After surgery: Top Five signs its time to call the doctor
There are so many unusual and scary things going on in your body right after surgery; there is the drainage, and the swelling, the pain, and the generally feelings of unwellness. With all these things going on in your body it can be hard to know when bad is bad enough to seek the medical advice of your doctor.
1. Call your cosmetic surgeon immediately if at any time your temperature spikes above 101 ° F. This is a sign of infection, and is a serious concern during your recovery.
2. Call the doctor if you have unusual or concerning pain. This could be serious stabbing or throbbing pain that occurs in a place that you did not expect it (that was not involved in the surgery perhaps), pain that is new or different than that which you have been experiencing, or pain that cannot be controlled by the provided pain medication.
3. Watch for signs of shock. These include clammy skin, a rapid pulse, signs of high blood pressure like dizziness and faintness, irregular breathing and unnaturally dilated pupils. If signs of shock appear, call 911 immediately.
4. Call your doctor for any open wounds. If you have busted a stitch, he may want to see you and resuture the incision. If you have a wound reopen after it had closed it could be a sign of infection, or a more serious condition called necrosis. ( This is especially a concern in smokers, and individuals who have had a more invasive surgery like a Tummy Tuck).
5. Watch for abnormal or heavy bleeding. This definitely warrants a call to the doctor.
The five cases listed above are those which immediately require medical attention, in which there is no question whether or not to call. In other cases the answers aren’t so cut and dry. In the end, only you know how you feel, and it is always better to know! If anything is going on with your body that concerns you and you think should not be, you should not hesitate to call your doctor and ask questions that could both guarantee your safety, and allay your fears. After all, that is why you hired him, and what you are paying him for, to oversee your medical health as you work through the procedure he advised and it’s after effects.