Will I ever be back to "normal"

I'm having my TAH on Monday for an ovarian mass that may or may not be malignant. If it's malignant I'll have a whole lot of other things to concern myself with other than fitness. However at the moment I'm thinking positively. I'm 55 and probably in the best shape I've ever been. At the beginning of the year i got very disciplined about my diet and exercise and I now look and feel great. Unfortunately I have this ovarian mass that requires surgery (and hopefully that will be all).

So I've been reading here about fitness and exercise and I understand it can be a very long time before you can do the kind of exercise you did pre-surgery. I'm not a major fitness zealot like some people here but I do exercise and I'm fit and trim. Even with a 7m fibroid and a 10cm ovarian mass my stomach is flat and it hasn't been for a long time before this year.

So will I ever be able to regain the level of fitness I had before surgery? I realize it could be a year before I can really exercise again. Will I eventually be able to do what I did before surgery and get back in shape?

Oops - I see I didn't get this into the right place under the Fitness section. Maybe someone will respond here or move this to the right place.

It will take some time. Everyone is different, but if you practice patience and don't push yourself, you can get back to where you are now.

Thanks Kim! I have no problem being patient and if it takes a year, fine. I just wondered if you do ever feel the same and can eventually get back in shape. Like I said though, if I have ovarian cancer getting back in shape will be the least of my concerns.

Five weeks post op and I'm here to say I'm now confident I'll be back to normal in terms of fitness. My belly isn't huge and I have no swelly belly. I've resumed yoga sans the heavy abdominal work - will wait until six week all clear to slowly start that. Started walking about week three and got the go ahead for kayaking week four. My abs are not as bad as I was afraid they'd be. I envisioned not being able to even sit up unaided for weeks and that is not the case. Looking forward to getting back in shape.

Do what you can, when you can and be patient. I have been chomping at the bit and I hope to be cleared tomorrow at 7 weeks.

For someone who was in the gym 6 - 7 days a week, sometimes twice a day - running 10Ks and lifting HARD, this has been VERY hard and will continue to be in the coming months.

But I started, literally by walking to the mail box and back in the morning and at night. That coupled with the stairs and I was out for 2 - 3 hours. Then I began walking the cul-de-sac, then to the stop sign. . .little steps.

Today, 7 weeks post op, I walk 2 - 3 miles a day and have begun LIGHT weight lifting in the gym w little problem.I've begun to test a little and bounce, and while I don't think I'd have a problem jogging other than being winded, I'm waiting for my check up tomorrow before I do anything further.

It WILL come back. But you have to listen to your body and sleep when you need to sleep! That is where the healing takes place. Fuel your body with good stuff, too.

Hope you have a great recovery!

I am 8 months post op & I am finally returning to my pre surgery weight & reps. I have also returned to my belly dancing class. Everyone heals differently. Learn to listen to your body & do what it wants. Good luck!! Hugs!!

I'm almost seven weeks post op and I feel great. I can't believe I can do the ab part of my yoga routine. I thought my abs would be toast for months. Doing my regular 40 minutes of yoga albeit taking it a bit easier than I was pre-op. I'm amazed. Only thing I did pre-op that I haven't tried yet is tennis - just haven't had time or a partner. I am so pleasantly surprised.

This thread and all the replies have given me so much hope!

I was working out 6-7x/week pre-op. Getting back to that and not losing all the progress I'd made was my biggest concern before surgery. I'm 22 days post-op and it took me 27 minutes to walk a mile on the treadmill this morning. I'm OK with that. I'm following docs orders and not hurting myself. It's so easy to feel bad about ourselves during recovery - laying around all the time, people waiting on us, hormonal changes, etc. Reading your replies helped me remember that it isn't forever, and I will get back to it eventually. Thanks for the reminder and for bringing up my spirits!!