how long to wear abdominal binder?

I'm about 2 1/2 weeks post surgery, and I was wondering how long I should wear my abdominal binder. Should I keep it on all day and all night or take breaks?

Sometimes the binder seems to make me sore, but I feel sore when I don't wear it too, so I don't know what's best. Do I need to take breaks and let me muscles start to strengthen up on their own?

Btw, I had an abdominal incision, if that makes a difference.

Well I don't have the answer for you here.
I had an abdonminal incision too..and haven't worn a binder yet. So I don't see why you can't take it off. Did the doctor give you orders with it? They did give me one at the hospital, but they never even showed me how to use it.

They put it on my my second day in the hospital. My doctor told me to wear it if it helped, and it does, but I was hoping to find out if others found it helpful to wear long term, or not.

I had no problems wearing it and thought it helped a lot. This is day 12, so I'm experimenting. Didn't take ibuprofen last night or so far today, didn't put the binder back on after my shower this morning. So far, so good, but I'm having a very lazy day.

Drat. I missed the part about abdominal incision. Mine was daVinci robot-assisted laproscopy. Could be totally different.

with my csections i received the abdominal binder and the first couple days i wore it pretty much non stop.only taking it off at night to let it breathe. then after that i would wear it if i was going somewhere and would be walking a bit or riding in the car. by 2 weeks i was off of it. this time with my TAH i havent received one. i dont know if theyre just waiting till they get me up and walking or if im not getting one at all but to be honest i dont really miss it. its hardly even hurting.even when i pull myself up in the bed again and again.this may change once i get up and walking but for now im fine.

i would jsut say take it off at night to let the site breathe and such.

When I woke up from my second op, I was wearing a binder. I think they put it on because they had to reopen my abdominal incision and they were worried it wouldn't reclose well.

I wore it for another 3.5 days until I got out of the hospital.

I love my binder! I've used a binder for 3 surgeries and I've never been given any guidelines on how long to use it. I love the support and I use it till I'm comfortable without.

@fefe1117: You may need to ask for a binder if they haven't given you one. I didn't get one for this surgery because it was an LAVH, so I asked the nurse if I could have one. They had no problem at all giving me one once I asked, but I don't think I would've gotten one had I not asked.

yeah i just asked the nurse when she said they were gonna get me up at 7 to walk.she said she will get me one to walk in.i was like phew*wipes forehead*

I had a TAH and I had to ask my surgeon for a hysterectomy binder. I guess she normally doesn't give them to her hysterectomy patients. (SOOOO glad I came to the HysterSister's store website!!) The binder from the hospital was ok but the binder I bought from HysterSister's store website was so awesome - the hysterectomy abdominal pocket binder - it has a little pouch where you can put a cold pack/heat pack. I used cold packs the entire first week I was out of the hospital.

I don't know how long you are supposed to wear one (my surgery was only two weeks ago) but I know that it sure helps when you sleep on your side, and it also makes it MUCH easier to roll over at night! It also helps give you support when you are out walking anywhere.