Tips for Healing Well
The information in this section is made available through the generous support of Dr. Grant Stevens.
What Should I Avoid After My Surgery?
We are asked many times what people should avoid after surgery. In our experience we have found that those who take the following advice and avoid the things in this list have fewer healing difficulties. These suggestions are the results of nearly 15 years of pre- and post-op breast surgery support here at BreastHealthOnline.
* ALCOHOL: Do not drink alcohol (any amount) for at least three weeks following surgery. You can experience horrendous unstoppable itching at allergic reaction levels and it does affect your healing. We receive many reports of this. You can even have the reaction up to about 3 months, later in some cases from just one drink.
* DEHYDRATION: Do not allow yourself to get dehydrated. Drink plenty of water (64-96 ounces) per day for three weeks pre op and continuing indefinitely post op. You can over-hydrate and cause electrolye imbalance so stay within 64-96 ounces per day.
* OVERDOING: Getting plenty of rest within the first 4 weeks after your surgery is essential. While we realize that you cannot stop your life because of this surgery, you need to do everything in your power to eliminate unneeded activity, particularly if you must return to work within the first two weeks. We have found over and over again that those who jump back into their "regularly scheduled life" too soon do have healing complications that would not have occurred if they had rested and allowed their bodies to devote the time and energy to its own healing.
* POOR NUTRITION: Robbing your body of nutrients is not going to heal you. If your diet isn't all that it could be, begin eating a healthy diet starting when you first find out you are going to have surgery and continuing indefinitely after your surgery.
For a good idea of what foods to eat both before and after your surgery, please refer to our Healing Diet section.
We welcome you to become a member for more indepth information and about a sound recovery plan for your surgery, and we're happy to offer personal help for any surgery you may be facing on our general surgery board.
