Follow up appointments
You will be notified of when your follow up appointment with your clinician is prior to your discharge. The appointment will be between 2 – 6 weeks after your procedure depending on the nature of your surgery.
At your first visit, your clinician will:
Assess your wound and may remove stitches if you still have them
Ask about your pain management
Explain the findings and the procedure which was carried out
Reiterate how long you are required to be in a sling
Confirm when physiotherapy will start if you haven’t started already
In preparation for your appointment, you may wish to write down a list of all the questions you would like to ask or issues you want to discuss. You may want to take someone with you for support. Below are a few questions you may want to ask at your appointment unless it has already been covered:
Is my recovery on track?
How successful was the surgery?
What can I do to improve my outcomes?
What are the risks to look out for at this stage?
Will my shoulder/arm feel normal again and how long will it be till then?
Depending on how soon after your surgery your appointment is scheduled, you may not be able to drive yourself if your arm is still in a sling or you do not have full function.
You may need to ask a relative or friend to take you to the appointment. If you do not have anyone, or cannot afford a taxi, ask your care team if they can assist you with arranging transport. You will need to ask this well in advance to your appointment to avoid disappointment.