The short version
- A fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit or higher: call. [1]
- Bleeding through more than one pad an hour: call. [1]
- Chest pain or shortness of breath: emergency department. [1]
- Swelling in one leg that is increasing: this needs to be checked the same day. [1]
- If you are not sure, call. That is what the number is for.
Your own discharge papers come first
Everything on this page is taken from the standard printed instructions this office gives patients. If the papers you were handed at discharge say something different, follow those. They were written for your operation. When the two disagree, call the office at 817-759-7065 and let us settle it.
Go to the emergency department
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department now
- Chest pain, or shortness of breath [1]
- Bleeding that soaks more than one pad an hour and is not slowing [1]
- Swelling, pain, or redness in one leg that is getting worse [1]
- Fainting, or feeling like you are about to faint
- An incision that has opened with tissue bulging or pushing through the opening. Cover it with a clean, damp cloth and go.
- Vomiting that will not stop, so you cannot keep fluids down [1]
Do not wait for a call back from the office. Do not drive yourself.
Two of those deserve a word. Chest pain and shortness of breath after surgery can mean a clot in the lung. Increasing swelling in one leg can mean a clot in the leg. Both are treatable and both are time-sensitive, which is why they are on every one of our discharge sheets. [1]
Call the office
These come directly from our printed discharge instructions. Call during office hours, and call the same day.
- A fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit or higher [1]
- Nausea and vomiting you cannot get on top of [1]
- Increased pain, swelling, redness, or drainage from an incision [1]
- An incision where the skin edges have come apart, without anything bulging through. Call the same day so we can look at it.
- A sudden gush of blood, or filling more than one pad an hour [1][2]
- Vaginal discharge with a foul odor [1]
- Trouble emptying your bladder, or burning when you urinate [1]
- After vulvar surgery: a lot of swelling or redness of the surgical area, or thick cloudy drainage [3]
- Pain that is getting worse instead of better, several days out
- Anything else, as needed. That phrase is on every one of our sheets on purpose. [1]
This is normal
Just as useful as the list above.
- Brown discharge that looks like coffee grounds after a cervical or vaginal biopsy. That is Monsel's solution mixing with blood. [2][4]
- Bloating and gas pain, including shoulder pain, for several weeks after laparoscopic or robotic surgery. Simethicone after meals helps. [1]
- Bruising and tenderness around the incisions, and general abdominal tenderness. [1]
- Vaginal spotting up to 12 weeks after laparotomy or laparoscopy. [1]
- A negative pressure dressing beeping and losing suction around day 5 to 7. That means it is finished. Peel it off and discard it with the battery pack. [1]
- Surgical glue flaking off on its own after about 2 weeks. Do not peel it early. [1]
Not sure which?
Work through this. It does not diagnose anything. It only helps you decide who to call, and it errs toward being seen.
The numbers
Office
Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Central. After hours this line goes to voicemail.
The Center, main line
Answered 24 hours a day. After hours, call this number if your question cannot wait until morning.
When to call: printable card
A one-page version to put on the refrigerator. This printable guide is in development. In the meantime, everything it will contain is on this page, and the office can walk you through it. See the handouts we do have.
Sources
- Vasques DR. Post Laparotomy or Laparoscopy Instructions. The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Fort Worth, TX. Patient handout supplied by the practice. pdfs/after-laparotomy-or-laparoscopy.pdf
- Vasques DR. Post Cold Knife Cone Procedure Instructions. The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Fort Worth, TX. Patient handout supplied by the practice. pdfs/after-cone-biopsy.pdf
- Vasques DR. Post Vulvar Procedure Instructions. The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Fort Worth, TX. Patient handout supplied by the practice. pdfs/after-vulvar-procedure.pdf
- Vasques DR. Post Vaginal Procedure (CO2 laser, biopsies) Instructions. The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Fort Worth, TX. Patient handout supplied by the practice. pdfs/after-vaginal-procedure.pdf
- Vasques DR. Post D&C and Smit-sleeve Placement Instructions. The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Fort Worth, TX. Patient handout supplied by the practice. pdfs/after-dc-and-smit-sleeve.pdf
Reviewed by DeEtte R. Vasques, DO, MBA · September 2026