A post-surgery medicine schedule on a single page

Courses that end on different days

A typical post-operative prescription has an antibiotic for four days, an anti-inflammatory for five, something for the stomach for a week, and drops or dressings for six weeks. Written as a list, it is almost impossible to hold in your head. On the chart each medicine simply stops appearing after its last day, so the grid thins out as recovery progresses and you can see the finish line.

Painkillers that are not on a schedule

Medicines to be taken only if there is pain do not belong in the hourly grid — a carer following the grid literally would give them every four hours regardless. They are printed in a separate strip at the foot of the chart, marked only if needed, with the dose and any food instruction.

Doses spaced through the day

Choose six times a day and the doses are placed three hours apart through waking hours rather than crammed together. You can drag any individual time to whatever suits the household — many families prefer an 8 AM start so the first dose lands after breakfast rather than before anyone is awake.

Long courses stay readable

For a six-week course the chart automatically switches from one column per day to one column per week, and notes inside each dose box where a shorter medicine starts or finishes, for example 24–27 Jun only. Six weeks still fits on one sheet.

How to make one

1. Add each medicine from the discharge sheet
2. Mark painkillers as only if needed
3. Print one page and pin it up

Questions

A note on safety. PillsChart reproduces the schedule you type. It does not check doses or interactions. Always follow the instructions from your doctor or pharmacist, and check the printed chart against the prescription before anyone relies on it.

More chart guides