You’re finally home after surgery. You have a stack of paperwork, a list of medications, and instructions about what you should and shouldn't do while recovering.
But when you start reading everything, you realize some of it doesn't make sense.
Maybe you're not sure when to take your next pain medication. Maybe the instructions say to resume activity, but you don't know what that means. Or maybe the nurse explained something before you left, and now you can't remember exactly what was said.
If you don't understand your discharge instructions after surgery, contact your surgical team for clarification rather than guessing. You can ask them to explain unfamiliar terms, confirm medication directions, and help you understand what you need to do at home.
Discharge instructions often contain a lot of information at a time when you may be tired, uncomfortable, or still feeling the effects of anesthesia or medication.
You might receive several pages covering:
Some instructions may be written for a broad group of patients rather than explaining exactly how each recommendation applies to your daily life.
For example, you might be told to "increase activity as tolerated" without knowing whether that includes climbing stairs, preparing meals, or walking around your neighborhood.
If you're trying to understand that particular instruction, read What Does Activity as Tolerated Mean After Surgery?
The important thing is to identify what you don't understand before making decisions based on an assumption.
Start by reviewing your paperwork and identifying the specific instruction that's confusing.
You don't need to understand every medical term before calling. It helps to be able to point to the sentence or section you have questions about.
For example:
Contact your surgeon's office using the number on your discharge paperwork. Explain that you recently had surgery and need clarification about your recovery instructions.
If the question affects something you need to do soon, such as taking a medication or caring for your incision, explain that when you call.
You can also ask whether the office can send updated written instructions through your patient portal or another secure communication method.
Your surgical team is usually the best starting point for questions about instructions specific to your operation.
Your discharge paperwork may include a phone number for the surgeon's office, a nurse line, or an after-hours contact.
Different questions may require different people:
Questions about recovery restrictions or incision care: Contact your surgeon's office or surgical team.
Questions about medication directions: Contact the prescribing clinician or surgical team. A pharmacist may also help explain how a prescription is written, but changes to your treatment plan should be confirmed with the appropriate prescriber.
Questions about appointments or follow-up care: Contact the office listed on your discharge paperwork.
Questions after office hours: Check your discharge instructions for an after-hours number or on-call service.
If you don't know how to reach someone outside normal business hours, see Who Do I Call After Surgery If My Surgeon's Office Is Closed?
If you're experiencing severe or potentially life-threatening symptoms, seek emergency care instead of waiting for an office callback.
Sometimes the instructions you remember hearing don't seem to match what appears on your paperwork.
For example, someone may have told you that you could shower soon after surgery, but your written instructions say to keep your dressing dry.
Or your discharge medication list may differ from the medications you were taking before surgery.
Don't assume one set of instructions is automatically correct.
There may be a procedure-specific reason for the difference, or your treatment plan may have changed.
Contact your surgical team and explain exactly what conflicts.
You might say:
"I was told one thing before I left, but my written instructions say something different. Can you confirm which directions I should follow?"
For additional guidance, see What If My Surgery Instructions Conflict? Which Instructions Should I Follow? (coming soon)
When the team clarifies the instructions, ask them to document the change so you have something reliable to reference later.
Medication questions deserve particular attention because a misunderstanding can affect your safety.
Your discharge paperwork may include new prescriptions, medications to stop temporarily, or changes to medicines you already take.
Before taking a medication you're uncertain about, clarify:
If you aren't sure whether two medications can be taken together, don't make that decision based on a guess.
Contact the prescribing clinician, surgical team, or pharmacist for appropriate guidance.
If you cannot reach the prescriber and a dose is due soon, explain the timing and ask for prompt assistance through the available clinical or pharmacy contact.
This is one of the areas where medical instructions can be hardest to translate into everyday life.
Your paperwork might say:
But what does that mean when you need to carry groceries, take care of children, do laundry, or walk your dog?
General recovery information may help you understand the terminology, but your procedure and individual restrictions determine what is appropriate.
Ask your surgical team specific questions about the activities you actually need to do.
For example:
"Can I carry a full laundry basket?"
"Is it okay to walk up and down stairs several times a day?"
"Can I lift my toddler?"
"When can I return to work if I'm on my feet most of the day?"
The more specific your question, the easier it is for your team to give you useful guidance.
You can still ask questions after discharge.
You don't have to wait until your follow-up appointment to clarify something important about your recovery.
If you have access to a patient portal, you may be able to review discharge documents or send a nonurgent question.
For time-sensitive questions, calling is generally more appropriate than waiting for a portal response.
It may also help to have a caregiver or trusted family member participate in the conversation, especially if you're tired or managing several instructions.
Before ending the call, repeat the instructions back in your own words.
For example:
"So just to confirm, I'm supposed to leave this dressing in place until my appointment, and I should call if it becomes wet or loose. Is that correct?"
This gives the care team an opportunity to correct any misunderstanding.
Your discharge instructions should help explain which symptoms are expected, which require a call, and which may need emergency care.
If that section is missing or unclear, ask your surgical team to explain the warning signs specific to your procedure.
You should also know whom to contact during evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Don't wait for a routine follow-up appointment if you develop concerning symptoms such as fever, increasing redness or drainage from an incision, worsening pain, or other changes your surgical team told you to report.
Seek emergency medical care for potentially life-threatening symptoms, including severe difficulty breathing, chest pain, loss of consciousness, or severe uncontrolled bleeding.
When you're unsure whether a symptom requires prompt attention, seek timely clinical guidance rather than relying on general recovery information to make the decision.
Once your questions have been answered, consider creating a simpler version of your recovery instructions for everyday use.
You might organize them into four sections:
Keep your original discharge paperwork available. Your personal summary should help you follow the care team's directions, not replace them.
If you're preparing for your first evening at home, What Should I Expect the First Night Home After Surgery? can help you think through the practical transition.
Recovery doesn't always happen in a straight line. Download the free SurgiNav Surgery Recovery Roadmap to understand the stages of healing and know what to expect after surgery.
Get the Free Recovery Roadmap →
If you don't understand your discharge instructions after surgery, you don't have to figure everything out on your own.
Identify what's confusing, contact your surgical team, and ask for an explanation that makes sense for your procedure and daily life.
Whether you're uncertain about medications, incision care, activity restrictions, or warning signs, getting clarification is safer than guessing.
The goal isn't just to leave the hospital with instructions. It's to understand what you need to do next.
Recovery doesn't always happen in a straight line. The free SurgiNav Surgery Recovery Roadmap walks you through the stages of healing so you know what to expect and when to reach out to your care team.
Download the Free Surgery Recovery RoadmapThis article provides general educational information and is not a substitute for medical advice. Always follow the instructions provided by your healthcare team.
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Educational information only. Always follow your surgeon's instructions.