Biking after Hysterectomy

[stacy]

I am scheduled for total abdominal hysterectomy next week. Just wondering if any of you have any tips or advice as to how long it took you to get back in the saddle? I am 47.

[velogirl]

Good luck with your surgery. I had a hysterectomy in 1996 (abdominal, not laproscopic). I didn't ride then, but I was active.

First advice, get some button-up shirts. You'll feel uncomfortable lifting your arms over your head for a while. And lots of pillows. Laying down and getting up again was a bit challenging for the first couple of weeks. If your bed is very high, you might consider sleeping on the couch for a while. Oh, and don't freak out when you feel your other organs sloshing around in your abdominal cavity post-surgery.

Now, about cycling. I didn't ride, but I did ski and skate and I also worked out at the gym.

I was in the hospital for five days. I was back out & about in two weeks. I returned to work in six weeks. I was working out at the gym by week seven (including ab work). I started skiing during week five (yes, before I returned to work). I was nervous about "busting my stitches" but the doc assured me that there were many layers of stitches and surgical lace and it would be virtually impossible to undo them. I was very swollen for a long time. I don't remember now, but it was probably a couple of months before the swelling went completly down and I was able to wear all my normal clothes again.

Oh, I didn't have any sensation on my abdomen for about six months. I remember the first time I could feel my boyfriend's touch on my belly again. It was so strange. But I did have that crazy, itching, healing sensation deep inside.

[divingbiker]

I had mine last November. I had complications that required that I have two catheters in my bladder for two weeks, so my recovery time was set back a bit because of that. I was in the hospital for 3 days, then back in the emergency room a week later due to an "ileus" (sp? apparently air in the digestive system that won't move) and resulting dehydration. It wasn't fun.

I was semi-normal after the catheters came out (2.5 weeks, I think) and I went back to work after 6 weeks, like velogirl. Because mine was in the winter, I didn't get back to biking till the spring, but I was in the gym using the elliptical machine and lifting weights after 2 months, per doctor's orders not to start exercising sooner. (Actually, I started lifting light arm weights at home after 4-5 weeks, now that I think about it.)

I had the same experience as velogirl regarding the itchy, numb sensation and swelling. Don't try to do too much too soon, even if you feel you can. They're doing a lot of damage inside, and it needs time to heal. Good luck!

Edit: Forgot to say I was 49 at the time. It's tough to admit it, but we just don't bounce back as fast as we did in our 20's.

[rocknrollgirl]

I had an abdominal hysto 3 years ago. It was about 7 weeks until I really turned the corner and felt like I could exercise again. I caution you to take it easy. Too much too soon and you can set yourself back. I did not lift any weights until about 8 weeks.

Lots of weird things happen after this surgery...sloshy organs being one of them. And nobody tells youall of the weird stuff before youleave the hospital. Don't hesitate to post and let us help you.

[limewave]

Hi Stacy,
I have not had a hysterectomy, although I was supposed to. Turned out once they got in there that only half of everything had to come out. That was 3 years ago.

I would say it was about 7 weeks for me too before I felt like doing much. But, I was weaker than I thought. It really takes time to recover from this. Pace yourself and take baby steps--ease back into your normal routine. I do think I started doing some very leisurely riding at about 8 weeks. And not on a road bike, I needed to sit up a little more.

My doctor told me 3 months to recover--but, I hear and believe it to be true, it takes a full year to gain back your endurance. I tried to go back to work after 2 months, my body was not ready for full-time work yet. I really wish I had waited.

Anyway, good luck on your surgery. I hope it goes well.

[DDH]

I haven't had one, but I did want to come on here and say good luck to you and please take it easy. Surgery is a major thing and you need to take it easy and do as the doctor says when it is all over.

My sister had one and she recovered very quickly was back to work after 6 weeks. She did complain of the numbness and a few other weird kind of things so I would definitely ask about them.

Good luck to you.

[Bicyclette]

I have no advice for you - I just wanted to wish you luck with your surgery. Hope you're back in the saddle soon

[mlove]

Mine is scheduled for late January. The doctor told me not to drive or pick up anything over 10 pounds for 6 weeks and to climb stairs just once a day for a while. Mine will also be abdominal and I am hoping that I will be more or less ok by the time our club starts riding again in April. Most women that I have talked to tell me six weeks is about right but one woman at our gym, who had a vaginal, was back doing light exercise in a week and seems fully recovered after six.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[velogirl]

Vaginal is the way to go if you have a competent surgeon and no other risk factors. Of course, this depends on "why" you're having a hysterectomy. When I had mine, it was for fybroids from hell. I'd had them removed several other times over a period of about six years. In the year prior to my hysto, I bled heavily (hemmoraging) for nine and a half months straight. Life sucked!

In 1996, the internet just became part of my life. I was scheduled for a laproscopic hysto and did a little research and scared myself to death. All I could find info on was gall bladder procedures and there were many reports of deaths and complications. Apparently, early in laproscopy, the docs were trained by the medical device companies.

So, I changed my mind and had the abdominal incision instead. It was a good decision. I had more than 20 fybroids, the largest was the size of a grapefruit. They were inside my uterus, growing through the uterine wall. And a bunch of them were on stalks. One wrapped around my bladder and another went down into my intestines. My doc said if she'd done the laproscopic procedure she wouldn't have known that (they didn't show up on any of my pre-surgical scans) and I could have died.

My sister had a laproscopic procedure six months after my surgery and her recovery was super-quick. In less than two weeks she was able to resume all her normal activities.

Now, the big question I had was about intercourse. I'd read mixed reviews about whether or not women lost their sex drive and/or sensation and/or the ability to orgasm post-surgery. I'm happy to report that none of that happened to me. Actually, my sex life improved because I was no longer sick and bleeding all the time.

[stacy]

Thank you all for the information, tips and good wishes. I am kind of glad I have the icky winter months to recover so I can be back in the saddle in the spring. I have always healed quickly and am not one to lay around so am hoping for a quick recovery. My boss is anxious for me to be back asap but is also quick to say take as long as I need.

I know the quality of life can only improve, I have three fibroids larger than grapefruits and a four month pregnancy size uterus, with heavy periods and continuous ache. Biking this past summer was minimal. Thanks again!

Stacy

[velogirl]

Ack! You just reminded me of something. Remember, this was 10 years ago for me.

I was super-skinny at the time -- 5'10" and about 109 pounds. No muscle anywhere really. One night I was in a bar with a girlfriend and this guy says to me "are you expecting?" I said "expecting what?" He, of course was referring to the fact that I looked pregnant, which I'd been trying to ignore.