Anne Arundel Urology

Suburethral Sling

Diet

You may return to your normal diet immediately. To keep your urine flowing freely and to avoid constipation, drink plenty of fluids during the day (8-10 glasses). Take a stool softener as needed to ensure a bowel movement at least every other day.

Activity

Your physical activity is to be restricted, especially during the first two weeks. During this time use the following guidelines:

  1. No heavy lifting or straining (anything greater than 10 lbs.) for 4 weeks.
  2. No driving a car and limit long car rides for the first several days.
  3. No strenuous exercise. Walking up and down stairs is OK.
  4. No sexual intercourse or anything per vagina until authorized by one of your doctors (usually at least 6 weeks).
  5. No severe straining during bowel movements - take a laxative if necessary.
  6. You may resume driving after 1 week AND you are no longer using narcotic pain medication.

***ANYTHING THAT CAUSES ABDOMINAL STRAINING MUST BE AVOIDED***

Wound

You may notice light vaginal bleeding or discharge for a few weeks for which you may wear a pad. In most cases, your skin incision(s) will have absorbable sutures which will dissolve within the first 10-20 days. You may have small white bandages which will fall-off on their own or be removed in the office. Expect some redness as the sutures dissolve, but this should occur only around the sutures. If there is generalized redness, especially with increasing pain or swelling, please contact our office.

Postoperative Instructions

It is important to keep your bladder empty in the immediate postoperative period. Please try to urinate every 3 hours while awake for the first 2 weeks.

Problems You Should Report To Us

Follow-Up

If you are sent home with a catheter, please follow up in the office the following business day at 9 am for catheter removal. Otherwise, please call to schedule a follow-up appointment with a nurse practitioner in 7-10 days for a wound check.

Office phone 8 AM to 4 PM Weekdays – (410) 266-8049
After 4 pm, Weekends and Holidays – (443) 481-3003