TAH Is it possible to do too little post op hysterectomy?

Hi ladies,
I am 8 days post op and wondering if I'm taking it too easy.
Because I seem to be very prone to scar tissue (based on previous surgical experiences) my Dr. pretty much drilled into my head how important it was that I really let my body heal the first 2 weeks. I walk and have picked a thing or two up off the floor,but for the most part I'm just lying around. I find myself walking bent over babying my abdomen and even almost waddling! My Dr. did not want to order me a binder in the hospital in fear of prohibiting deep breathing. I feel like I felt stronger on Saturday night when I first came home. My pain is better, but I can not get over how exhausted I am!! It's as if the less I do, the more fatigued and winded I am. I simultaneously had an umbilical hernia repair and a removal and replacement of previously placed mesh at the muscle wall which became entangled in scar tissue over three years. I still have some feeling loss in my right thigh from the mesh work my general surgeon did.
Should I start pushing myself to be a lil more active?
As a side note, I am only taking Tylenol as needed for pain because I am on a post surgical blood thinner.

Why is it we women all think we have to push ourselves to do more. You need to rest. You should not be picking things up off the floor. With all that you had done (hysterectomy and umbilical hernia repair and a removal and replacement of previously placed mesh at the muscle wall) you should NOT be bending to pick things up off the floor. You just had major surgery, and your doctor is right. Don't lift anything over 10 pounds (heavier that a gallon of milk), don't sweep, rake, bend, vacuum, etc.
Even after two weeks you can't do all of that. You can continue to walk, and build your stamina that way, read, rest, watch movies, walk a little more. Stay out of the tub, away from sex, even if you feel like it, and just rest the next few weeks. Nourish your body with healthy food and protein. No pushing shopping carts, lift bags of groceries, babies, toddlers, etc.
But DO NOT PUSH YOURSELF. It is way too early.... You could end up injuring yourself and needing more surgery and be back at square one.
Good luck.

I guess I just read soo much on here about walking and progress and feeling better/stronger everyday, yet I feel I'm regressing everyday. I just wondered if it was maybe because I'm not walking enough and stimulating blood flow.......
Thanks for reminding me it's ok to lay low.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by MelissaMS Hi ladies, I am 8 days post op and wondering if I'm taking it too easy. Because I seem to be very prone to scar tissue (based on previous surgical experiences) my Dr. pretty much drilled into my head how important it was that I really let my body heal the first 2 weeks. I walk and have picked a thing or two up off the floor,but for the most part I'm just lying around. I find myself walking bent over babying my abdomen and even almost waddling! My Dr. did not want to order me a binder in the hospital in fear of prohibiting deep breathing. I feel like I felt stronger on Saturday night when I first came home. My pain is better, but I can not get over how exhausted I am!! It's as if the less I do, the more fatigued and winded I am. I simultaneously had an umbilical hernia repair and a removal and replacement of previously placed mesh at the muscle wall which became entangled in scar tissue over three years. I still have some feeling loss in my right thigh from the mesh work my general surgeon did. Should I start pushing myself to be a lil more active? As a side note, I am only taking Tylenol as needed for pain because I am on a post surgical blood thinner.

No sit back and enjoy I'm 4weeks post op. Started walking etc but yesterday noticed some fresh red bleeding scared me so back resting in bed again

	Quote:
Originally Posted by MelissaMS I guess I just read soo much on here about walking and progress and feeling better/stronger everyday, yet I feel I'm regressing everyday. I just wondered if it was maybe because I'm not walking enough and stimulating blood flow....... Thanks for reminding me it's ok to lay low.

Yes felt the same way but decided rest more important

I walked around the house the first 3 weeks, then started going on longer walks in week four.
Just relax and heal!
You should try to walk about the house throughout the day.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by MelissaMS Hi ladies, I am 8 days post op and wondering if I'm taking it too easy. Because I seem to be very prone to scar tissue (based on previous surgical experiences) my Dr. pretty much drilled into my head how important it was that I really let my body heal the first 2 weeks. I walk and have picked a thing or two up off the floor,but for the most part I'm just lying around. I find myself walking bent over babying my abdomen and even almost waddling!...

Pretty much *everyone* waddles the first week or two after surgery. :-)

The one thing I'd suggest that you might want to try is standing up straight(er) when you walk instead of crouching or bending forward. At this stage of the game, standing and sitting upright are actually providing gentle and appropriate forms of exercise for your healing abdomen.