Upcoming hysterectomy 4/20: Fitness levels, before and just after surgery

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Originally Posted by Astropuppy Thank you. I have been getting worried reading about women having difficulty sitting in a chair or getting out of bed. When I first discussed the surgery, the doctor said I couldn't lift anything heavier than a milk bottle but didn't mention any other restrictions.

I didn't like sitting in the same position for hours, but as long as I could change position a little, I was fine. I was really scared to try to get out of bed the first time, in the hospital some hours after my surgery. But my sister had told me that once you figure out how to do it, it's not bad. I asked the nurse what the strategy was and she told me to use my arms and my legs/feet and not my abs. I got up with no problem, thankfully as once they took the catheter out I had to get up to go to the bathroom every 20 minutes until I convinced them to take the iv out! I was up and down countless times and was not in any pain.

[quote=SurprisedInNB;4572968]I had a somewhat similar experience when my gyn told me I had cancer and that she was referring me to a gyn onc for a hysterectomy. I asked how long the recovery period would be. She said six weeks. I exclaimed in real horror - more so than the C-word had evoked - "I can't stay in bed for six weeks!"

Ha ha, if the thought that I had to stay in bed for 6 weeks had crossed my mind I would have either cried right there in the drs office, or cancelled the surgery, or both! I think that we were both lucky to have drs who were right for us and didn't believe that laying in bed was the only way to recover!

I had trouble lying still in the MRI machine!

Another question - why have I read that I won't be able to wear tops that go over my head? Is it because it would stretch my abs and I could rip my incision? I would like to be able to stretch out my abs, do simple backbends, twists, etc, so when they heal, they aren't too tight and I retain the flexibility I had before.

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Originally Posted by Astropuppy I'm hoping that knowing how to use my arms to support my body weight somewhat in yoga will help me with this.

It certainly should! :-)

My bed is a futon-like thing on the floor. Before surgery, I dragged my (fairly heavy) exercise machine over so that the handlebars were near the bed.

After surgery, to stand up I would lie on my side, tuck my legs up and roll sideways and upwards so that I ended up in a kneeling position. Then I could take hold of the handlebars and use my arms to pull myself up to a standing position.

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Originally Posted by Astropuppy I had trouble lying still in the MRI machine! Another question - why have I read that I won't be able to wear tops that go over my head? Is it because it would stretch my abs and I could rip my incision? I would like to be able to stretch out my abs, do simple backbends, twists, etc, so when they heal, they aren't too tight and I retain the flexibility I had before.

Huh? *All* my tops go on over my head. When I got dressed to go home from the hospital three days after surgery, I pulled a sports bra on over my head and followed it with a T-shirt. I had no trouble doing that. I also had no trouble reaching up to wash my hair when I got home.

I think you'll find, however, that your body is resistant to doing backbends and twists for the first few weeks. Your abs really are doing a lot of work just to heal and do things like hold you upright and help support your diaphragm.

I'd suggest that you have to accept that during the recovery period, you will lose a bit of the conditioning you currently have. When you return to "normal" six weeks or so after surgery, you're not going to do so at quite the same level. It will take a couple of weeks to build back to where you were.

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Originally Posted by Astropuppy I had trouble lying still in the MRI machine! Another question - why have I read that I won't be able to wear tops that go over my head? Is it because it would stretch my abs and I could rip my incision? I would like to be able to stretch out my abs, do simple backbends, twists, etc, so when they heal, they aren't too tight and I retain the flexibility I had before.

Wow, I have never seen that one! I pulled my dress over my head in the hospital the day after surgery, no problems! I think sometimes if someone has done something and it caused them pain, they post telling everyone not to do it. My advice is that if your dr doesn't forbid something, and you try it and it doesn't hurt or bother you, then it's probably ok. Seriously people will tell you all kinds of things you shouldn't do. But really it is different for everyone.

I was quite fit before my surgery. I am guilty of bending and twisting and doing things that many would have found difficult or uncomfortable. I tried to be careful but was still did the types of movements automatically. On day two or three I went into a lotus position with no back support. It felf sooo good.... for about one minute the my abs started screaming! I just quickly changed position and later had to lie down with some ice. No permanent damage done. After three weeks I notice I have lost a bit of flexibility but I figure it will comeback as soon as I get moving again.

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Originally Posted by coughy16 I think sometimes if someone has done something and it caused them pain, they post telling everyone not to do it.

OK. This makes sense. I know how to tell the difference between good - my muscles are working hard and getting stronger - soreness and bad - something is wrong; it's time to stop - pain.

I am really only concerned with what I am not supposed to do because I could injure myself, which I will have to discuss with the doctor. All I know is that I'm not supposed to lift anything heavy.

How long do you think it will be before I can sit comfortably on the floor with no back support? As I work at home in front of a computer, my Dr said I could get back to working in about two weeks. However, my set up is that I work on the floor (I took the legs off my table) as it is much better for my hips and hamstrings than sitting in a chair all day, and it strengthens my abs.

I just ordered an armchair, which I plan to keep close to the front door, so I have
something to sit in easily as soon as I walk in the house. I'm thinking I'm going to have to get an office chair and raise my table back up, but I really don't want to.

Will I be able to manage floor sitting 2-3 weeks after surgery, considering that I'm used to sitting on the floor all day long? I could get up and down by getting on my hands and knees first. If I need to have a chair, could I manage with an armless one so I could cross my legs while I'm on it? I need to take care of this before surgery as I would have to go to the store and sit in the chair to make sure it's comfortable and the right size before I buy it.

Update. I just spoke to the nurse who said that other than not being able to lift heavy things, there are absolutely no restrictions at all. I can go up and down stairs whenever I like, sit on the floor as long as I'm comfortable. Think I might buy an office chair and keep it just in case.