Post-operative Care

On the day of your surgery, you can expect to feel sleepy; this may continue the following day if you are taking pain pills. There will be a feeling of tightness and discomfort throughout the implanted area, perhaps radiating into your lip, arm, back, or leg area, for which pain medication will be prescribed. Each day thereafter, you will notice an improvement, and should take less pain medication.

Please remember that no two sides ever heal the same after an operation and that this is normal. Major discrepancies, however, should be reported to your surgeon. Please follow the instructions below to minimize complications.

1. Keep ice bags applied to your surgical site on the day of your surgery and the following day, as this will help easy the discomfort.
2. Follow incision instructions as described above. Patients with intraoral incisions will have to stay on a liquid diet for the first five days. Patients with facial or gluteal implants may shower immediately, but all other patients should keep their surgical sites dry and dressings undisturbed until their first follow up appointment.
3. A small percentage of patients experience nausea after any operation. This may be due to your reaction to pain medication or antibiotics. Please let us know if this persists and we will ask you to stop taking some of these medications, and if necessary, change your prescriptions.
4. During your final pre-operative visit, you will be given prescriptions for pain medication and antibiotics. The antibiotic tablets are to be taken on a daily basis, beginning on the day following your surgery. To minimize the possibility of nausea, always take these antibiotics or the pain pills on a full stomach.
5. Do not do anything which increases your discomfort level. To avoid unnecessary swelling or bleeding, do not bend over, strain, exercise or do any other activities that could increase pressure in your surgical site during the first week. Patients with gluteal implants should avoid sitting on them for the first two weeks. It is very unusual for bleeding problems to develop after the first week. You will be encouraged to resume your normal activities after the first office visit. The best rule of thumb is to avoid any activity, which increases your discomfort, and to enjoy those that do not!
6. Sexual intercourse, and all other vigorous physical activity, may resume one week after surgery or anytime thereafter, as long as you are physically comfortable.
7. You may drive a car with caution wearing a seat belt beginning 24 hours after your last pain pill or sedative. Do not drive while taking any pain pills or sedatives!
8. Recovery rates vary from person to person, depending to a large degree on patient motivation. Most patients feel well enough to drive a car and perform deskwork between four and seven days after surgery. Aerobics instructors usually resume teaching fourteen to twenty one days after surgery, but everyone feels some discomfort related to the surgery for weeks or months to come. The best rule is to avoid activities that cause significant discomfort and to enjoy those that do not.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL THE OFFICE DURING BUSINESS HOURS (949-888-9700) OR AFTER HOURS, CALL YOUR SURGEON - DR BUNKIS CELL PHONE NUMBER IS (949) 500-8856, OR REGISTERED NURSE, TRACEY PRESCOTT’S NUMBER IS (949) 338-6072.

WITH AN EMERGENCY THAT REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION, CALL 911 BUT PLEASE HAVE YOUR FAMILY NOTIFY DR. BUNKIS OF ANY PROBLEMS YOU MAY HAVE!