exercise

my doctor said that I could start on the elliptical if I am very slow and careful. I tried it twice (and of course I'm at half my capacity) I'm finding that I'm more fatigued afterwards. I was surprised because I though it would energize me. Anyone else more fatigued after walking or doing another type of exercise?

Give yourself time. Your body is still healing! I swear effects from anesthesia and just the surgery itself takes months to go away. Listen to your body, rest when you need to. You probably know yourself well enough to know just how hard you can push yourself. It's not abnormal though. It took me a while before I was able to workout at a "normal" level. Good luck. I bet you see that you get a little stronger with each few days and weeks that pass.

I know exactly what you mean... exercise used to really energise me.
I have still 2 weeks to go before I the clearance to run and go to the gym, but in the meantime I have been walking every day. Some days it feels good, and I walk briskly and up hills and feel fine. Other days (like this morning) I can hardly crawl up a small slope and then need to lie down for 2 hours.
I am (trying) to accept that my body is healing and doing its own thing. it probably doesn't have extra energy for exercise. In particular, the way you get fitter is that your muscles break down when you exercise and your body has to rebuild them stronger (which is why they get sore). I reckon my body is probably doing enough rebuilding at the moment in my abdomen and any additional load would send it over the edge and make it tired... Does that make sense to you?

It makes perfect sense! Just listen to your body, and don't overdo. The body really is smarter then we give it credit for. Within no time you will be back to a more normal you, and only occasionally will you have that really run down feeling. It's hard to get your brain around sometimes, because you feel so good, you think you ought to be able to do what you did before.
Here's to continued good healing.

Gosh. I'm proud to make it to the kitchen and back without huffing and puffing! Its been over 3 weeks and showers still wipe me out. I keep watching New Year's weight loss comercials, so I'm motivated to move, but don't feel ready. I have been quite dizzy eventhough the meds are out of the picture. Be careful on that equipment and take it easy.

I sure understand...I too want to get moving and start losing weight. Some days I can walk and walk with no aches or pains, but others...no way. I will be 12 weeks out tomorrow and things are much, much better, but I still get very, very tired. It is a slow healing process! But at least we are over the hump of the surgery! Thank the Lord! I expect you will find that you slowly start to feel less tired and more energized. Take it slowly...you are, after all, still recovering...so pampering is still needed!

I'm definitely feeling it. Doc released me last Wednesday to "ease" back into everything. Thursday, I started out knowing that I couldn't do my full walk; but hoping to at least be able to go around the block. I was really disappointed that I was lucky to make it to the first stop sign before I had to come in and lay down. After the nap though, I walked to the first stop sign, turned around and came back to the house, and then made it to the other stop sign. Then Friday evening after dh got home (I had been resting all day) we actually did make it around the block. Now I'm hoping to be able to do at least a fourth of my usual walk by this weekend. It's just a slow process.

I definitely agree with the other sisters in saying to listen to your body. You don't want to push yourself too hard and end up hurting more than you're helping.

Hugs, Luck, and Prayers,
Char