dVH/RALH Running 2 weeks post-op???

I'm day # 3 post-op and after an initial rough first 12 - 24 hours, I'm improving quite rapidly. I only had one Vicodin today and I think I'll be going without it tomorrow.

Upon being released from the hospital, I asked my GYN Oncology surgeon when I'll be able to resume full activity, specifically running. His answer stunned me (in a good way) and I wonder if he exagerated just to lift up my spirits. (The surgery was sudden and I had/have a hard time accepting it.) He said, see how you feel in 2 weeks and if you have no pain and you're up to it, sure ...

I know the minimally invasive nature will cut recovery time by a lot, but running (a high impact activity) after 2 weeks? I want that to be true, but it sounds too soon ...

Anyone else able to resume high impact activity that soon?

I 'feel' like I could cope with my sports. But to be on the safe side I'm waiting at least another 2 weeks. I think it is possible to feel well enough to resume normal activity - I didn't have really much pain from day 2 and was off meds completely. And I felt really 100% my normal self, perhaps I do run out of energy and get tired quicker. My wounds (just lap wounds on outside) look like any other scars now so they have healed well and hoping the same healing has happened on the inside too. I will still wait though and still being careful. Will assess in another 2 weeks. So I think it is possible. I just don't know that it is wise or not. My dr's initially said I should wait 3-6 months - but I cannot see that I need to wait that long to return to Derby training (even if lightly to begin with - certainly won't be whacking people and throwing myself on the floor straight away!)

I don't want to push it and re-injure myself, but it would serve me well (from a mental health stand point) if I can start excercising again ...

That is great your doc said wait to see how u feel in 2 weeks, as a runner myself I asked my doc when I can get back to running and she said "no running at all till 6 weeks!" Makes me feel sad as I miss it greatly, but I don't want to make things worse for myself. Keep me posted!!!

I'm surprised the doctor would say yes to running so soon. The only part that's faster to recover from with Dvh is the incision. Everything inside is the same and that's what takes the longest to heal.

I am almost 4 weeks post-op and up until now have had absolutely no issues. I am an avid runner and was in great shape pre-op, because of this my Dr gave me the ok to start out with "low-impact" yoga poses when I started to feel ok physically. At abt 1.5-2 weeks post op I started with yoga and because I had no complications doing so started running soon afterwards. I began with just a slow jog and only ran abt. half a mile and gradually increased. Being able to excercise again felt great, but long story short I am now on best rest due to a pulled stitch.
I started bleeding pretty heavy and passing large clots on Tuesday, went to Dr and he said I had a stitch on my cuff that was strained and causing the bleeding. It wasn't a complete tear, so he said I needed to take it very easy for the next week. He scared me into submission by stating that if the cuff does tear any further, then it will mean another trip to the O.R. So here I am off work again, no bending, no squatting, no anything really- and because of the silver nitrate to stop the bleeding having to deal with huge amounts of discharge.
My advice would be to put off running til at least 4-6 weeks. As others on here have said before you only get to heal once. Why risk it!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by ajntw5 I am almost 4 weeks post-op and up until now have had absolutely no issues. I am an avid runner and was in great shape pre-op, because of this my Dr gave me the ok to start out with "low-impact" yoga poses when I started to feel ok physically. At abt 1.5-2 weeks post op I started with yoga and because I had no complications doing so started running soon afterwards. I began with just a slow jog and only ran abt. half a mile and gradually increased. Being able to excercise again felt great, but long story short I am now on best rest due to a pulled stitch. I started bleeding pretty heavy and passing large clots on Tuesday, went to Dr and he said I had a stitch on my cuff that was strained and causing the bleeding. It wasn't a complete tear, so he said I needed to take it very easy for the next week. He scared me into submission by stating that if the cuff does tear any further, then it will mean another trip to the O.R. So here I am off work again, no bending, no squatting, no anything really- and because of the silver nitrate to stop the bleeding having to deal with huge amounts of discharge. My advice would be to put off running til at least 4-6 weeks. As others on here have said before you only get to heal once. Why risk it!

Wow. Thank you for sharing that cautionary tale! My doctor said I should wait to get back to running, but made it sound like the only reason to hold off was because the jarring on my post-op abdominal muscles would hurt. She didn't say there could be any problems like that. Now I'll definitely not rush it.

Thanks for the wake up call. I'm in OK shape, but not very fit right now ... and eager to get there; I feel it will help my emotional healing and help me regain the confidence I lost going through this. Maybe I'll start with long walks before moving on to running.

I was just thinking ... would some kind of compression garment help with keeping your organs from moving around too much during running? I don't have big incisions, but thinking that might help anyway ...

* meant to say BED rest not best rest.....although best rest sounds much more enticing!

I do miss running and I was running up until my surgery. Walking now takes all my energy and I'm feeling a bit down wondering if I will ever get my life back to some type of normal. I miss working out.

Must learn patience and ajntw5, thanks for sharing cuz that helps remind me not to push myself. Yes, we only heal one!!! HUGS!!!!!