How soon after post op do you start strenous exercise?

[djay210 18]

Hello, I am 4 days post op and still sore at my incision sites, lots of gas and nausea. Also feeling weak

I was just wondering when I could start swimming, dancing and Zumba again?

Would love to hear from others experiences.

Peace,

Djay

[jhclikesshopping@gmail.com 285]

Hi ~ Welcome to our world. I cannot talk about Zumba but with swimming, I had to wait till my incisions were healed. I just got back in the pool maybe a week ago. I think this was 45 days. I did start pilates mat after 30 days and now I am doing heavy cardio on elliptical (and I am 7 weeks out from surgery)

[AngelaWilliamsMD 290]

My surgeon recommended non-strenuous activity for 4 weeks, so I've been walking 30-60 minutes at a time.

[MountianGirl 109]

I was told 6 weeks so I followed that. I did walk about 20 min a day during that time but nothing hardcore. You've just had major abdominal surgery-let your body heal. You have the rest of your life to do strenuous exercise.

[hb.mambo 17]

I couldn't do a strenuous workout right now if I had to. I'm only getting 300 calories a day- 13 days out, and that's barely enough to get me through the day.

[MountianGirl 109]

hb.mambo makes a good point. You don't have the caloric intake to not pass out right now doing strenuous exercise. Even once you hit the 6 week mark, work up to it. Nothing more embarrassing than falling over unconscious at a fitness class

[djay210 18]

Thanks everyone! So this tiredness is do to the low caloric intake? All I want to do is walk a little, sit little, and sleep alot!

[BigTink2LilTink 723]

As other's have stated here, you need about 4 to 6 weeks to heal up before you can start doing more strenuous workouts such as weight lifting, swimming, etc. Trust me when I say walk, walk, and walk as much as you can doing those first few weeks after surgery. It does help out, especially with the bowels and needing to pass stool.

As for the feeling tired, yup. You aren't getting in nearly as much nutrients as your body was use to so you're burning up that energy really fast. I think for the first month and a half post surgery for me I spent as much of my free time as possible sleeping. That also helped me not think about all the food I was missing too. But that was probably just my thing. The food mentals.

[hb.mambo 17]

I've never been so exhausted, nor I have I ever spent an evening on the couch until now. Hoping that with the next stage of eating comes a bit more energy. Caffeine withdrawal doesn't help either!