How Soon Can You Drive After Hernia Surgery A specific timeline for returning to driving after a hernia surgery will depend on several different aspects, such as the type of procedure completed and how quickly an individual is recovering. See detailed analysis of these considerations here.
Driving Guide After Surgery
Immediate Post-Op: Patients are instructed not to drive immediately after surgery because of the effects of anesthesia and pain medication. A driver to take you home from the procedure is recommended at most facilities.
Dwell Time: The general consensus is that most drivers should wait at least 24 to 48 hours following surgery. For the initial effects of anesthesia and pain medication to begin to wear off12 Where The Best Place For Recovery Post-Surgery?
Type of Hernia Surgery
The Anesthesia and Recovery ** Open vs. Laparoscopic Surgery: The type of hernia repair can have a major impact on when it is safe to begin driving again.
For open hernia repair, patients will need to wait about one week before driving because this method is usually associated with more postoperative discomfort 24.hernia surgery recovery (ad)
On the other hand, most patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery will be back to driving within days of their operation; as long as they do not require narcotics for pain relief15.
Assessing Readiness to Drive
The critical test of an emergency stop is whether you could drive without experiencing pain. If you can, this is usually a good sign that you are ready to learn how to drive34.
If a patient still requires narcotic medications for pain relief, it is recommended that they be weaned off them and should thus wait at least 48 hours from the last dose before attempting to drive56.
Individual Recovery Factors
Every patient recovers differently, and things like overall health, pain tolerance and personal levels of comfort can impact when they are safe to drive again. Listening to your body and talking to a healthcare provider are key pieces in this section of the puzzle.
Finally, although the guideline consensus seems to shift towards a week for open surgery and as soon after laparoscopic procedures but perhaps not sooner than 3 days (so that you can “perform safe emergency maneuvers” when driving), overall personal preference and proficiency will determine how long until your ready to drive. Respectfully request the advice of your surgeon that is tailored to you individually and give a good fight; educate yourself.
