Going home
If you are going home on the day of your surgery you will need to be taken home by a responsible adult who must stay with you for the first night.
If you are going home the day after your surgery, please arrange for a responsible adult to pick you up from the hospital around 10.00am.
When the doctor says you can go home, you will be given:
- all the medicines your doctor prescribed or a script for these
- a discharge summary to give to your GP (local doctor)
- a follow-up appointment
- all your belongings you came with including any scans, x-rays and medicines.
Ask the health care team any questions you have about your health before you leave hospital. Make sure you understand:
- your pain medicines
- any changes to your regular medicines
- how to care for your wound dressing
- what activity you can and cannot do
- what you can eat
- how you can get help if you are living on your own
- your follow up appointment
- complications to look out for
- who to call if you have any concerns when you are at home.
If you have been given any type of anaesthetic or sedation you must not drive a car or operate complex machinery for 24 hours. You must arrange a responsible adult to collect you and take you home from hospital.
Be aware some pain medicines may also make you drowsy. Read this fact sheet on driving safely when taking medications.
Your surgical team will provide you with instructions and what to expect when you go home.
If you experience any bleeding, high temperature, vomiting, pain that is new, severe or is getting worse or unmanageable pain or other new concerns please contact your general practitioner (GP) or go to your nearest Emergency Department.