Laparoscopic Total Colectomy & Ileoanal Pullthrough

Activities

You will be on bed rest after you return from the PACU. The next day (post-op day #1) your nurse will help to get you sitting up at the bedside. The following day (post-op day #2, the nurses will help to get you out of bed and into a chair to sit for a while. Post-op day #3, the nurses will help you start to walk. This may be a little scary with all the tubes you have in place. You may also be a little weak. Each day you will feel stronger and need less help getting out of bed and moving about.

You can shower within a few days after the operation as long as the clear dressing covering the incision is still on. If it has already been removed, you may not shower until 7 days after surgery. You should not submerge (sit) in a tub until post operative day 10.

When you are discharged home from the hospital, you may not do any strenuous activity or heavy lifting for the first several weeks.

No:

• contact sports
• bike riding
• roller bladding or skating
• skiing
• or any other activites that may require heavy lifting for 3-4 weeks.

You will probably not be attending school the first week you are home. You may want to think about returning to school the second week but maybe for only half-day sessions. Speak with your doctor about this before your are discharged home.