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Post by ktwildermuth on Apr 24, 2012 18:56:10 GMT -5
I know most people would say that after two weeks after a lap you can start exercising. I don't want to bust a stitch or something from starting too early. I still have pain from the CO2 sometimes. What have you guys found as a good time to start after surgery and what kinds of exercise have you found helpful? I used to be a dancer and ran a little bit before. I want to try new things but don't want to push it and we don't have a gym membership. Thanks!
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Post by Karen on Apr 24, 2012 20:32:05 GMT -5
I could have sworn we had a thread out there somewhere about this but I couldn't find it!
First off, did your doc have any suggestions about when you could resume normal activities? Mine told me I could pretty quickly, but my body had other ideas... I'd really caution you to take things slow and see what your body can tolerate. After 2 weeks, I tried to go for a short run - just a mile or two - and that was the stupidest thing I could have done. By 4 weeks after my lap, I was able to take a Pilates class (modified). You'll hear of other people that are back doing gentle exercise a few days later.
Consider going for a 5 minute walk around the block or something one day, and slowly build up another 5 minutes the next day and so on. That way, you can get a feel for how your body will react without completely overdoing it. You may want to consider some light stretches as well, if you can tolerate it and take care not to disrupt your stitches. Some of the other girls may have some better suggestions for you, but that's my 2 cents!
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Post by semicolon on Apr 25, 2012 6:30:16 GMT -5
I think it also depends on how much you were doing prior to your surgery. I am a runner, but I did a lot of walking first. I found the running to be particularly jarring on my abdomen after my colon resection, but I just started slow about six weeks after. After my laps I was running sooner (probably two weeks) but i felt so much better with those recoveries. I would go with your body, start slow, and have a backup plan (I would do walk-run-walks downtown with my husband and/or the car handy in case I pooped out). My doctors all pretty much said I wouldn't do any damage, but I would feel it if I did too much!
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Post by ktwildermuth on Apr 25, 2012 9:19:14 GMT -5
Thanks ladies! Before surgery I couldn't really do anything due to pain so I wasn't really active before surgery. I have been stretching but that doesn't really do anything for me since I danced and stretched my whole childhood. I may try a workout video or something to start slow. I overdid it while packing boxes on Monday so I know I have to slowly work up to really doing anything. Thanks for the tips!
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Post by kelstar on Sept 11, 2012 0:48:39 GMT -5
Wow 2 weeks! I had my right ovary removed through laproscopic surgery Aug 2011 and two large cysts on each ovary(7 cm & 8cm). I couldn't even make it all the way into the grocery store at 2 weeks. I tried and made it about 20 feet and had to turn around because I knew I wasn't going to be able to take too many more steps. I had to take 4 weeks off work and wasn't wearing pants with waists/buttons for like 2mnths. I was pretty active before my surgery too because I was on my feet all day at work 40hr/week. I delivered med records in a hospital and had to move 40-50 lbs tubs of them around a lot. My OBGYN surgeon warned me I'd be down for 4-6 weeks, but I remember thinking no way I'll be back to work after 2 weeks. Anyone getting a lap I strongly suggest you don't lift anything over ten lbs for like 6 weeks if not more. I tried to when I went back and it seriously hurt and had to get a Dr. note. I felt really crappy the rest of the day too. I hated it I had to ask all the boys to lift everything for me, I felt like a helpless woman. They were kinda amused by it too acting all silly and macho especially since I'm already only like 5 feet. But anyone getting a lot removed through a lap in the future I really recommend taking it slow. You don't want to injure yourself and be down longer. It's a painful recovery as it is. Take care of yourself I started back into fitness by just taking a lot of slow walks.
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Post by Karen on Sept 12, 2012 17:40:20 GMT -5
Yeah, two weeks was WAY too soon for me. I think I also laid some tile in a friend's bathroom within 2 weeks. Stupid stupid stupid... I was so bored that I think I did it just to get out of the house, but I'm confident I made my recovery stretch out that much longer.
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Post by semicolon on Sept 12, 2012 19:11:29 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm a little on the extreme perhaps...I had done a half marathon the month before my last surgery! When I got back to running it was a 1/4 mile at a time. I really think any physical activity you can do before having surgery (without causing undue pain, of course) can really make a difference in recovery. But don't overdo it before or after!
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