Changing or Removing Your Deep Brain Stimulator Battery

Transcription

1 Changing or Removing Your Deep Brain Stimulator Battery Instructions for patients going home Read this brochure to learn about: How to take care of yourself at home How to cope with pain Problems to watch for Making your follow-up appointment You have had a general anesthetic. Do not drive a car or drink alcohol for 24 hours.

2 Programming your stimulator Your stimulator should be programmed before you leave the hospital. If it is not, your surgeon s office will arrange for it to be programmed. What can I eat and drink after my surgery? You can go back to eating and drinking what you normally would right away. If you feel nauseated (sick to your stomach) or you are vomiting, you can get anti-nausea medicine, such as Gravol. You can buy it from your pharmacy without a prescription. Take the anti-nausea medicine as directed and drink liquids until the nausea passes. Then slowly start to eat what you usually eat. How much activity is safe? Go home and rest on the first day. You will be walking within hours of your surgery, so keep walking when you are at home. You should continue to get better and return to your normal activities in 4 or 5 days. For the next 3 weeks, please avoid: Heavy lifting over 5 pounds or 2.5 kilograms. For example: do not carry groceries or lift small children or pets. Strenuous activities. For example: no gardening, jogging, skiing, golfing or shoveling snow. Your surgeon will let you know when you can go back to work, play sports and drive a car. 2

3 How to care for your bandage (dressing) and wound Keep your dressing clean and dry at all times. You can remove the dressing 3 days after your surgery. If there is fresh, clear or bloody fluid on the dressing when you remove it, you can replace it with sterile gauze. You can buy this at the pharmacy. The stitches or staples can be removed 10 to 14 days after your surgery. Your family doctor may do this for you. You should be given a Staple Remover by your nurse in the Day Surgery Department to have the staples removed. Do not remove them on your own. When can I shower or take a bath? You can take a shower 3 days after your surgery. Take a shower after you have removed your gauze dressing. Remember to be careful with the sutures or staples. After you shower, pat the wounds dry with a clean towel. Do not rub the wound. Do not take tub baths or swim until the wound is healed (usually after 10 days). At all other times, keep the wound dry and clean. 3

4 How do I cope with my pain? Pain is normal after this surgery and should get better with time. We will give you a prescription for pain medicine. Take it to a pharmacy to get it filled. Follow the directions on the bottle. Take the medication as soon as you feel pain. Do not wait until the pain gets bad. You can take the pain medicine every 4 hours for the first 24 hours. As you have less pain, start to take less pain medicine or change your medicine to Tylenol Extra Strength and take it as directed on the bottle. Problems to watch for: Call your surgeon or go to Toronto Western Hospital emergency or to the nearest hospital emergency department if you notice: Fever: If you have a temperature higher than 38 C or 101 F. More redness, pain or swelling than usual where the wound is or electrode site. Yellowish, bad-smelling fluid coming from the wound or electrode site. If the battery runs out (they usually last 3 to 5 years). If you have mental health problems or problems with your thinking. Bleeding that you didn t have before: Bleeding that soaks through the dressing that will not stop, even after you put pressure on the dressing for 15 minutes. 4

5 Can I take my usual medication? Keep taking your regular medicines as you did before the surgery. What if I am constipated? Pain medicine can make you constipated. To help prevent constipation: Eat food high in fibre such as whole grains, vegetables and fruit. Drink 3 to 5 glasses of liquid each day. If you have not had a bowel movement in 72 hours, take Milk of Magnesia. You can buy this from your pharmacy without a prescription. Follow the directions on the bottle. My follow-up appointment Please call your surgeon s office to make a follow-up appointment. Bring health card (OHIP) with you to all you hospital visits. Doctor: Phone: Date: Time: Location: 5

6 Can I take my usual medication? Keep taking your regular medicines as you did before the surgery. What if I am constipated? Pain medicine can make you constipated. To help prevent constipation: Eat food high in fibre such as whole grains, vegetables and fruit. Drink 3 to 5 glasses of liquid each day. If you have not had a bowel movement in 72 hours, take Milk of Magnesia. You can buy this from your pharmacy without a prescription. Follow the directions on the bottle. My follow-up appointment Please call your surgeon s office to make a follow-up appointment. Bring health card (OHIP) with you to all you hospital visits. Doctor: Phone: Date: Time: Location: Visit for more health information. Contact us to provide feedback or request this brochure in a different format, such as large print or electronic formats: pfep@uhn.ca 2018 University Health Network. All rights reserved. Use this material for your information only. It does not replace advice from your doctor or other health care professional. Do not use this information for diagnosis or treatment. Ask your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. You may print 1 copy of this brochure for non-commercial and personal use only. Author: Neurology Department and TWH Day Surgery Unit Reviewed: 03/2018 Form: D-3235