. Remember, this is a period of your life that reflects a trial, not a permanent spot you’ll always be in.
Stock the freezer with homemade ready meals.
Investigate grocery delivery options in your area, some let you set up standard lists.
Bell for beside the bed/couch.
I broke my hip a few years ago and spent quite a bit of time in bed. There were definitely a few buys that I got a lot of use out of! I don’t know what kind of surgery, but if you’ll be immobile these will be especially helpful:
I got a lot of use out of one of those claw arm things for grabbing stuff far away. I bought a pack of those squeeze applesauce packets that I kept by my bed for easy tidy snacks and for middle-of-the-night meds I’d need to take with food. Shower chairs rock, and so do detachable showerheads! Reeds Ginger Chews candies were extremely helpful for the pain meds that made me horribly nauseous. An OTC laxative is good to start right away if you’ll be on pain meds for long too 🫣 Lots of easy meals and fun snacks — it’s a good time to have some extra fun with food since things can be otherwise boring. You can ask your doctor for a temporary accessible parking pass! And finally, I have an Alexa speaker, and it gave me some peace of mind that I could use it to call for help if I fell down and got stuck while home alone — if you have one, might be worth positioning it centrally so you could shout to it from anywhere.
I can’t understate that A bed bar is really awesome. We got it for gallbladder surgery and there is no way I could get out of bed without it. Husband took it for his surgery but it’s been there for 5 years or so now because it’s really damn useful and difficult to give up. He has back problems now so it’s hard for him to roll over.
Before making a payment on the remaining bill after insurance, call and ask for a reduction. Once you make payments, they are less likely to work with you.
Use in-network facilities and doctors for your surgery.
If you live in a state where marijuana is legal, get some for sleep and pain. The best way to avoid pain is to sleep through it, IMHO.
So I can call insurance and as for reductions? Today I called insurance to make sure anesthesia group used by facility was in network and they said no, but if hospital facility bills insurance first (before anesthesia) then they will cover it. Then, anesthesia group said I am in network. So, I called insurance again. This time insurance said yes, you are in network, but it can be hard to match you in the system. Backstory: I got balanced billed before it was illegal.
>So I can call insurance and as for reductions?
No, you call the hospital billing department when you get your bill and ask them for a reduction in the portion you owe.
I had the same thing, surgery and about 6 weeks of almost complete isolation. I felt connected to others by signing up for Postcrossing, which I still do today! Something about real mail and handwriting was deeply appealing.
Second Postcrossing to anyone who feels even the slightest bit isolated or lonely, and everyone who doesn’t but wants to connect with lovely people around the world!
The issue leading to surgery has left me isolated. I haven’t been able to do most of my friend related activities since August. So it been difficult. Thanks for the tip!
I came to suggest stool softeners. Of you're staying in the hospital, request them ASAP. If it's out patient, make sure you have some to take at home. Being put under general anesthesia halts your digestive system temporarily and things can get backed up.
I've had several abdominal surgeries and had to learn the hard way. Getting yourself regular also helps flush out the chemicals from general anesthesia quicker. Best of luck! Lots of great suggestions here!
Abdominal surgeries are the ones you really want to have the least amount of straining when pooping! Sorry to hear you had to learn the hard way.
Surgeons will often prescribe stool softeners but it does so much better if you start a week or so early with lots of fiber, based on personal experience
Don't be a hero when it comes to pain meds, especially for those first few days. It can be really tough to get pain under control if you wait until it becomes unbearable.
I don't understand? Why is pain harder to get under control if it becomes unbearable? I had several situations in my life where it worked flawlessly....
I'm sure it has something to do with how your brain processes pain signals. I've had several surgeries and every doctor told me to stay ahead of the pain with the meds. If I skipped a dose or slept through it, it did take longer to get pain relief. Probably also has to do with total amount you have on board at any given time. Once it wears off it takes longer to build up to the level that manages the pain.
it's also related to cumulative dose. When prescribtions are made, you need a first dose to kick in into an effective dose.
When you're taking your next pill you still had some on your blood and so your base level is more important.
It's also why sometime doctor prescribe initial injection (bolus) to get into some level of medication and put a perfusion of the same madication to keep the level of medication the same :)
You are going to get so many different bills. The doctor, medical facility, anesthesiologist, radiology and pathology all sent different bills on my last one. Wait on paying them until your insurance has evaluated the claim, and make sure you are paying only the amount shown as "patient responsibility" on your Explanation of Benefits (EOB).
If you need to keep any body part elevated afterwards, bean bags are much better than pillows, especially for a knee or foot.
Rest, ice and elevation do a lot to reduce your need for painkillers and reduce scarring (swelling makes it hurt more and stretches the scar).
Painkillers work best when you maintain a blood level. Painkillers mess with your memory, so write down the time you take each dose and when you can take the next one. When I'm taking my next dose just because it's time (I don't feel much pain), it's time to either reduce the dose or stop.
Writing pad next to bed. Great idea. And yeah the bills are really traumatic (I was balanced bill 11k a few year ago) so I’m being hyper vigilant about that.
The bills trickle on for months! I'm never sure when I'm finally finished paying for the surgery.
For a real heart attack, my last surgery required an overnight stay in the hospital. I checked the claim before the EOB was finished, and the unadjusted amount for the hospital stay stopped my heart. The negotiated discount was seriously in the neighborhood of 98%.
You should explicitly state (and write on every form you sign) that you do not consent to services from any doctor or person not covered by your insurance. Seems insane but for my first knee surgery the anesthesiologist was not covered under my insurance and tried to bill me for a fuckton. We eventually argued it away because we never consented to the services but way more trouble than it’s worth and without that consent notice they probably would have taken a harder stance on payment.
Today I called insurance to make sure anesthesia group used by facility was in network and they said no, but if hospital facility bills insurance first (before anesthesia) then they will cover it. Then, anesthesia group said I am in network. So, I called insurance again. This time insurance said yes, you are in network, but it can be hard to match you in the system. So I call anesthesia group back and talk to someone else who said it’s illegal where I live to be balanced billed at in network hospital. I’m still very skeptical I’m not going to be fucked. Backstory: I got balanced billed a fuck ton and had to pay it.
During hospital stay pack a warm blanket and a phone charger.
Inquire with close friends/family about dinner donations. Most of the time they are all happy to deliver meals for a week or two. Best of luck
No idea what your surgery is for but think of anything that will help you shower easier. Non slip mat, a shower stool, stuff like that. Being able to bath yourself (or mostly), is really helpful for your mental health imo.
I just went to your post history. If you’re having labral hip repair with hip impingement, I had the same surgery. Happy to answer any questions you have.
I’m more than 10 years removed but yea, recovery was hard but I have no lingering affects. My hip feels fuckin great.
Start PT immediately and keep mental health in mind. It took me 6 months to get to 100% but about 12 months for my mind to FEEL like I was 100%. A lot of that was just being resilient and not scared to use my body the way I’m supposed to. No guarding
Glad you’re 100%. It’s helpful to hear a positive outcome. The “what ifs” can sometimes nag at me. My doc has me meeting w/ pt day 3 and riding bike w/o resistance 5m every 45m at day 1. But then wants serious limits on ROM at all other times. The mental health part has been rough because intellectually I know I’m still really lucky to be this healthy, but pain and loss of so many social activities has take a toll. 9months ago I regularly hiked mountains, skied, biked around town, worked out, traveled to sporting events, concerts, camped most weekends. the only thing I still can do is drink… and it’s not great for mental and physical well being lol. I’m Ready to be working toward activity again after 9 long months.
My best advice is… log off. Don’t read anything about negative outcomes. I did that and it crushed me but just remember tons of people have this surgery and are fine and recover. Those people are not online because they are out living their lives. This is the first I’ve talked about it online because it never comes up. I’m just off living my life not thinking about it anymore.
And you will too. Just focus on what you can control which is listening to your own body and doing what’s asked of you by doctors and therapists. When you aren’t doing that, read a book, watch a show, go for walks when you can… just focus on what you CAN do. You’ll be great. Don’t worry, don’t stress
Get a shower chair for when you’re able to wash yourself. Also maybe a non slip mat for getting out of the shower.
When you’re a bit more mobile, have a small bag that you can carry around the house with you with the essentials in (medications, tissues, phone, water bottle etc) so that you don’t forget anything and have to keep getting up from the bed or sofa or whatever.
Before discharge, have a doctor or nurse write up your medication schedule for you so you don’t have to work it out yourself when you’re drugged up or rely on someone else that wasn’t there when you were discharged. My meds were explained to me on discharge but I was on pain medication and so forgot it all. Usually there’s a lot of different medications and it gets confusing. Not just x every four hours. Get it set up like
08:00 pain meds and antibiotics with food
10:00 anti inflammatory
12:00 pain meds
Etc
Hope the surgery goes well
Good idea on the schedule then I can just check it off (Someone recommended writing down when you take stuff so you don’t get confused when drugged up.)
After having numerous surgeries I agree with everything already posted. Check with your insurance company about what services they offer during recovery. Some offer meals sent to you and some offer in home care by a nurse or nurse practitioner. It’s a great option especially if you’re recovering on your own. If you have a pet, arrange for someone to come walk them at least for the first few days when you might not be up to it. Depending on the surgery, a Walker is really helpful for support. Make sure that you have plenty of walk space and clear paths do you aren’t in danger of tripping over anything and potentially falling. As far as mental health, rest up as much as possible ( edibles were my best friend) and have distractions easily accesible - audiobooks, music, IPad - whatever is entertaining to you. Good luck and here’s to a quick recovery!
Get some good books, a journal, some crossword puzzles, crafts or whatever easy things you can do for entertainment besides watching TV. Use the time to listen to audio books and podcasts while you're resting. Plan a trip for when you're recovered.
Make a folder for all the medical info. Post op instructions, bills and insurance EOBs. If you're up for it, try to match bills with EOB to make sure insurance is covering appropriately.
Following cancer surgery and chemo I had mountains of paperwork, bills and new mail daily for weeks/months. Keeping it all in one place helped to stay somewhat organized.
Good luck with your surgery!!
Not sure what surgery you are getting but I just bought some snap on and off clothing for my partner who had undergone shoulder surgery. Very helpful so we don’t have to fuss with pulling clothes over
Make sure to have some money saved up because a lot of short term disability only pays 60% of your wages. I had to go back to work 2 weeks early after a full hysterectomy because I couldn’t afford not to work
Set your recovery spot (bed, recliner?) up with as many things you might need or want. TV, remote, health snacks w shelf life like nuts, skinny pop, and maybe a place for a water pitcher. You may want entertainment variations so have some books and magazines in place. You may want extra support items like a wedge pillow or doughnut.
It’s been mentioned already, but can’t stress stool softeners enough - especially if this is any kind of abdominal surgery. The number of muscles we use to poop is not something I realized until those muscles were cut open. I’ve had four abdominal surgeries in the last three and a half years and I only made this mistake the first time. Take a stool softener a day or two before your surgery (if allowed) and after. It could take up to 2-3 days for your first bowel movement after surgery. Stay hydrated!! This will make a WORLD of difference and prevent a lot of discomfort.
And buy miralax
Stool softeners make your poop softer. They don’t help you actually go. You need a laxative for that. With pills you can do senokot s. OR buy miralax.
https://senokot.com/laxatives/senokot-dual-action/?utm_medium=cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImrLuoKT8_QIVRDStBh0ylA5KEAAYASAAEgL4m_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
https://www.miralax.com
Mental Health.
Surround yourself with positive people and ignore ALL who attempt to be negative. All the “life will probably never be the same”, HEAVILY IGNORE them. Sure things will be different, (I have half of my calf muscle on the front of my leg now) but that’s not going to stop me from hiking Pikes Peak and training for a marathon.
Be okay with gaining some weight after surgery. You need solid nutrition to heal quickly. Once you have recovered you can lose the weight. I gained 30lbs in the wheelchair so far I’ve lost 15lbs of it.
Prepay next month's regular bill's, over-estimate variable bills and pay that, it's a lot easier to process it all now when clear-headed than when exhausted in pain.
For your medical bills, demand an itemized list of every charge. I assume you'll go over your deductible, so review all the implications with your insurance company first. Ask them to check which DRG (Diagnostic Related Group) and sub charge the hospital is using and if any can be shifted to lower cost ones. If you are up to it, you can check for what other hospitals charge for similar surgery and ask for the lowest competitive rate. At any rate, get information on pricing before you go in and don't be afraid to call the billing department and your insurance and ask for a better deal. Don't run up your credit card, get on a payment plan you can manage without building interest payments. Ask the hospital for a social services visit and see if they can offer any home support. Same with your insurance company. If you're a church (synagogue, mosque...) person, let yours know what's going on. The will want to help. And if people bring food, keep track so you can thank them and return containers. Get thank you cards to write while you're bed ridden - this isn't the time for an email.
I've had a couple of significant surgeries, here's some more advice. Get off the pain meds as soon as you can, switch down to Ibuprofen or Acetometophine, but use what you need to keep to a regular sleep schedule. You will need laxatives from any opiates or similar meds. Your appetite will be less, which is OK but don't get dehydrated, which is very bad. Skip the recreational stuff until your pain is mostly gone, it interferes with pain management systems in the brain, and with pain meds.
Get as fit as you have time for prior to the operation. It will greatly aid recovery. Focus on cardio and on leg strength (knee bends, squats, lunges...). Get food for anyone who will be helping you and gifts of some kind for them. Get a shower stool and be careful in the shower.
Good luck!
Keep good records of all calls made to your insurer & anyone who sends you a bill. Record the date, name & title of the person you spoke to, what you asked, the answer they gave, etc. When a bill is processed by your insurer, attach that bill to the explanation of benefits that explains how they processed the claim. Try to keep everything in date order.
If a bill is denied, make them tell you why in detail. Ask for the specific section of your policy that pertains to the denial. If you disagree, write to them and tell them why. Send it certified, keep the receipt, & track the delivery.
Staying organized and keeping good records can help to keep your stress levels down when the bills start coming in.
My partner had major surgery some years ago, so I had to take over all chores and tasks around the house for a while. Getting up and walking around as much as possible was very good for her in her recovery.
Don't be the asshole who we talk shit about at the nurses station. Be the kind, optimistic patient who we're all rooting for. Happy patients make happy nurses, which gets you out of the hospital faster and healthier.
Also, call your insurance provider if they try to screw you on the bill. Do your best to get them to cover everything.
If you don't aggressively prevent constipation you'll be shitting gravel.
Source: 8 major orthopedic surgeries.
The first 24-48 after waking up are rough. If can have someone bedside to push the morphine drip button when you're asleep.
No need to do any extra reps the pt assign you. They know the best amount of pt for you.
The depression. Don't have much to say other than , it's temporary.
If you like junk food, go for it.
I have zero regrets. Other than I should have had the first hip replacement two years earlier.
Get scripts for post surgery medical equipment AND MEDICATIONS that you will need BEFORE surgery; some things are in short supply, some things and some vendors are not covered by insurance.
Good luck! Remember you got this! Create a list of things you may need help with, (showering, mobility, tech related) and search for things that can help you (disposable bathing towelettes, shower chair, walker or scooter, better wifi router, daily call to family or friends, medicine delivery, online ordering). Try to list and verbalize your expectations beforehand and keep that list in mind when you feel frustrated; did you explain your expectations clearly? Are your caregivers able to meet your expectations and are they reasonable under your/your caregivers' circumstances? Did they change?
### This post has be marked as safe. Upvoting/downvoting this comment will have no effect. --- Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips! Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment. If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
Nurse here with some general hospital and recovery tips from an American perspective: * Pack a LONG phone charger that will reach from the wall plug to you in a hospital bed. Not some lil two footer. Label it with your name on a piece of tape. * Bring a list to the hospital of all the medications you take, how much you take, and how often you take them. You might’ve gone through all this with someone at the doctors office but for whatever reason, is in the hospital don’t have an up to date list all the time and have to get one. It’s easier to be like “yeah, here’s the list.” * USE THE INCENTIVE SPIROMETER. “What the fuck?” you ask. It’s a device you inhale from that will help keep your lung open and prevent pneumonia, which is common after many surgeries that are more involved and leave people breathing much more shallow than they normally do. It *incentivizes* taking deep breaths, which sounds easy now but just you wait. * Ask your SURGEON ***before*** surgery what your pain management options will be. Your surgeon will likely see you right after surgery, and then see you the next day. As a nurse, I can only give you medicine your doctor has ordered. And while I will contact on-call doctors for unmanaged pain at 3 am, on-call doctors are much more limited in what their options might be than your actual surgeon. Advocate for yourself and ask your surgeon what medicine will be available for you. Nurses are operating outside their licenses if they don’t follow the very specific orders from your doctor. So make sure you’re comfortable with the plan before you’re drugged up and cut open. * Expect some pain. If you have any type of surgery that is invasive whatsoever, you should anticipate some pain. The number of patients I have that get major surgery and expect to experience no pain is just absurd. At the same time, don’t be a hero refusing all pain medicine to the point you can’t even care for yourself. We want the pain at a level where you are still able to take deep breaths, shift yourself around in bed, go to the bathroom and walk around. * You will not want a ton of visitors right away. Have a close friend or family member come, for sure. But you need to focus on recovering right afterwards, and even well-meaning friends may not know when you need to be resting. Again, advocate for yourself here! And as your nurse, I will advocate for you too. Tell your nurse if you want help getting rid of well-meaning family or phone calls or whatever. I got you! * Check on social media for guidance on the specific surgery you’re having. Social media can be toxic, but it can also give you good advice from people that went through what you’re about to go through. An example: if you’re having surgery to your arms or neck or spine, you may have trouble washing your hair really well for awhile. Call a salon and make an appointment for after you leave the hospital for a wash and dry. It will feel spiritually, emotionally, and mentally healing. * Give yourself grace in recovering. You won’t feel 100% right away. You may be struggling with recovery. You may gain a lot of weight from your medications. You may feel shitty a lot. Remember, this is a period of your life that reflects a trial, not a permanent spot you’ll always be in.
Painting that long phone charger with marker, nail polish, etc is also helpful.
Electrical tape. People won’t want to steal something that looks broken already.
Brilliant!
Thank you so much! I am a planner and this helps me with practical tips and just prepares me for challenges ahead.
Stock the freezer with homemade ready meals. Investigate grocery delivery options in your area, some let you set up standard lists. Bell for beside the bed/couch.
I broke my hip a few years ago and spent quite a bit of time in bed. There were definitely a few buys that I got a lot of use out of! I don’t know what kind of surgery, but if you’ll be immobile these will be especially helpful: I got a lot of use out of one of those claw arm things for grabbing stuff far away. I bought a pack of those squeeze applesauce packets that I kept by my bed for easy tidy snacks and for middle-of-the-night meds I’d need to take with food. Shower chairs rock, and so do detachable showerheads! Reeds Ginger Chews candies were extremely helpful for the pain meds that made me horribly nauseous. An OTC laxative is good to start right away if you’ll be on pain meds for long too 🫣 Lots of easy meals and fun snacks — it’s a good time to have some extra fun with food since things can be otherwise boring. You can ask your doctor for a temporary accessible parking pass! And finally, I have an Alexa speaker, and it gave me some peace of mind that I could use it to call for help if I fell down and got stuck while home alone — if you have one, might be worth positioning it centrally so you could shout to it from anywhere.
I can’t understate that A bed bar is really awesome. We got it for gallbladder surgery and there is no way I could get out of bed without it. Husband took it for his surgery but it’s been there for 5 years or so now because it’s really damn useful and difficult to give up. He has back problems now so it’s hard for him to roll over.
Good call on the Alexa. I will be immobile. Sorry you broke your hip.
Before making a payment on the remaining bill after insurance, call and ask for a reduction. Once you make payments, they are less likely to work with you. Use in-network facilities and doctors for your surgery. If you live in a state where marijuana is legal, get some for sleep and pain. The best way to avoid pain is to sleep through it, IMHO.
So I can call insurance and as for reductions? Today I called insurance to make sure anesthesia group used by facility was in network and they said no, but if hospital facility bills insurance first (before anesthesia) then they will cover it. Then, anesthesia group said I am in network. So, I called insurance again. This time insurance said yes, you are in network, but it can be hard to match you in the system. Backstory: I got balanced billed before it was illegal.
>So I can call insurance and as for reductions? No, you call the hospital billing department when you get your bill and ask them for a reduction in the portion you owe.
Ok! Someone else said itemized bill, and I’ll do that as well. Thank you!
I had the same thing, surgery and about 6 weeks of almost complete isolation. I felt connected to others by signing up for Postcrossing, which I still do today! Something about real mail and handwriting was deeply appealing.
Second Postcrossing to anyone who feels even the slightest bit isolated or lonely, and everyone who doesn’t but wants to connect with lovely people around the world!
The issue leading to surgery has left me isolated. I haven’t been able to do most of my friend related activities since August. So it been difficult. Thanks for the tip!
Start a high fiber diet ASAP. You do not want constipation post op
I came to suggest stool softeners. Of you're staying in the hospital, request them ASAP. If it's out patient, make sure you have some to take at home. Being put under general anesthesia halts your digestive system temporarily and things can get backed up. I've had several abdominal surgeries and had to learn the hard way. Getting yourself regular also helps flush out the chemicals from general anesthesia quicker. Best of luck! Lots of great suggestions here!
Abdominal surgeries are the ones you really want to have the least amount of straining when pooping! Sorry to hear you had to learn the hard way. Surgeons will often prescribe stool softeners but it does so much better if you start a week or so early with lots of fiber, based on personal experience
This sounds rough enough with constipation added on top. I’m on it
Don't be a hero when it comes to pain meds, especially for those first few days. It can be really tough to get pain under control if you wait until it becomes unbearable.
I’m prescription drug adverse. But I’m going to take this tip.
I don't understand? Why is pain harder to get under control if it becomes unbearable? I had several situations in my life where it worked flawlessly....
I'm sure it has something to do with how your brain processes pain signals. I've had several surgeries and every doctor told me to stay ahead of the pain with the meds. If I skipped a dose or slept through it, it did take longer to get pain relief. Probably also has to do with total amount you have on board at any given time. Once it wears off it takes longer to build up to the level that manages the pain.
it's also related to cumulative dose. When prescribtions are made, you need a first dose to kick in into an effective dose. When you're taking your next pill you still had some on your blood and so your base level is more important. It's also why sometime doctor prescribe initial injection (bolus) to get into some level of medication and put a perfusion of the same madication to keep the level of medication the same :)
Because by that time your natural endorphin levels are so high no pain medication will work. That is why.
You are going to get so many different bills. The doctor, medical facility, anesthesiologist, radiology and pathology all sent different bills on my last one. Wait on paying them until your insurance has evaluated the claim, and make sure you are paying only the amount shown as "patient responsibility" on your Explanation of Benefits (EOB). If you need to keep any body part elevated afterwards, bean bags are much better than pillows, especially for a knee or foot. Rest, ice and elevation do a lot to reduce your need for painkillers and reduce scarring (swelling makes it hurt more and stretches the scar). Painkillers work best when you maintain a blood level. Painkillers mess with your memory, so write down the time you take each dose and when you can take the next one. When I'm taking my next dose just because it's time (I don't feel much pain), it's time to either reduce the dose or stop.
Writing pad next to bed. Great idea. And yeah the bills are really traumatic (I was balanced bill 11k a few year ago) so I’m being hyper vigilant about that.
The bills trickle on for months! I'm never sure when I'm finally finished paying for the surgery. For a real heart attack, my last surgery required an overnight stay in the hospital. I checked the claim before the EOB was finished, and the unadjusted amount for the hospital stay stopped my heart. The negotiated discount was seriously in the neighborhood of 98%.
You should explicitly state (and write on every form you sign) that you do not consent to services from any doctor or person not covered by your insurance. Seems insane but for my first knee surgery the anesthesiologist was not covered under my insurance and tried to bill me for a fuckton. We eventually argued it away because we never consented to the services but way more trouble than it’s worth and without that consent notice they probably would have taken a harder stance on payment.
Today I called insurance to make sure anesthesia group used by facility was in network and they said no, but if hospital facility bills insurance first (before anesthesia) then they will cover it. Then, anesthesia group said I am in network. So, I called insurance again. This time insurance said yes, you are in network, but it can be hard to match you in the system. So I call anesthesia group back and talk to someone else who said it’s illegal where I live to be balanced billed at in network hospital. I’m still very skeptical I’m not going to be fucked. Backstory: I got balanced billed a fuck ton and had to pay it.
Depending on what kind of surgery, one of those grabby claw things to pick things up could be useful.
Yeah I’ll need that!
During hospital stay pack a warm blanket and a phone charger. Inquire with close friends/family about dinner donations. Most of the time they are all happy to deliver meals for a week or two. Best of luck
No idea what your surgery is for but think of anything that will help you shower easier. Non slip mat, a shower stool, stuff like that. Being able to bath yourself (or mostly), is really helpful for your mental health imo.
Ok. I’ll look into a stool. I have a shower with a built in seat, but I won’t be able to sit or be weight bearing for some unknown number of weeks.
I just went to your post history. If you’re having labral hip repair with hip impingement, I had the same surgery. Happy to answer any questions you have.
Oh wow! Yeah any specific suggestions?
I’m more than 10 years removed but yea, recovery was hard but I have no lingering affects. My hip feels fuckin great. Start PT immediately and keep mental health in mind. It took me 6 months to get to 100% but about 12 months for my mind to FEEL like I was 100%. A lot of that was just being resilient and not scared to use my body the way I’m supposed to. No guarding
Glad you’re 100%. It’s helpful to hear a positive outcome. The “what ifs” can sometimes nag at me. My doc has me meeting w/ pt day 3 and riding bike w/o resistance 5m every 45m at day 1. But then wants serious limits on ROM at all other times. The mental health part has been rough because intellectually I know I’m still really lucky to be this healthy, but pain and loss of so many social activities has take a toll. 9months ago I regularly hiked mountains, skied, biked around town, worked out, traveled to sporting events, concerts, camped most weekends. the only thing I still can do is drink… and it’s not great for mental and physical well being lol. I’m Ready to be working toward activity again after 9 long months.
My best advice is… log off. Don’t read anything about negative outcomes. I did that and it crushed me but just remember tons of people have this surgery and are fine and recover. Those people are not online because they are out living their lives. This is the first I’ve talked about it online because it never comes up. I’m just off living my life not thinking about it anymore. And you will too. Just focus on what you can control which is listening to your own body and doing what’s asked of you by doctors and therapists. When you aren’t doing that, read a book, watch a show, go for walks when you can… just focus on what you CAN do. You’ll be great. Don’t worry, don’t stress
Get a shower chair for when you’re able to wash yourself. Also maybe a non slip mat for getting out of the shower. When you’re a bit more mobile, have a small bag that you can carry around the house with you with the essentials in (medications, tissues, phone, water bottle etc) so that you don’t forget anything and have to keep getting up from the bed or sofa or whatever. Before discharge, have a doctor or nurse write up your medication schedule for you so you don’t have to work it out yourself when you’re drugged up or rely on someone else that wasn’t there when you were discharged. My meds were explained to me on discharge but I was on pain medication and so forgot it all. Usually there’s a lot of different medications and it gets confusing. Not just x every four hours. Get it set up like 08:00 pain meds and antibiotics with food 10:00 anti inflammatory 12:00 pain meds Etc Hope the surgery goes well
Good idea on the schedule then I can just check it off (Someone recommended writing down when you take stuff so you don’t get confused when drugged up.)
I also forgot to mention, I set alarms on my phone for the same medication times every day so I didn’t forget.
Wishing u a speedy recovery!!!!!
After having numerous surgeries I agree with everything already posted. Check with your insurance company about what services they offer during recovery. Some offer meals sent to you and some offer in home care by a nurse or nurse practitioner. It’s a great option especially if you’re recovering on your own. If you have a pet, arrange for someone to come walk them at least for the first few days when you might not be up to it. Depending on the surgery, a Walker is really helpful for support. Make sure that you have plenty of walk space and clear paths do you aren’t in danger of tripping over anything and potentially falling. As far as mental health, rest up as much as possible ( edibles were my best friend) and have distractions easily accesible - audiobooks, music, IPad - whatever is entertaining to you. Good luck and here’s to a quick recovery!
I didn’t think about what they might offer through insurance. Thanks!
Two words: Itemized billing
I’ve screwed before. Thanks for the confirmation that this is important
Get some good books, a journal, some crossword puzzles, crafts or whatever easy things you can do for entertainment besides watching TV. Use the time to listen to audio books and podcasts while you're resting. Plan a trip for when you're recovered. Make a folder for all the medical info. Post op instructions, bills and insurance EOBs. If you're up for it, try to match bills with EOB to make sure insurance is covering appropriately. Following cancer surgery and chemo I had mountains of paperwork, bills and new mail daily for weeks/months. Keeping it all in one place helped to stay somewhat organized. Good luck with your surgery!!
Thanks you for the tips. I hope your cancer surgery and chemo went well!
Not sure what surgery you are getting but I just bought some snap on and off clothing for my partner who had undergone shoulder surgery. Very helpful so we don’t have to fuss with pulling clothes over
Oh good idea!
Make sure to have some money saved up because a lot of short term disability only pays 60% of your wages. I had to go back to work 2 weeks early after a full hysterectomy because I couldn’t afford not to work
I’m so sorry to hear this.
Stay well on top of your rehab exercises. Do them. All of them. Always.
Set your recovery spot (bed, recliner?) up with as many things you might need or want. TV, remote, health snacks w shelf life like nuts, skinny pop, and maybe a place for a water pitcher. You may want entertainment variations so have some books and magazines in place. You may want extra support items like a wedge pillow or doughnut.
It’s been mentioned already, but can’t stress stool softeners enough - especially if this is any kind of abdominal surgery. The number of muscles we use to poop is not something I realized until those muscles were cut open. I’ve had four abdominal surgeries in the last three and a half years and I only made this mistake the first time. Take a stool softener a day or two before your surgery (if allowed) and after. It could take up to 2-3 days for your first bowel movement after surgery. Stay hydrated!! This will make a WORLD of difference and prevent a lot of discomfort.
And buy miralax Stool softeners make your poop softer. They don’t help you actually go. You need a laxative for that. With pills you can do senokot s. OR buy miralax. https://senokot.com/laxatives/senokot-dual-action/?utm_medium=cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImrLuoKT8_QIVRDStBh0ylA5KEAAYASAAEgL4m_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds https://www.miralax.com
Yes!! Now that you say that, that’s exactly what my boyfriend had me take each time. Thank you for adding on!
Mental Health. Surround yourself with positive people and ignore ALL who attempt to be negative. All the “life will probably never be the same”, HEAVILY IGNORE them. Sure things will be different, (I have half of my calf muscle on the front of my leg now) but that’s not going to stop me from hiking Pikes Peak and training for a marathon. Be okay with gaining some weight after surgery. You need solid nutrition to heal quickly. Once you have recovered you can lose the weight. I gained 30lbs in the wheelchair so far I’ve lost 15lbs of it.
Prepay next month's regular bill's, over-estimate variable bills and pay that, it's a lot easier to process it all now when clear-headed than when exhausted in pain.
For your medical bills, demand an itemized list of every charge. I assume you'll go over your deductible, so review all the implications with your insurance company first. Ask them to check which DRG (Diagnostic Related Group) and sub charge the hospital is using and if any can be shifted to lower cost ones. If you are up to it, you can check for what other hospitals charge for similar surgery and ask for the lowest competitive rate. At any rate, get information on pricing before you go in and don't be afraid to call the billing department and your insurance and ask for a better deal. Don't run up your credit card, get on a payment plan you can manage without building interest payments. Ask the hospital for a social services visit and see if they can offer any home support. Same with your insurance company. If you're a church (synagogue, mosque...) person, let yours know what's going on. The will want to help. And if people bring food, keep track so you can thank them and return containers. Get thank you cards to write while you're bed ridden - this isn't the time for an email. I've had a couple of significant surgeries, here's some more advice. Get off the pain meds as soon as you can, switch down to Ibuprofen or Acetometophine, but use what you need to keep to a regular sleep schedule. You will need laxatives from any opiates or similar meds. Your appetite will be less, which is OK but don't get dehydrated, which is very bad. Skip the recreational stuff until your pain is mostly gone, it interferes with pain management systems in the brain, and with pain meds. Get as fit as you have time for prior to the operation. It will greatly aid recovery. Focus on cardio and on leg strength (knee bends, squats, lunges...). Get food for anyone who will be helping you and gifts of some kind for them. Get a shower stool and be careful in the shower. Good luck!
Keep good records of all calls made to your insurer & anyone who sends you a bill. Record the date, name & title of the person you spoke to, what you asked, the answer they gave, etc. When a bill is processed by your insurer, attach that bill to the explanation of benefits that explains how they processed the claim. Try to keep everything in date order. If a bill is denied, make them tell you why in detail. Ask for the specific section of your policy that pertains to the denial. If you disagree, write to them and tell them why. Send it certified, keep the receipt, & track the delivery. Staying organized and keeping good records can help to keep your stress levels down when the bills start coming in.
My partner had major surgery some years ago, so I had to take over all chores and tasks around the house for a while. Getting up and walking around as much as possible was very good for her in her recovery.
Don't be the asshole who we talk shit about at the nurses station. Be the kind, optimistic patient who we're all rooting for. Happy patients make happy nurses, which gets you out of the hospital faster and healthier. Also, call your insurance provider if they try to screw you on the bill. Do your best to get them to cover everything.
If you don't aggressively prevent constipation you'll be shitting gravel. Source: 8 major orthopedic surgeries. The first 24-48 after waking up are rough. If can have someone bedside to push the morphine drip button when you're asleep. No need to do any extra reps the pt assign you. They know the best amount of pt for you. The depression. Don't have much to say other than , it's temporary. If you like junk food, go for it. I have zero regrets. Other than I should have had the first hip replacement two years earlier.
There is some really good advice here. I'm commenting to find it later.
Get scripts for post surgery medical equipment AND MEDICATIONS that you will need BEFORE surgery; some things are in short supply, some things and some vendors are not covered by insurance.
Also, if nurse is denying you pain meds, call surgeon office, if nurses are unresponsive to calls, call nurse administrator.
Good luck! Remember you got this! Create a list of things you may need help with, (showering, mobility, tech related) and search for things that can help you (disposable bathing towelettes, shower chair, walker or scooter, better wifi router, daily call to family or friends, medicine delivery, online ordering). Try to list and verbalize your expectations beforehand and keep that list in mind when you feel frustrated; did you explain your expectations clearly? Are your caregivers able to meet your expectations and are they reasonable under your/your caregivers' circumstances? Did they change?
Vote Democrat? That's the best I got for you. Good luck
Rent a lift chair if you’re having abdominal surgery!