New advice on recovering after surgery

What does the new report say?

According to the Royal College of Surgeons, after having surgery the three golden rules are:

• Stay active
• Keep a normal daily routine
• Keep social contact with people.

You'll probably have some pain after surgery. Tell the doctors and nurses treating you about pain or any other problems you have. You may be given strong painkillers to help. These can make you constipated, so eat plenty of fibre if you can. For example, try to eat lots of fruit and vegetables. A healthy diet will also give your body the nutrients it needs to heal.

Your doctors will give you an idea of how fast you can expect to recover, and when you'll be able to go back to work. Remember that the final decision is up to you. You don't need your doctor's permission to return to work. How soon you're ready will partly depend on the job you do, and if there are light duties available while you're still recovering.

Here's a rough guide to the recovery time for seven common operations.

• A heart bypass: this is a serious operation. If you sit down for much of the day and don't do any lifting, you'll probably be ready to go back to work after six to eight weeks. But it could take as long as three months.
• Surgery for a slipped disc: after this operation, the most important thing to do is keep moving. If you do light work, you can probably go back after four to six weeks, but don't stand or sit in one position for longer than 15 minutes. If you do a lot of driving or do physical work, you might need to stay away for up to 12 weeks.
• An operation to remove the thyroid gland: most people can get back to work about two weeks after thyroid surgery. But this operation can affect your voice, so you might need a longer recovery time if you're in a job where you talk a lot, like teaching.
• Having your gall bladder removed: you're probably safe to get back to work 10 to 14 days after this operation.
• Keyhole surgery to remove a kidney: most people take about four weeks to recover from having a kidney removed. If your job involves heavy lifting or lots of standing, you may need up to six weeks before you're back to normal.
• Surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome: this is an operation on your wrist, so if you do lots of typing, it might take you two to four weeks to return to work. It might be as long as 10 weeks before you can do manual work.
• Knee replacement: your return to work will depend on how quickly you get enough strength in your leg to drive or use public transport, and to get around during the day. If you have a desk job, this could be about eight weeks, or longer if you need to be active at work.

If you drive, check with your insurance company about coverage after surgery. If you've had a serious operation, like heart surgery, you might be prohibited by law from driving for a short time. If you drive heavy vehicles, check with the DVLA about whether an operation will affect your license. If you're taking strong painkillers, remember that they can make you sleepy, so you should avoid driving while you're taking them.

For many people, having sex again after their operation feels like a big step. There are no particular rules about when it's safe to have sex. Like any other form of physical activity, it's up to you to decide when you feel ready.