i'm squirming to get back in my workout routine

i'm having a tough time not doing anything that i used to do before all this-i was a gym junkie prior to and now i had to stop cold turkey.....is there anything i CAN do that will be allowed? i did my aqua stretches, but i'm wodering if any type of yoga will work-i'm needing an added sence of peace along with all this-hard times. looking for good times....aren't we all?

I went back to yoga at four weeks post-op and was back on the stationary bike at about the same time. Go slow and short at first, don't push it, and if you do a yoga class, tell the instructor about your surgery beforehand.

Just to make you inspired (or jealous, depending ), I am 5 months post-op and exercise six days a week - 1 hour power yoga or stationary bike or 3 mile run every day but Wednesday.

Take it easy...

You sound just like me. Working out at the gym was my life prior to my surgery and holding off for six weeks was hard - especially since I felt so good. What I did was start walking around my neighborhood at four weeks. I worked up to a two mile walk pretty quickly but just kept it at a pretty easy pace. Just do what feels ok and no more. I was back at the gym a couple of days before my six weeks and it was wonderful. Be patient, it will be here for you soon.

Just wondering... did you girls notice that you had an easier recovery because you were in good shape? I did, and I truely believe it was because of exercising for years on a regular basis. I went back to the gym at my 4 week post-op - But I started walking the day after I came home from the hospital.
Take Care and Drinks lots of water...
Ann

you know my doc praised me for being in such shape and guaranteed my recovery to be speedy if all went well-and i feel so much better knowing that i'm not the only one who feels this good this warly-i thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me and was wishing for too much. well obviously not!!!! so there is hope and i'm so happy-thank you for sharing your successes-look out gym----here i come<well, in a few weeks anyway...>

beams,

Yes, my GYN was very impressed with my uneventful and virtually pain free recovery. She told me that it was mainly due to my physical fitness - though my age, general health, etc. helped out a lot.

I started back at easy exercise (with my doctor's OK) at two weeks - gentle daily yoga stretches and 15 minute slow sessions on the treadmill (no incline, 3.0 mph). I also started walking in the hospital and have walked each day since. My dog went on several daily walks the five weeks that I was home, now he is back to one good 30 minute walk a day. I am sure he wishes that I never went back to work. LOL

At six weeks, I gradually started to build back up to my normal routine... Hang in there and ask your doctor what you CAN do. Just listen to your body, start out slowly, and get your doctor's OK.

i am the exact same way, I am 16 days post op and up to a bit over 3 miles a day walking semi brisk... I really want to start light had weights but am a bit leary yet, buy may at 3 weeks... any one try this? I am wondering about light jogging but again the " bouce" kind of scares me quite yet, maybe ill just increase the distance walking Good luck to all

I waited quite a while - almost 4 months - to "bounce", and it still hurts a bit sometimes even though I'm 5 months post-op. I stayed on the stationary bike for a long time and was pleasantly surprised that I was in pretty good cardiovascular shape when I finally decided to run.

Like other posters, I firmly believe that being in shape before surgery let me recover much more quickly. I was back at my fairly physical job at 4 weeks, and that was really important to me since I am self-employed and no work meant no income.

Thanks Julie, how soon did you start the stationery bike? I take it you kept the level low as that does put some strain on the abs from pushing so hard on the pedals.. Thanks

I was on the bike at about 4 weeks, on the lowest level for about 20 minutes to start. I barely broke a sweat, but I had to start somewhere.