AARP Smart Guide to Surgery

34 tips to help you prepare for, undergo and recover from surgery

Kimberly Goad,

AARP

Reviewed by

Stan Sack, M.D.

Comments

Published July 28, 2025

stitches in a heart shape with needle on yellow background

It's important to prepare — physically and mentally — for any surgical procedure.

Shutterstock

If you aren’t preparing for surgery now, you may be in the future.

Advances in both medical care and medical technology mean “people are living much longer, healthier lives,” says Patricia Turner, M.D., executive director and CEO of the American College of Surgeons. “We have ... minimally invasive approaches that make surgery more acceptable to people who might not have previously been candidates.”

Even with all the progress in medicine, it’s still smart to take your surgery seriously and prepare for both the surgery and post-recovery. Here’s what you should keep in mind if you’re facing one of the following common surgeries, with tips on what to do before, during and afterward.

It's highly recommended to drop some pounds before orthopedic surgeries such as knee or hip replacements.

Getty Images

ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY

1. Lose weight before your procedure

If you need either total knee or total hip replacement surgery and your weight is significantly higher than it should be, your surgeon may want you to lose weight before the procedure.

Studies indicate that people with a body mass index (BMI) of over 40 are more likely to have complications — among them, increased risk of infection, poor wound healing, blood clots and what’s known as revision surgery — both during and post-surgery than people with a BMI lower than 40.

“You don’t want to put off something that has a time crunch to it,” says Turner. “But with some procedures, if you can lose weight in advance, you can have better outcomes.”

Talk to your doctor about what makes sense for you. Depending on your overall health, you may be a candidate for one of the new GLP-1 drugs (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound) that can help you shed 10 to 20 percent of your body weight. If you go that route, your doctor may recommend adjusting weekly-dosed GLP-1 agonists a week before the procedure, and daily-dosed ones on the day of surgery.

2. Give up smoking

Smokers facing surgery can add the following to the many reasons giving up cigarettes is a nonnegotiable. Smoking ups your risk of complications — like pneumonia, infection, slower wound healing, a higher chance of heart attack — during and after any procedure. And, not surprisingly, “smoking can increase the chance of your cancer coming back,” says Tom Varghese, M.D., chief, Section of General Thoracic Surgery at the University of Utah, and professor of surgery at the University of Utah School of Medicine. “There is nothing good about active smoking at the time of your surgical intervention.”

If that intervention is on your immediate horizon, you might be wondering if it’s too late to kick the habit. It depends on when you last lit up. “In the first 48 to 72 hours, the body responds with an increase in secretions in the respiratory passages,” explains Varghese, whose own research focuses on how to optimize patient health before elective surgery. “This would be the worst time to do surgery, as there would be an increased chance for aspiration.”

If you’re having an elective procedure, ask if the surgery can be scheduled for two to three weeks after your last cigarette. By then, says Varghese, “the secretions decrease, and the body gets used to being without nicotine.”

There are multiple ways to kick the habit, including prescriptions, practicing mindfulness and relying on support groups. Medicare Part B covers counseling sessions, and Part D covers prescription drugs to help you stop smoking.

3. Schedule your surgery for the first part of the week

No one’s saying the B-team takes over on weekends, but research suggests that having elective surgery — meaning a procedure that can be scheduled in advance and isn’t done for an immediate, life-threatening health problem — on a Friday or over the weekend can result in poorer outcomes. When you schedule surgery, ask for the first part of the week; oftentimes physical therapists and other rehabilitation personnel are not as available on weekends.

4. Prep your home for post-op

Research suggests that falls within the first six months to a year after a hospital stay are not uncommon. That’s especially true for people who’ve had orthopedic surgery. In one study, published in the International Journal of Surgery Open, around 1 in 4 patients 65 and older sustained a fall within the first year after knee replacement surgery.

Plan ahead to avoid being that one. Place night-lights in hallways and rooms that tend to get dark. If you live in a two-story home, set up temporary sleeping quarters on the first floor. Remove loose area rugs and other things you may trip over, like electrical cords, wires and toys (whether they’re your pet’s or your grandkid’s). Prepare and freeze at least a week’s worth of meals. And invest in helpful items — like a cane or walking stick, a foldable wheeled walker, a portable commode, a transfer bench to get in and out of the bathtub — that can aid with daily tasks while you’re on the mend. Some of these may be covered by insurance.

5. Take notes at discharge

Sure, your surgical team will load you up with printouts and website addresses detailing post-op care. But no two patients are alike. Be sure to go over any specific concerns, and take notes — better yet, have a family member or friend take them for you — to confirm:

When you’ll see the doctor again
Dates and times of home nurse or physical therapist visits
What to expect in terms of swelling. Moderate to severe swelling in the first few weeks after surgery is normal.
When to change your bandages
When it’s OK to shower, to be alone at home and to drive

6. Wait to fill your opioid prescription

Depending on the type of surgery and your level of post-op pain, you may be able to find relief without opioids. For instance, a long-acting nerve block for an orthopedic procedure — used alone or as part of general anesthesia — will address the first three or so days of post-op pain, says Mohammed Issa, M.D., medical director of the Pain Management Center at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.

Other non-opioid options: ice and elevation, and a dose of over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol), or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, naproxen (Aleve) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). “Common over-the-counter meds will do the job in 60 to 80 percent of patients,” says Issa. If you wait to fill your opioid prescription, be prepared with access to a 24-hour pharmacy in case pain becomes unbearable in the middle of the night. Your prescription is good for up to seven days.

7. Load up on protein and carbs

Good nutrition takes on added importance in the weeks and months before and after surgery. “In general, patients are recommended to eat an overall healthy diet that includes foods adequate in lean protein along with several servings of fruits and vegetables,” says Liz Weinandy, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Foods low in nutrients should be limited so they don’t crowd out healthier foods that contain the nutrients which promote healing.”

Especially important: protein and carbs. Research suggests that protein-loading one to two weeks before surgery, and extra protein up to three months post-op, improves recovery and decreases muscle atrophy.

“Protein and carbs both play an important role in preoperative and postoperative nutrition for patients,” says Weinandy. “Recommendations differ based on a patient’s nutritional status prior to surgery.” Most patients should consume around 100 grams of carbohydrates (found in two cups of brown rice or roasted potatoes) the night before surgery, “and another 50 grams of carbohydrates a couple hours before surgery, usually in the form of a beverage like apple juice.”

All that said, it’s best to confirm with your surgical team that intake timing makes sense in your case.

Spending time in nature — or just listening to nature sounds through your headphones — may help to reduce stress and anxiety.

Getty Images

CANCER SURGERY

8. Pregame: Spend time in nature

Tending to your emotional well-being is a key part of what’s known as prehabilitation, a strategy designed to boost physical and mental health before surgery. “Try to decrease all the stressors as much as possible,” says Issa. One proven means to that end: spending time in nature. It reduces stress and anxiety, lowers blood pressure, improves sleep and mental health, boosts the immune system — the list goes on.

And you don’t have to spend hours in a national park to reap the rewards. Research suggests that any nature is better than none. Even a walk down a tree-lined street can restore your attention and reduce your blood pressure. The same goes for simply listening to the sounds of nature, even if those ocean waves and birdsongs are courtesy of an app.

9. Get ahead of pain

Postsurgery isn’t the time to be a hero. Don’t wait until the pain kicks in before you reach for meds or hit the pain pump. With the help of your medical team, try to proactively time the consumption and delivery of your pain medication.

10. Talk to your doctor about supplements

Certain vitamins and herbs taken in the name of improving health may actually complicate your recovery from surgery. Ginkgo biloba, garlic, ginseng and vitamin E, for instance, up your risk of bleeding; valerian, St. John’s wort and kava can prolong the anesthesia; and ephedra, which is an appetite suppressor and stimulant, will almost certainly raise blood pressure. You should talk to your doctor about all your supplements, or play it safe by not taking them in the two weeks leading up to surgery, suggests Varghese. That’s about how long it takes for these supplements to be cleared out of your system.

11. Set boundaries

Hospital visitors are always nice to have following surgery, but it’s important to set parameters and avoid those who stick around too long, aren’t welcome in the first place, cause extra stress or show up at the crack of dawn. Enlist a loved one who has a knack for being gentle but firm to make sure nobody overstays their welcome.

12. Reduce your risk of post-op delirium

Immediately after any procedure that requires anesthesia, it’s normal to feel out of sorts. But if you experience sudden confusion, disorientation, hallucinations, agitation or aggression, it could be postoperative delirium. Research suggests it occurs in up to half of all cancer patients who’ve undergone surgery; older patients are particularly at risk.

Not to be confused with dementia, postoperative delirium is the most common complication of surgery for older adults. If it goes untreated, it can lead to long-term health issues like cognitive decline, and in extreme cases can result in death. According to an AARP report from the Global Council on Brain Health, patients who develop postoperative delirium in the intensive care unit are two to four times more at risk of death both in and out of the hospital.

Fortunately, postoperative delirium can be prevented in around 40 percent of cases. Ask your health care team to screen for risk factors, which can run the gamut from poor vision and hearing to depression and alcohol and drug use.

13. Expect changes in your appetite after surgery

Nutrition plays a major role in your recovery, says Weinandy, but chances are you won’t feel like eating or drinking after surgery. According to the American Cancer Society, the digestive tract takes an especially long time to recover from the drugs involved in your surgery. Medical staff generally require that you show signs of bowel activity — a tip-off that your digestive tract is beginning to work normally again — before you’re allowed to leave the hospital. You may be on a clear liquid diet in the meantime.

14. Prioritize your Zzzzs

Sleep plays a crucial role in recovery from surgery by promoting tissue repair, reducing pain, boosting the immune system and controlling inflammation. But as any hospital patient can attest, getting sleep that checks both the quality and quantity boxes can be tricky in a setting that prizes round-the-clock check-ins. Bring your favorite pillow or blanket from home to help you sleep better during your hospital stay. Ask for earplugs and an eye mask to minimize distractions.

15. Listen to music

A review of research published recently in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that listening to music after surgery — whether it’s their own custom playlist or random tunes piped in through a speaker — helps patients recovering from surgery in surprising ways. Those who listened to music postop used less than half as much morphine in the 24 hours following surgery as compared to patients who didn’t. They also experienced significantly less pain during the same time period, lower levels of anxiety and a reduced heart rate.

If you have cataract surgery, you'll want to protect your eyes after the procedure.

Getty Images

CATARACT SURGERY

16. Think about your lifestyle when picking a replacement lens

During cataract surgery, the natural — now clouded—lens of your eye is replaced with a new, artificial one called an intraocular lens (IOL). Since this isn’t a one-IOL-fits-all procedure and the range of choices can be overwhelming, talk with your ophthalmologist about what makes sense for your lifestyle, says Emily Schehlein, M.D., spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and an ophthalmologist at Brighton Vision Center in Michigan. “Some things to consider are budget” — Medicare and most insurance companies only cover mono-focal lenses — as well as “if you rely on near vision, if you have astigmatism, if you drive frequently at night or if you have other existing eye conditions.”

17. Talk to your surgeon pre-op about post-op pain

Most patients experience little, if any, pain after cataract surgery, but around 1 in 3 do. To make sure you stay on top of pain without unnecessarily to opioids, talk to your doctor ahead of surgery about the overall approach to what can be a bit of an unknown. According to the American College of Surgeons, many patients find as much pain relief from ibuprofen (400 mg) as the opioid oxycodone (5 mg). “You can alternate acetaminophen with ibuprofen or other NSAID,” advises Issa. “If that doesn’t work, then we say call [your surgeon’s office] to let us know, and we [may] prescribe a stronger med for a short period of time, and really monitoring and seeing if they need to continue that.”

18. Create a playlist of your favorite tunes

Cataract surgery lasts all of 15 minutes. And although your eye will be numbed with eye drops or an injection around it, you’ll be awake for the entire 15 minutes. That’s not to say you’ll witness precisely what the doctor is doing to your eye (though you may see light and movement during the procedure).

If the prospect of eye drops and numbing still doesn’t calm your presurgery nerves, you’re not alone. Even though cataract surgery is an extremely common and painless procedure, pre-op anxiety affects more than a few — research suggests many — patients. A July 2024 study published in the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, however, suggests that playing music selected by the patient during surgery can reduce anxiety. Study participants reported feeling less afraid, nervous and confused during surgery than those who didn’t listen to music.

19. Arrange for transportation

You’ll need a ride home after surgery — and you may also need someone to take the wheel in the two weeks between cataract surgery on the first eye and the second, when driving is difficult. Ask your ophthalmologist when it will be safe for you to drive. If you have little choice but to drive between surgeries, your doctor may recommend that you wear your old glasses — with the lens removed for the eye that’s on the mend — or wear a contact lens in the non-operated eye.

20. Protect your eye

Post-surgery you’ll make like Jeff Bridges (or John Wayne) in True Grit and wear a clear plastic shield over your eye for 24 hours to prevent irritants from getting into your eye, and then at night for a week to protect against any middle-of-night scratching or poking. Even after the shield comes off, it’s important to avoid exposing your eye to anything that might cause infection, like pool or ocean water (depending on your surgery, swimming may be off-limits for up to four weeks after surgery) or outdoor elements like dust and debris. Wearing wraparound sunglasses can help.

21. Don’t rush your recovery

Sure, cataract surgery is common. And, yes, it’s typically an outpatient procedure. But just because you won’t be under the watchful eye of a hospital staff during the initial stage of your recovery doesn’t mean you should minimize the importance of following doctor’s orders.

“Some people feel ready to exercise and get back to their usual routines right away, but your doctor may recommend avoiding strenuous exercise as a safety precaution,” says Schehlein. “Discuss your day-to-day activities with your ophthalmologist, and they can help decide the best recovery plan for you.”

Be careful when coughing or sneezing after open-heart surgery — you could tear open your incision.

Getty Images

OPEN-HEART SURGERY

22. Pre-habilitate yourself

If you’re worried about making a full recovery post-op, you’re not alone. In a survey of 50- to 80-year-olds facing elective surgery, more than half reported concerns about recovery, specifically how difficult it would be.

The key to bouncing back actually begins during prehabilitation. Map out a “prehab” plan with your doctor.

“Ask what you can do in advance to make yourself stronger and healthier — things like losing weight, smoking cessation, increasing physical activity, working with cardiac rehab or pulmonary rehab — so that when you have your operation you’re able to bounce back more quickly,” Turner advises.

23. Don’t go it alone

Enlist a health care advocate to be your second set of eyes and ears — not just on the day of surgery but in the days and weeks before and after your procedure. “It’s always best to bring a trusted family member or friend to appointments,” says Turner, “having an additional person there to take notes or say ‘These are the questions you wanted to ask.’ ”

24. Request an anesthesiologist who specializes in older patients

The aging brain is more vulnerable to anesthetics. Ask your anesthesiologist about steps that can be taken before, during and after surgery to help reduce your risks of age-related complications from anesthesia, including post-op delirium — the most common surgical complication among older adults, affecting as many as half of all people 65 and over after being admitted to the hospital — and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Certain conditions, including heart disease, can increase your risk for POCD, which can lead to long-term memory loss and difficulty concentrating.

25. Know where your essentials will be stored during surgery

Having things like eyeglasses, hearing aids, dentures or other personal items stored safely during surgery — and returned to you promptly post-op — might seem like something that would be handled automatically. But don’t assume. If you aren’t in a position to hand things over to a loved one, ask the hospital staff how your belongings will be stored and when you’ll get them back after surgery.

26. Lose the booze

If you’re in the habit of imbibing three or more drinks a day, you may be setting yourself up for alcohol withdrawal, a surgical complication. During withdrawal, your central nervous system acts up and causes symptoms like shakiness, sweating and hallucinations, and more serious side effects like delirium, says Varghese. Not surprisingly, that often leads to a longer hospital stay.

During your presurgical visit, you’ll be asked to assess your risk of alcohol withdrawal and other alcohol-related problems. This isn’t the time to fudge the truth about your drinking habits. Respond to questions honestly, even if your drinking falls neatly within the American Heart Association’s definition of moderate drinking (up to one drink per day for women; no more than two per day for men).

“There is no safe amount of alcohol intake before surgery,” says Varghese. “If you’ve had symptoms of alcohol withdrawal before, you’re at risk of developing symptoms during abstinence. Let your health care provider know if this is true for you.”

27. Cough and sneeze carefully

A new incision isn’t as strong as you may think it is, and a sneezing or coughing fit can cause it to open. Play it safe. Brace the incision by using your hands or a pillow to apply pressure to the area. Heavy lifting is also risky. Anything over 10 pounds (like a couple of two-liter bottles of soda, a laundry basket filled with towels or an average 3-month-old baby) is off-limits for at least four to six weeks.

28. Ask your doctor for a referral to start cardiac rehab

Cardiac rehab — a medically supervised program designed specifically to improve heart health through diet, exercise and lifestyle changes after surgery — usually includes 36 individualized sessions over 12 weeks; they’re run by a team of physicians, nurses, dietitians, physical therapists, exercise physiologists and other health care providers.

Research shows that these programs reduce mortality rates and improve quality of life for patients with cardiovascular disease. Despite the proven benefits, only about 1 in 4 eligible patients participate. Why? Their doctor never mentioned it to them.

Cardiac rehab is traditionally provided in person at hospitals and doctors’ offices, but virtual rehab sessions are becoming increasingly available. Whatever the setting, you need a referral to take advantage of it. Be sure to ask your doctor for one.

Try to return to normal activities as much as possible after abdominal surgery.

Getty Images

ABDOMINAL SURGERY

29. Pay attention to your gut

Your surgeon has all the qualifications and experience you could hope for — yet something seemed off in your initial consultation. Even if you can’t put a name to it, pay attention to that gut feeling. “The personal relationship between the patient and the surgeon is part of having a good outcome,” says Turner, echoing research that suggests a good rapport not only alleviates anxiety before surgery but also sets you up for a smoother recovery. “It’s important to ask questions, and important for surgeons to be able to answer those questions.” If they can’t, consider looking elsewhere.

30. Tamp down stress

Managing stress is a critical part of bouncing back after any surgery. What may surprise you is that it begins in prehab, the period leading up to surgery. Research suggests that pre-op anxiety is directly related to the level of pain following surgery.

“The less controlled it is, the more likely a patient will have higher levels of post-op pain and a higher risk of developing chronic pain,” says Issa. “It’s really important to go into surgery in the best emotional state, to have a positive attitude and decrease the amount of stress as much as possible.”

To that end, Issa recommends meditation, if not some other form of mindfulness, in the weeks before surgery. “Just 10 to 15 minutes a day of meditation has been found to be one of the most effective ways to improve your emotional health,” he says. Not sure where to begin? Try an app to get the hang of it.

31. Quiz your surgeon about pain management options

In a report published in JAMA Surgery, patients undergoing gallbladder removal, thyroid removal or hernia repair who went into surgery knowing how their pain would be managed fared better than those who didn’t. In the study, 50 percent of the patients received presurgery counseling that promoted non-opioid pain treatment as their No. 1 option (some were given in-case-of-emergency prescriptions just to have on hand). The rest of the patients were prescribed opioids. Despite the difference in painkillers, the patients in both groups were equally satisfied, but those who skipped the opioids reported experiencing less pain overall.

“My advice to all patients when they talk to their surgeon about how to manage pain is to say, ‘Tell me about all my options,’ ” says Issa. “Don’t just leave it up to the surgeon. Ask: ‘Are there meds we can try other than opioids?’ ”

One non-opioid option to ask about: suzetrigine, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in early 2025.

32. Don’t make any big decisions post-op

At least not right away. Anesthesia or pain medication may cause you to feel out of sorts, have difficulty with memory or feel more fatigued for two to three days. If possible, hold off on making important decisions until at least several weeks after your surgery so that you have plenty of time to recover, both mentally and physically.

33. Get out of bed

As counterintuitive as it may seem, staying in bed — even in the name of R&R — may set you back. “Used to be, we’d tell patients to stay in bed, don’t do anything for up to three months until everything heals,” says Issa. “What we’ve found is the outcome of patients during that time is actually much worse than if they become active earlier.” Especially for people over 50: “The less activity they do, the longer it takes to get back to their normal functional status,” says Issa. “And that can affect everything else — their overall health and their response to postoperative pain.”

34. Don’t wait to treat constipation

“You don’t want to increase intra-abdominal pressure,” says Issa. But that can be challenging if you’re taking opioids to treat pain.

If you’re constipated, don’t wait it out. While there is no standard definition for what constitutes regular elimination, studies often define it as at least three bowel movements a week. If you’ve gone two to three days without a bowel movement post-surgery, Issa suggests taking an over-the-counter stool softener such as Miralax or Colace.

Important to note: Constipation isn’t the only common opioid-related gastro issue; nausea and vomiting are also common. If you can’t tolerate your Rx, ask your doctor for an alternative pain med. “It’s always better to try something else than to take an additional medicine to treat the side effects,” says Issa.

%{postComment}%

Kimberly Goad is a New York-based journalist who has covered health for some of the nation’s top consumer publications. Her work has appeared in Women’s Health, Men’s Health and Reader’s Digest.

Dr. Stan Sack practiced pediatrics for 33 years in Massachusetts and Florida. He now works doing freelance writing and editing. His articles have appeared in several publications including Keys Weekly, Rural Health Quarterly and AARP.