New group started today for Surgery Survivors!
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wrenbird
Posts: 28 Member
Yay! We can do this, right? Survive surgery and be better for it. I encourage you to share your story here and tell us what surgery(s) you have had and how it has affected your fitness and health.
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My surgery survivor story starts 6 years ago when I had a tubal ligation surgery after my 7th child. It completely ruined my health. I was thrown into menopause and felt terrible. I gained up to 70 lbs, a lot in my stomach, my skin and hair were affected, no libido, no energy, lack of mental clarity. I was a mess. I eventually learned about Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome and realized exactly what had happened to me. In January of this year, I had a tubal ligation reversal. I have felt much better, not perfect but I am on the road to getting my body and life back. :happy:0
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Two and half years ago I had a total hysterectomy and have been put into mentopause. I am only 29. I had severe endometriosis and had been suffering with the pain for years and had started having excessive bleeding requiring hospitalization. Enough was enough. I deal with weight gain around the midsection, hot flashes, night sweats, bone loss as I have osteopenia, hair falling out, joint pain, just to name a few. I will be honest though, dealing with all of these side effects are minimal compared to the painful life I was living before. Now....Not that I had wash board abs before.... but I really want my old body back. Two years ago before my surgery, I was 114 and a size 3. Not anymore. I have to work twice as hard as someone my age just to maintain my weight. It just took me until recently to wake up and take charge of my life and make a change for the better. I have two kiddos that I need to be here for. My body is working against me so bad. I used to be able to eat what I want and do what I want and after my surgery I kept doing it and its caught up with me. So with that being said...so far I have lost 4 inches, 2.2 pounds which 1.2 pounds of that was body fat. Doesnt sound like much, but just remember I am having to work twice as hard. Ever heard those commercials, women over 40 have to work out at least an hour a day just to maintain their weight? I am 60 internally! I have gotten back into zumba I am watching what I am eating and so here I am on MFP and I will get there. It has to be a life long change for me. I know I can do it.0
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I am 31 yrs old with a 3.5 yr old son. I had a hysterectomy 2 months ago due to adenomyosis, my last period put me in the hospital from excessive blood loss, I required 3 units of blood, I had been very anemic and lethargic for the entire summer and then had to rest and do almost nothing after the surgery. I am finally feeling well enough to excercise but I am still anemic and tire easily. I've read that most women gain 25 lbs in the first year after surgery and I really don't want that to happen eventhough I am already headed in that direction. I'm hoping MFP will help me get motivated to lose the weight instead of gain it.0
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Hi! My name is Jenifer, and I have survived many surgeries. My first was a right oopharectomy (removal of ovary) when I was 23, due to a malignant cyst that had killed the organ. I had several laparoscopies between then and my early thirties to remove endometriosis and adhesions. Both of my children were born via cesarean, and then my endometriosis and fibroids became so severe in my early thirties that I had to have a total hysterectomy.
Since then, I have gained a great deal of weight. It is incredibly hard to lose the weight and to keep it off seems impossible. I have Ehler's-Danlos syndrome, and my joint dislocation and arthritis have become significantly worse since the hysterectomy, although it is wonderful to not have the kids of pain I experienced pre-surgery.0 -
I had back surgery 4/12/13. My back was so bad sometimes I had to drag my right leg. I had a cyst pushing into my spinal canal and a slipped disc below that. I had a laminectomy and a spinal fusion L3-L5. I had to wear a hard back brace from 4/12/13 unless I was laying down. I had previous lost 50 lbs but gained 7 lbs the first 2 weeks after surgery. I got 9 in-home physical therapy visits over a 4 week time. My doctor told me on my pre-surgey visit I would see him in 6 wks, could start driving and start out patient therapy. However when I was released from the hospital after 5 days his 1st avail apt was 8 weeks and would now have to wait 8 weeks for everything.. I developed a deep, deep depression during in home therapy. I was told walking was the beast therapy. Adds oxygen and extra Vit D are important in healing and walking stretches the muscles. So I pulled out my Ipod and started listening to music and walking. 1st only 1 mile within 10 days I was walking 7-8 miles a day! Slow 2 miles an hour but I walked away my depression (Vit D). I started calling my Dr's office Monday of week 6 pleading my case about my walking and delaying my physical therapy and begging for any cancellations. The next day I got a call they had a cancellation and it was mine if I wanted it. I jumped on it. Went got my back x-ray then saw the doctor. Good news fusion took and was healing perfectly 5 1/2 weeks after surgery. I could start driving and only had to wear my hard back brace when driving!!!!! Told me could go back to work in 6 more weeks, but I say ugh so he agreed to 4 weeks!!!!!!! Started logging and losing0
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Broke my ankle (fibula) playing soccer in early April. Was very active playing soccer twice a week at 45 and now learning to walk again. Because I have been non weight bearing for 8 weeks, I have gained weight that I want to shed, but I still can't work out. I had a plate and 10 screws plus a bone graph to repair three breaks in my fibula. I have never had more than a broken finger in all the years I have played so this was a shock to the system. To make matters worse, it is my right foot and I can't drive. PT starts soon and hope to be back in the fitness grove soon, but will need to work hard to shed the weight gain from being stationary for so long. Glad to see others have similar struggles with their recovery.0
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Wow, you ladies are inspiring... what you've gone through makes my little operation feel like a manicure. I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy three weeks ago today. Kept the ovaries, because I could. Was back in the gym with my gyno surgeon's blessing last night. I had to use less weight and wasn't quite as aggressive on the cardio, but man, it felt so good.
It was a wild ride getting there. I went to a surgeon a few months ago, thinking I'd had a sports hernia for over two years (in which time I regained the 40 pounds I'd just lost, and then dropped it again) and finally ready to bite the bullet and have it fixed because I felt it was interfering with what I wanted to do fitness-wise and even around the house. She ordered some tests and told me I had fibroids. Turned out she was right, in a big way, and the whole thing had to go.
I think my recovery has gone well partly because I went under in pretty good shape. I had already lost the extra weight, my heart was happy, my diet was pretty clean, everything was doing pretty well. In the month leading up to it, I ate close to maintenance and boosted my intake of protein, iron, and calcium (and did Pilates and other ab work again for the first time in those years!). I also concentrated on strengthening my hamstrings and triceps, which helped a lot in those first days of getting around without being able to use the abs.
I'm posting this "easy recovery" story mainly for anyone who may be looking ahead to see what's in store. Before my surgery, I visited this thread and was really worried at the hysterectomy stories. I've been scared to death of backsliding again. I blew off my diet completely after the surgery, stopped logging and just ate what I felt like eating -- and if I walked more than a mile or two on a given day, that was a good day (I normally walk 5-10 miles every day). This week I started logging again. I think it's going to be ok.
On the other hand -- before surgery, dealing with a 12-16 weeks sized uterus, I had visions of losing my poochy belly overnight. Well, that hasn't happened! I still have to "get my skinny back" the old-fashioned way, but I think at least it'll be easier to use the rowing machine now.
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Hi, I'm Kate and I'm 49. I had a sub-total hysterectomy in November 2009 due to fibroids and ovarian cysts. In the preceding five years to my op I had lost around 25lb in weight. I worked out hard at least five days per week and ate like a saint. Even had a personal trainer for a while. I felt great and was full of confidence. As my condition progressively got worse, the exercise dropped off slightly and I just did as much as I could, when I felt able. Once I had the op I instantly felt better. I was immediately prescribed HRT and was back in the gym on light work outs after the requisite six week recuperation. I even lost more weight, so coupled with my new found freedom from bed rest and not being within 5 yards of the bathroom, I was on top of the world. HOWEVER, I am a real worrier and suffer with stress quite badly when times are tough which for some reason equals eating and drinking copious amounts of alcohol to make me feel better. Thanks to the current economic situation the world over, we have had a mass of financial problems and had to sell our home in order to survive it. The stress and resultant binge/drink cycle has now seen me gaining every single pound I lost in the mid-2000's. I ache from head to foot for the majority of the time because my skeleton clearly cannot cope with the gain and, as is common with a lot of post-hysterectomy peeps, I am struggling to loose it again. I've lost around 14lbs during the past year. As our financial situation has improved I was able to re-join the gym and currently work out around 4 days per week. They are quite strenuous 90 minute workouts, and I also have an active job as a chef where I am on my feet all day long. But the weight loss is so slow that it's hardly noticeable and gives me no incentive to carry on. I joined MFP about 4 weeks ago full of enthusiasm which is gradually being knocked out of me. I am ALWAYS within my calorie allowance and haven't had any alcohol since June. I eat incredibly well and exercise far more than average, but all I appear to be doing is loosing and gaining the same couple of pounds. Its depressing me no end and I doubt I will ever be the size/weight I was 8 years ago. :sad: Sorry, bit of a moany post. Not sure I can blame all the weigh gain on my op, but its certainly not helping with trying to loose it.0
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Hi there- I had lost weight on here after my last pregnancy (4 in 5 years, yikes!) and was maintaining... then thyroid/metabolism stuff went nuts and I started gaining really quickly. Then I hurt my back/hip (working out)-- turns out I have whats called FAI and my hip bones are rubbing on each other, creating cysts and tearing the cartilage. Because of the thyroid and then limited workouts, I've put on 50 lbs since January! Woah! I'm having surgery in November for my hip and want to lose as much as possible before that as I won't be very active recovering. Glad to find this group for support. Please add me if you'd like. I'm looking for as many friends as possible for this journey. 0
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^^ Jennifer, have you tried rowing? It's a pretty good cardio workout and it might not aggravate your hip sockets as much -- they do get used, but don't bear weight. Maybe?
Update from me -- three months post-surgery and I'm maintaining the same weight, now lifting heavy and running, and honestly in the best shape I've been in my life. I've been lighter and thinner in the past, but now I'm stronger, leaner, healthier, and more capable. There is life after surgery.0 -
Howdy. I recently joined this group. Here's my reason:
I had reconstructive foot surgery back in July. It was 3 more operations over the course of 7 days. This was due to a work accident where both of my feet were crushed by a 5000 lb generator. I've had 14 operations to my left foot and now a total off 22 to my right. The reconstructive surgery in July involved refusing the first 3 metatarsals to the bones at midfoot. It also involved grinding down the sesamoid bone below my big toe. My orthopedic surgeon had to remove the old skin grafts in order to access the foot. When he finished, my plastic surgeon took over. He performed what's called a "free flap" procedure a week later. This involved taking the gracilis muscle from my upper right leg as well as new skin. The gracilis muscle was installed over the open wounds as well as the new metal hardware in my foot. Then the skin graft was placed over the muscle. I spent 17 days in the hospital.
Since my discharge, I've been recovering slowly at home. 3 weeks ago, I began physical therapy by placing some weight on my right foot. The majority of the pain from surgery has gone away. However, I now deal with a lot of nerve pain as well as bone pain. Prior to the surgery, I had multiple problems in my right foot with the majority focused on a small area. This is where the bone pain is and is aggravated after about 10 minutes of standing then lasts throughout the day. Nevertheless, I keep up with my physical therapy and really push myself daily. It's slow and I've accepted that. I've been given 1 to 2 years to fully heal.
I originally joined MFP back in February because I knew surgery was looming. After a nurse said I'd spend 2 months in a wheelchair, I decided I didn't want to be a couch potato. Since the work accident I have chronic pain as well mobility issues plus I am unable to stand and walk very long. I began doing yoga as well as exercised at home which is all low impact. I lost an additional 25 pounds. In total, I've lost about 50 pounds since changing my eating habits last August.
I recently returned to MFP to actually gain some weight while still eating low-carb and gluten-free. I feel for everyone who has had surgery and/or must endure chronic pain on a daily basis.0
