Thank you all for sharing...

TAH on 8/24/04, and this site has been my salvation - I never knew anything about the "swelly belly" phenomenon, and was concerned about it as soon as it started popping out. I know I over-do, but in many ways it seems like I'm doing nothing.

Even when I mentioned the swelling to my doctor she was vague and said that it would take about 6 months to feel better. Now I realize that it could take up to a year, but at least I know it will go away.

My DD had an emergency c-section 2 wks after my surgery, so I drove 300 miles to help her for a few days. That was like the blind leading the blind! Then went back to work half days 4 wks post-op for half days, full-time 2 wks later.

I have a DS who is 17 and has been great since my surgery - I have never been a couch potato before (hardly ever watched TV!), now I do hang out on the couch more with my heating pad.

My question is this: How do I know how much to exercise? My dr says I can walk and go to the gym, light on the weights. I notice that no matter what I do at the gym, the swelly belly hurts like crazy, so I am punished. Should I just lay off exercising? I seem to have lost so much muscle (not that I had abs or legs of steel, but now everything is mush). Being patient is hard. The other problem is that (I think) because I am somehow protecting my abdomen, my back aches terribly due to resulting poor posture.
Sorry for rambling...any tips on the exercising or backache issue will be much appreciated!

Hi,

Glad you posted this question, I'm eager to see what other princesses experienced.

I'm almost 6 weeks post up and I too I'm anxious to exercise again. I have lost 17 pounds by exercising and eating better (no dieting) and I'm afraid to get the lbs back, since I havn't exercised since the beginning of September. Anemia had left me with no energy, then surgery...

I talked to my DR at 3 weeks and she said I could walk but of course it was too soon for the aerobics / strenght training videos I used to do 4 times a week, it will take a few months still before I can go back to that.

She did mention I could most likely start swimming after my 6 week check up. I think I'll enroll in a aqua-fitness class, that would be good and not too stressful I think.

Take care,

at my 5 week checkup my MD said to go ahead with normal activities. as far as the gym - he said I should work out as if I had never worked out before - go slowly, don't rush, don't want to do too much. At 5 weeks I started treadmilling and now at 7-1/2 weeks I am back almost to my original speed and time (3 miles in 45-50 minutes). Walking feels good. I'm gradually adding a little leg work and shoulder work - very light weights, and will build up gradually, just as if I was starting out for the first time. And in in jeans again now, too. I didn't think that would happen for a while - still tight, but have been ok all day today at work.

I know what you mean about wanting to get back in shape! I haven't been able to do much at all for this whole year. I have never seen my body look like this (jello) given that I ran marathons until 2000, so I'm used to a totally different look.
I do think, if I were you - before doing anything else, I would prioritize the posture problem. Are you sleeping stretched out? If not, that might help. (of course anytime you can exercise in your sleep, how much better can it be?) Walking around hunched over is only going to cause you endless other problems - such as the back pain you're already having.
I know what you mean about wanting to protect your abdomen though! Today I went grocery shopping for the first time since...Every shopping basket in the whole place looked like a weapon of mass destruction aimed right at my AB! I couldn't wait to get out of there, but of course it took me forever (like an hour) to do 20 min of grocery shopping.
And, I had never had any swelly-belly until today. I had really dreaded that trip - I knew that would happen, knew I wasn't up to it, but the helpers were all away... It really does stink knowing you're about to do something that will hurt you and then having no choice.
Back to yours, though - let your body talk to you - it's telling you that whatever you are doing is too much. See if it subsides when you slow down? Maybe you'll have to adjust your activities backwards for awhile.
I can't believe you made that 300 mile trip at two weeks! What a Mom you are!
When to plan on exercise? I'm the last person to advise, I'm having a ridiculously slow recovery so I haven't really considered it yet, but I did hear a good rule of thumb - do 1/2 of what you feel like doing. We're all still healing, so be kind to yourself.

joano
(living in somebody else's body)

I can completely relate to the back pain. I get it along each side through the mid back. Some days it's horrible and I use my heating pad (thank God to whoever designed those things) just to ease it a bit. I have to believe it's from overcompensating for the tummy muscles. It sure can hurt. At 2 weeks post op I only wish that I could just soak in a hot bath of epsom salts - of coure, it's a no no. Hope it gets better for you; and for me, too.

The back pain is probably due to over use since your abs are shot from the surgery. People sometimes don't understand how much your abs work just to stand. I think I would stick to walking for awhile, but of course talk to your doc and make sure he/she knows exactly what you are feeling. But no matter what exercise you pursue, you need to ease into it or you will be doing more harm than good and will regret it later.

I am probably repeating what everyone else has said, but perhaps it will help. My doctor told me I could go back to Curves after six weeks, but to take it easy. I am almost eight weeks, and I still have not felt that this was 'right' for me... Walking has been the best thing for the swelly belly. I had a terrible time with it, and one week all I did was rest, but it did not improve until I started walking one mile a day. Walking uses all your muscles, so its perfect to get started. And for some reason, it seems to help the swelly belly better than traumeel cream, heating pad, ice pack or what have you....


Once I get my walking up to speed, I plan to start using my treadmill again, then when I can do that comfortably, I will go back to Curves, but avoid the ab machines for a while.

I too have more back pain since my surgery and I am sure its from the weak abs. They usually don't cut ab muscles for a hyst, but they did have to cut mine a bit, so they are SO weak...and they were not in that good of shape before the surgery either!

Just my experience...for what its worth.