What is the balance ?

I am SO confused. I was going to ask you guys if it's normal for pain levels when I'm standing / walking around to be 3-4 pain scale points higher than sitting still ?? Everybody at hospital and here says walk as much as you can for the gas and to get everything back to normal. So I was up and down quite a bit Yest. ( I'm living downstairs right now ) I asked the home care nurse what should be my goal as far as how much to walk / how often ? She said once every two hours !! I thought we were supposed to do more than that. ?? I had to walk in the hospital when I could barely breathe from the gas etc and I thought we had to just power thru that pain. I feel like an idiot. I don't know how much is too much or too little. I did have a better nite. I didn't have to take pain pill in middle of nite. I woke up numerous times and was ok Enuf to fall back to sleep. I finally made it upstairs ( if Marciamae is reading ) and got on scale. Up 5 pounds since surgery am and 2.5 from the pre op diet. So 7.5. As a person that has battled weight issues all her life , I'm just telling myself hey this didn't come from overeating . It will come off when it's supposed to. At least it's not more : ) ( it feels like 20 ) . Anyone out there with some kinda way to help me balance the walking / resting would be appreciated. Thank u much. !

Hello there

The important thing to do is be patient with yourself. You just had major surgery. Walking right now isn’t timed but more when you get up to go to the bathroom or go to the kitchen for some water perhaps. Honestly, energy… fatigue… resting are what will happen within the first week or two. Pay no mind to the scale as that can be a focus later down the road. Healing is your focus presently.

Take things small right now. Eat small meals. Eat more fruits and veggies. Drink tons of water. Perhaps even a little Gatorade or pedialyte for the electrolytes. Most of all, One day at a time!
*hugs*

Please watch this video:
Post OpWeek1-2

This is definitely not a "power through" recovery. The right amount of walking will be different for different people.

What worked for me the first couple of weeks was to do 2-3 walks outdoors every day plus walking around the apartment in the course of getting things done - getting myself something to eat or drink, using the bathroom, etc. When I walked outside, I'd walk until I just started to feel tired and then turn for home. That way I never got *over*tired. When I got home I'd make a cup of tea and take that outside with a book or some sewing to sit for awhile.

If you are in pain, don't power through it just to get the walk in. Each one of us is different. I did shuffle and walk a little hunched over since it was a little uncomfortable. When I got up to go to the bathroom, which was every hour to 1 1/2 hours because of all the water I was drinking, I would walk a few extra laps around the dining room table or around the kitchen island if I felt comfortable enough to do so. I tried to walk at least 5-10 minutes each time if it felt okay. Then I rested the remainder of the time. I started getting outside the second week and doing more walking then. Definitely stayed away from hills. It gets easier and less uncomfortable with each day and week.

Huni don't be so hard on yourself, recovery is so different for everyone, for the first 1-2 weeks I hardly moved out of bed, I literally walked to the loo and back and that was it - I wasn't capable of anything else, I showered and that was me done in, I ate in bed, didn't venture downstairs at all, I didn't think I was doing enough but if I'm honest now I think all that rest helped me an awful lot. Week 3 I started going downstairs, sitting out in the garden, eating my meals at the table again... Week 4.5 and I'm going out for walks, shopping, although not driving, nor lifting and not much else tbh, but starting to get there... It's hard to know if your doing too much or too little but from my experience, and I've had a lot of surgery (this being the hardest by far) you can't do too little but you can do too much! I know everyone is different but rest rest and rest somemore would be my advice, as so many ladies have said, you have one chance only to heal - do it properly!

Just say no to powering through! I was 3 weeks post op and powered brought a trip to Walmart- you know how much walking that can be. I was in so much pain but I finished my trip. Took me two days to recover.

I only "walked" to get something or to go to the bathroom.

Take it easy!!!! Pain is the boss. If you hurt,stop what you are doing! The pain gets better but don't think it gets better fast! It sure does not!

Thank u all for your imput. It hurts to walk at all. My pain level sitting could be a 3-4. And then I get up and move around it goes to a 8-9 sometimes. I thought we had to do it anyway. Today I'm sitting ALOT more than Yest.

Random question : I can't get any of the smilies to work other than the six that are on the bottom of this box . I upgraded my membership.

On the smiley thingy, have you clicked the [More] thingy at the bottom? I'm on an iPad so it may not show up on yours?!?!?

Ok so are you taking anything for pain? My doc said not to be superwoman. Take the pain pills. You will be able to rest better and therefore be able to heal better. Take those pills!

I had a narcotic and a suped uped Advil. I took the Advil pretty regular and then I would throw in a pain pill when I felt the worst.

Hi sweetie pie , yes I'm pushing the more button. ( I'm on my iPhone ) and it gives me this huge list and anything I push doesn't work. I push the description or the icon. Neither work. : ( yes ! I'm taking the pain pills. I prob wouldn't be able to function without those. I'm alternating the Motrin in between.

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