Rectal prolapse surgery is the best way to safely manage the symptoms of rectal prolapse, which can affect your day-to-day life. But if you’ve planned your surgery for this month — or you’re just now coming out of the procedure — you may be thinking about the difficulty of navigating the holiday months with your new routine.
Getting over rectal prolapse surgery takes time, and unfortunately, you may need to make changes to your holiday traditions. But it is possible to enjoy this time of the year with your loved ones and avoid any long-term issues post-surgery, too.
Boca Care Surgical Associates offers rectal prolapse surgery year-round for people who need help. Our provider, Avraham Belizon, MD, FACS, FASCRS, understands the desire to engage in certain holiday activities, and he and the rest of the team will do their best to help you navigate this delicate time while still allowing you to enjoy the season.
Hospital time post-surgery is minimal for this procedure, but recovery can be a bit long. Most patients need about four weeks to heal fully from their surgery. This means you’ll need to take your time and be patient with yourself and your body.
The big rules are to avoid straining in any way, meaning that you shouldn’t lift or push heavy objects but mostly that you shouldn’t strain to have a bowel movement. As such, your doctor will probably advise you to take stool softeners, drink lots of water, and eat a plain diet early on, switching to a high-fiber diet as you continue the recovery process.
It isn’t the easiest surgery to recover from by any means, but as long as you follow your surgeon's advice and get plenty of rest, you’ll come out of it feeling much better than before. Unfortunately, going through this process during the holidays can add an extra wrinkle to your recovery.
The holidays are a time of many wonderful things, but indulgence is often at the top of the list. Because of this, you might want to have a few drinks with friends or chow down on some sugary sweets. However, these behaviors don’t help you recover and can make the process much more difficult. As such, you’ll want to avoid them.
But telling yourself not to indulge around the holidays can be difficult. We understand. That’s why we're providing some tips for navigating this difficult time.
In addition, it can also be hard to avoid getting involved in the hustle and bustle of the season, but your most important job right now is to rest. To make this easier, try these tips:
If you’re waiting for treatment for this issue, it’s much better to undergo the procedure now. The sooner you do, the less intensive the treatment — and subsequent aftercare — will be.
Call us today at our Boca Raton, Florida office, or visit us online to book an appointment. We’re here to help.
