After your operation for ovarian cancer

You usually wake up in intensive care (ICU) or a high dependency recovery unit. You usually move back to the ward within a day or so.

In the ICU you have one to one nursing care. And in the high dependency unit you have very close nursing care. Your surgeon and anaesthetist review you regularly and watch your progress closely.

These units are busy and often noisy places that some people find strange and disorienting. You'll feel drowsy because of the anaesthetic and painkillers.

It's common for people to have strange dreams or hallucinations during and after a stay in intensive care. These can seem very real and frightening. They usually get better with time but do talk to your hospital team if they continue.

Tubes and drains

When you wake up, you’ll have several tubes in you. This can be frightening, so it helps to know what they’re for.

You may have:

• a drip into your arm to give you fluids until you are eating and drinking again
• a tube (catheter) into your bladder to drain your urine
• wound drains to drain any blood or fluid
• a fine tube into your back that goes into your spinal fluid (epidural) to help relieve pain

You might also have an oxygen mask on.

Electronic pumps can control any medicines you have through your drip.

Your wound

Your wound is likely to run from your pubic hairline up to your belly button, or above it.

If you have wound drains, these stay in until they stop draining fluid. They can usually come out a few days after your operation.

To close your wound you might have stitches or clips. The stitches might be dissolvable and the surgeon might also use steristrips. Your nurse will check the dressing to see if the wound needs cleaning. Try to keep your dressings dry.

You may have stitches that gradually dissolve, so you don't need to have them taken out. Other types of stitches or clips stay in for at least 7 to 10 days. Your nurse may take them out before you go home. Or a nurse at your GP surgery or a district nurse can usually remove them. Your nurse will give you information before you go home about how to care for your wound.

Painkillers

It's normal to have pain for the first week or so. You have painkillers to help. 

Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as you feel pain. They need your help to find the right type and dose of painkiller for you. Painkillers work best when you take them regularly. 

Immediately after surgery you can have painkillers through either:

• a drip into your bloodstream that you control (PCA or patient controlled analgesia) 
• small thin tube put into your back and connected to a pump that gives you a constant dose of painkiller (epidural) 

You get painkillers to take home. Your nurse will talk to you about:

• how often to take them
• when to take them
• what side effects you may get 

Contact your doctor if you still have pain or if it gets worse.

Eating and drinking

Your nurse starts offering you sips of water within a few hours. Once you can cope with these, you can gradually drink more and then try eating a light diet.

Gradually, you get back to normal over the next few days. Your nurse might give you high protein, high calorie drinks to help maintain your nutrition. Your nurse takes your drip out once you are drinking plenty of fluids.

You may get a build up of wind and feel uncomfortable. Your nurse may give you peppermint water to help and encourage you to move around.

It will be longer before you can eat properly if your operation has involved your bowel. It can take a few days before your bowel (and colostomy, if you have one) starts working again. The stoma nurse will help you to manage your stoma if you have had a colostomy.

Getting up

Your nurses and physiotherapists will help you to move around as soon as possible, maybe even the day of your operation. You should have your painkillers before you have to get out of bed.

They will check you’re doing your breathing and leg exercises. This helps you recover and helps to stop chest infections and blood clots.

During the first few days after your operation you’ll start to feel better. The tubes, bottles, and bags will be taken away. Then it will be much easier to get around.

Going home

You usually go home up to 7 days after your operation.

After this type of abdominal surgery, you need to rest for about 6 weeks after you come out of hospital. Until this time, you will not be able to:

• vacuum

• do any heavy lifting

• drive

This is because all these activities put pressure on your abdominal muscles and skin. These need time to heal. It will take longer to get over your operation if you put too much strain on the area.

You will gradually be able to increase the amount you can do. How long this takes varies depending on the type of operation you had. Your surgeon will advise you about this.

If you live alone, or think you'll struggle to manage, tell the nurses at the pre assessment clinic or when you first go into hospital. This way they have time to plan any care you need at home after your operation.

Follow up appointments

You'll have follow up appointments to check your recovery and sort out any problems. They're also your opportunity to raise any concerns you have about your progress. 

You usually see your surgeon a couple of weeks after your operation. They'll examine you and check your wound is healing well.

They'll give you the results of your surgery and talk about any further treatment you might need.