Going home after surgery

How long you need to stay in hospital depends on the type of operation you have had and how quickly you recover. You can find more specific information in the surgery pages for your cancer type.

You will need to give yourself time to get over the surgery. You may find that you tire easily and need to rest during the day at first. It can take several weeks to a few months to fully recover from a major operation.

If you have a dressing over your wound, your ward nurse may arrange for a district nurse to come to your home to change it. Or you may be able to go to the GP surgery. The nurse will also tell you if you need to have any stitches or clips taken out and whether you can have this done at the hospital or GP surgery.

Before you leave hospital the doctors and nurses will tell you what to expect. It may help to ask the following questions

• Does the wound dressing need to be changed and who will do it?
• Do I need to have stitches or clips taken out or do they dissolve?
• Can I have a bath or shower?
• Can I eat a normal diet?
• What medicines do I need to take?
• Do I need painkillers?
• How active can I be - for example can I lift, do housework, go to the gym?
• Are there any exercises I need to do?
• When can I start driving again?
• When can I go back to work?
• When can I have sex again?
• When do I need to come back for a check up?
• Who can I contact if I have a problem?