Surgery - how long until ride again?

[Lisa T]

Hi all,

I'm female, 38, and started getting into cycling early this year. I was riding 4-5 days a week about an hour at a time.

Haven't ridden since early May due to some health issues, and had a semi-emergency hysterectomy two weeks ago. The surgery will solve the health issues! So I'm looking forward to one of these days being better than ever.

But - I'm wondering, how long should I expect for recovery? Dr says after next week I can do anything I FEEL like doing. Any other gals out there who've had this surgery, and how long until you felt like riding again? How long until full recovery?

I'm bummed that I'm missing the best months of the year!

Lisa T in Seattle

 

[Brunswick_kate]

Hi all,

I'm female, 38, and started getting into cycling early this year. I was riding 4-5 days a week about an hour at a time.

Haven't ridden since early May due to some health issues, and had a semi-emergency hysterectomy two weeks ago. The surgery will solve the health issues! So I'm looking forward to one of these days being better than ever.

But - I'm wondering, how long should I expect for recovery? Dr says after next week I can do anything I FEEL like doing. Any other gals out there who've had this surgery, and how long until you felt like riding again? How long until full recovery?

I'm bummed that I'm missing the best months of the year!

Lisa T in Seattle

Exactly what your surgeon says...What you FEEL like .. WHEN you FEEL like it...for as LONG as you FEEL like it...

I'm not being a smart ass here...in an of itself an unusual condition. Your body has undergone a major assault. Your body can't tell the difference between a surgical assault and a bar room tuning. If you feel like riding for an hour, go for it. If the body says "whoa" after 5 mins, get off it.

This sounds right dead simple. Most of us don't do it. We get brainwashed and locked into notions of training regimes....X kilometres; Y speed; Z time...ABC reps...This is nuts for a body recovering from an assault. Exercise will make your recovery quicker, particularly if the hysterectomy was abdominal as opposed to vaginal surgery. Gentle exercise is so good for assisting in the recovery from abdominal surgery. But the secret is to keep it gentle as opposed to the continuation of the physical assault on your body. How to know the difference? Your body will tell you if you have the sense to listen.

 

[HellonWheels]

Hi all,

I'm female, 38, and started getting into cycling early this year. I was riding 4-5 days a week about an hour at a time.

Haven't ridden since early May due to some health issues, and had a semi-emergency hysterectomy two weeks ago. The surgery will solve the health issues! So I'm looking forward to one of these days being better than ever.

But - I'm wondering, how long should I expect for recovery? Dr says after next week I can do anything I FEEL like doing. Any other gals out there who've had this surgery, and how long until you felt like riding again? How long until full recovery?

I'm bummed that I'm missing the best months of the year!>>>>

I',m wondering this too. A few years ago I returned to cycling after a 20 year lapse....and consequently lost a LOT of weight...now I have a lot of loose skin left over and my dr wants me to have surgery to remove it. I've postponed it because it will mean 6 wks of no exercise of ANY kind, stationary or regular bikes. I'm thinking of postponing till October, so my recupe time will be winter when I dont ride as much.


PS: I had an emergency hyst five years ago myself (uterine rupture during delivery)....I was not phys active back then yet, but I remember the recupe time was about 8 weeks for me.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

Hi all,

I'm female, 38, and started getting into cycling early this year. I was riding 4-5 days a week about an hour at a time.

Haven't ridden since early May due to some health issues, and had a semi-emergency hysterectomy two weeks ago. The surgery will solve the health issues! So I'm looking forward to one of these days being better than ever.

But - I'm wondering, how long should I expect for recovery? Dr says after next week I can do anything I FEEL like doing. Any other gals out there who've had this surgery, and how long until you felt like riding again? How long until full recovery?

I'm bummed that I'm missing the best months of the year!

Lisa T in Seattle

you had surgery 2 weeks ago and next week the doc said you can do anything you feel like doing? I dunno, that doesn't sound like enough time to me. my mom had a hysterectomy last summer and the doctor told her not to do basically ANYTHING for 6 weeks.

 

[pinkcycle]

I've been cycling for about 3 years now (I'm 42). I do 2-3 centuries per summer and lots of 30 - 50 mile rides. I had major shoulder surgery in February and was panicked about whether or not I would be able to ride by the spring. My goal was the Boston Marathon route on Marathon day which was just past the two month mark. I did it, although not without pain! I don't know about abdominal surgery, but it seems like that might affect cycling quite a bit. I would say, listen to your body and your doctor!!!
Kim

 

[trekchic]

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!!!!!!!! Don't ride or run or do anything strenuous until ALL of the "upper" stitches are absorbed! You DON'T want to tear them or pull them or aggravate them in ANY way! I had a partial hysterectomy 4 years ago. It took 9 WEEKS for me to heal completely. I couldn't even pull wet laundry out of the washer for about 5 weeks, couldn't bend down, lift anything heavier than my purse.........had to watch everything I did.

That wasn't my 1st surgery though. I had 3 C-sections and a tubal ligation during the previous 7 years of my life! AAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhh, motherhood, the joys, sorrows, PAAAAAAAAIIIINNNNNSSS!

Seriously, please don't do anything to jeapordize your recovery, it just isn't worth it! Take it eeeeeeeeeeeeasy! Let you family wait on you hand and foot.......you deserve it!

Just my experience with THAT surgery!

note: It's the best thing I ever did, health-wise. I was bleeding continually for 6 months.....sometimes hemoraging to the point of hospitalization. Once the decision was made, and it was ME dragging my feet, it became the best decision. I don't feel like "1/2 a woman" like I thought I would. And, having any more children was out of the question already.........so, now I am "aunt Flo" free and lovin' it!

Good luck to you. I hope your recovery is much speedier than mine was!

Kim in TN

 

[HellonWheels]

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!!!!!!!! Don't ride or run or do anything strenuous until ALL of the "upper" stitches are absorbed! You DON'T want to tear them or pull them or aggravate them in ANY way! I had a partial hysterectomy 4 years ago. It took 9 WEEKS for me to heal completely. I couldn't even pull wet laundry out of the washer for about 5 weeks, couldn't bend down, lift anything heavier than my purse.........had to watch everything I did.

That wasn't my 1st surgery though. I had 3 C-sections and a tubal ligation during the previous 7 years of my life! >>>

Your history sounds very similar to mine: three Csections and then a partial hyst. My last Csection was actually done right before the partial hyst (I was trying for a VBAC after two prior Csecs and the uterus exploded (!), necessitating removal of it and one ovary/tube (damaged in the rupture.)

Because of all that surgery, it took me a LONG time to mentally accept that exercise was okay (I was sedentary for the most part during the years when all that surgery happened.) One reason I chose to return to an active lifestyle (cycling, exercise, etc) was to see if I could mentally overcome the fear of activity after surgery.