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Sadly I have found out that I need to have a hysterectomy (never rains but it pours) and the consultant has said I can do NO TRAINING for 3 months. Nothing.
Now I'm not about to take that at face value as having had lots of previous ops I can see no reason for not having a gradual increase: walking further, static exercises, turbo trainer???
Nothing at all for 3 months will drive me insane.
Anyone any experience or knowledgeable?
Hi Flopsy,Quote:
Originally Posted by Flopsy
A hysterectomy is a major op and you should take it easy afterwards.
I had a C-section 11 months ago which is also a similar major. I started out 2 weeks later with short and slow! walks. It was painful! I started running at 7 weeks post op...again very slowly. I should also have waited until 3 months post op but I was naughty!
You will need your rest afterwards....enjoy it by relaxing with a good book or listening to music. You need to give your body chance to recover and tissues to knit back together. I think you should wait until at least 6 weeks post op and see how you feel, then have a chat with your doctor before starting anything. 3 months is not that long in the grand scheme of things and best not to do any damage by overdoing it!
All the best for a speedy recovery.
First of all, do you absolutely have to have this op? Of course, for some conditions it is mandatory and a life saver, but others can be treated by non-surgical conservative methods. I have some health problems which COULD be addressed by a hysterectomy plus other allied ops, but after researching extensively I have good hopes I will be able to manage my problems myself indefinitely, with the help of specialist physios etc. I have learned how to do this over the past year, and am much much more relaxed about it than I was.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flopsy
Once you have had the op, you are really in the hands of the surgeon, though I would also research other surgeon's opinions as to what you can do post op. It is major surgery and I think impact, lifting and tensing your abs would have to be avoided for quite a long while. Also. many surgeons say you may not lift more than a few pounds for the rest of your life. However, I think opinions are perhaps moving on in that respect, as it is realised how impossible that prohibition can make women's lives.
You should ask your surgeon about possible complications arising from removing the uterus - many women go on to have further surgery to deal with these. The figure of 1 in 4 in the first 5 years is often quoted. Because this is such a real possibility, disobeying the surgeon's instructions is high risk.
Do pm me if you think you would like to discuss this further with me, I would be happy to email you or give you my phone number. Very best wishes.
Flopsy,
I'm not a doctor, surgeon, consultant or even a women. But, if you do need the op, then 3 months is not an especially long time. I've lost more with a serious spinal injury and the fitness came back in about 6 weeks. In fact, having gone through the depressing 2 months before diagnosis and almost 2 months of treatment and hospitalisation and losing over a stone in race weight to 10st 3lb, I found the re-gaining of fitness and weight very life-affirming. Ask your consultant about walking first, there may be scope for long, slow exercise there. I wish you good luck.
Thanks for the replies.
Yes I do need to have the op, this is the end of the line after years of failed attempts at other solutions. I may not be in a life threatening situation but quality of life is also important. I've had to give up work.
Also at this stage they are hoping not to have to cut my abdomen open. I won't go into further details but lets just say there are other ways.
I know in the big scheme of things that 3 months is not a lot.
I'm not wanting to go off and do big stuff just keep the body ticking over. All the stuff I can find on the internet suggests no lifting or strenuous activity but that a gradual increase is benefical, inluding pelvic floor exercises and walking. Some even suggest more strenuous exercise (just not lifting).
I also have no idea when I can return to horse riding for example. Is that considered strenuous? What does it mean by walking is good. My idea of a walk is a 10 mile hike. I guess that is too much but what would be a rough guide.
I asked the consultant whether I would get to see a physio for advice and she said that physios were in short supply. They come round the hopsital on Fridays but my op is on the Thursday before Easter and so they won't be coming round that Friday. So basically I would get no advice on anything.
I'll happily pay for a physio if that's what it takes to get information but I only know of sports physios not rehab from such an op. Would paying to see a physio for advice be the best course of action?
Like I said I just want to know where to get advice as I don't think that doing nothing for 3 months and then returning to full on exercising would be sensible either.
Thanks again.
Dear Flopsy,
Had a couple of further thoughts today:
First, have a look at the LDWA
http://www.ldwa.org.uk/index.php
They do social walks and challenge events over various distances. They are cheap, friendly, and there's food and drink. You don't have to join. There would be scope for starting off gently and building up gradually. The challenge events attract runners who use them as useful training runs, so you may well see people you know. I'm thinking walk steadily and not too far, walk further, then switch to running. There's loads of events and you could easily plan a gradual programme over several months.
Second, my wife was chatting to a lady runner today who is post op, several years ago. We don't have her details, but I possibly know someone who does.
I'll try and see if she's interested in contacting you on the PM side of the house.
Thanks for the responses and PM's. A bit of an embarrassing topic but one many many women face. Something like a third of us have one for varying reasons.
It all seems to be such a minefield, with an 'everyone is individual in their recovery' general philosophy. Which is true I guess.
Extensive enquiries has led me to the belief that doing some exercise gradually is actually good for recovery. Walking mainly to start with, then swimming when the wounds have healed. Running and horse riding sadly seem to take the longest to return to at more like 3 months.
I have been given a few information sheets with post operative pelvic and adominal exercises, which is good. Already starting them as pre-op, which is also of benfit apparently,
Any further advice would still be useful though and I still feel like I may need some one-on-one advice from a physio at some point.
A couple of weeks to go and getting pretty scared by it all really :eek:
Thanks again.
Thanks for all the responses everyone. To update. I spoke to my doctor who said that I should indeed be doing exercises post op and that a physio is the best person to speak to. She suggested that I phone the hopsital physio dept.
Phoned the physio dept and they have a womens health physio dept. They said that of couse I should be seeing a physio, I don't have to pay as it's not my fault that it's an Easter operation and of course I should be doing exercises.
I am seeing the physio next week for a 3 month recovery plan, including exercises, based on my level of usual fitness. She will then give me a follow up call after the op to make sure that the operation went as planned and she doesn't have to revise the 3 month recovery plan.
I can't tell you what a relief it is to sort it out.
Thanks again.
Wish me luck!!!
good luck flopsy!!
bike or an exercise can be a good low impact way of exercising (and good leg benefit for running later).
exercise bike though dull can be especially good - as you can stop whenever you like, ie you haven't got to get yourself back like you might have to if you'd walked or ridden somewhere then realised you needed to stop.
hi i had my opp 4 weeks back i cant wait to get back on my horse everyone is saying 3-4 months im hateing it help