HELP in an Emergency!!

cgavin77
cgavin77 Posts: 219
edited September 22 in Health and Weight Loss
I just had an emergency appendectomy on Dec 1 (3 weeks ago) I am wondering (since my follow up apt is friday) if anyone knows how long I will be unable to work out? It is KILLING me to be home for these past few weeks and just SIT here (or rather lay here) thinking that it could be another 3 or so more WEEKS until I am back to working out :sad: ... I DONT want to gain any weight back!! Any ideas?

Replies

  • BrentGetsFit
    BrentGetsFit Posts: 878 Member
    I've been sidelined for over a month with severely over-trained shoulders so no resistance exercises for my upper body at all. I've continued to lose weight by telling MFP that I intend to do no exercise so it lowers my calorie limit. I also take walks around the neighborhood occasionally that put a couple of hundred calories back in my day. Hope you get better soon :)
  • shellydd
    shellydd Posts: 156 Member
    i would suggest walking
  • VoxSapiens
    VoxSapiens Posts: 6 Member
    Most importantly, don't do something that your doctor tells you not to do.

    Aside from that, I would recommend doing physical activities that don't strain your abdominal muscles while you're recovering. Exercises that you can do seated using resistance bands or weights might be a good option. If you have access to a recumbent exercise bicycle, that might be less strain than an upright or anything else that puts you on your feet or bounces you around too much.

    No way around it, when you're recovering, you won't be able to do as much as when you're 100%. It's ok. I recovered from a rotator cuff injury last spring. It's frustrating, but you do what you have to do.
  • itsbella
    itsbella Posts: 1,101 Member
    If your body is in healing mode, why would you want to mess with that??? There's plenty of time to get back to normal routine. The more you push your body, the more stress you'll create and that in turn will slow down recovery, which means you will be back to square one!! Take care of you sweetie!
  • cgavin77
    cgavin77 Posts: 219
    thanks for the tips all! walking sounds like the perfect idea...unless you live in 15 degree New Hampshire,where I live! Brrrrr!! Using resistance bands is a GREAT idea, as well as lowing my workouts on MFP! ...and your right, I do have to do what I need to to get at 100%. Thanks again for the tips...as well as the support! :flowerforyou:
  • focus on your diet - it might take you an hour on a treadmill to burn off 500 calories, but less than 3 mins to eat 500 calories!

    My personal experience is diet to lose weight, exercise to keep it off...
  • TaraMaria
    TaraMaria Posts: 1,975
    Focus on perfecting your diet! Cut out junk food, fast food and go for the gold cutting out refined sugars or something like that! Don't push your body after a surgery! It shouldn't be TOO long. I know its 2 weeks till you can drive or do heavy lifting but I don't know how long for any heavy duty working out! :o) I'm glad it all went well and you are sticking to your guns with MFP! :o) Hope you feel better soon!
  • AmberElaine84
    AmberElaine84 Posts: 964 Member
    Hi there!! I had an emergency appendectomy the first week of August!! I was in a LOT of pain for the the first week, but I was working out by week three. (Nothing hardcore, but walking) Really, all I could do was focus on my diet. And I did eat well because I didn't want to get off the couch to go upstairs for food! Good luck recovering! It won't be bad for long!
  • watkinsc
    watkinsc Posts: 177 Member
    Best advice I can give ... ask your surgeon! That is the person that knows EXACTLY what condition your abdomen was in prior, during and post procedure. The surgeon will know if there were/are any complications to your case. Remember, no two surgeries are alike, just as much as no 2 people are alike.
  • jeesa
    jeesa Posts: 34 Member
    Hi! I'm a nurse working on a surgical floor. We get appendectomies literally all the time. If your surgery was laparoscopic, there is no reason you should be laying around still! We get people up and moving the following morning if not the night of surgery. If it's an open appendectomy we normally wait until the next day for sure and take it a bit slower.

    That being said, everyone is different. Everyone heals differently. You should take your MD's advice on the matter.
  • curlytop89
    curlytop89 Posts: 163 Member
    I had a hernia surgery in July (open repair) and I was unable to do vigorous exercise for 6 weeks, although I did jog very very slowly the last week and only a mile or so. All I could do was walk, and I was in pretty good shape before my surgery. I did gain a few pounds, but only because I ate poorly during the first part of my recovery. Drink plenty of fluids, especially if you are taking pain pills. My surgeon told me no abdominal focused exercises for another couple weeks after my initial 6 weeks was up. I would watch it with the resistance bands also if you had an open repair. They may not want you "bearing" down, like you might with resistance training. If it was a laporoscopic surgery, your recovery should be lots faster. Just call the surgeons office and talk with the nurse. Hope you are feeling better soon.
  • cgavin77
    cgavin77 Posts: 219
    Thanks again everyone- Great advice! My follow up apt is tomorrow morning. Looking forward to some GOOD news! :happy:
  • rose1617
    rose1617 Posts: 469 Member
    Thanks again everyone- Great advice! My follow up apt is tomorrow morning. Looking forward to some GOOD news! :happy:
    good luck!
    I had a laproscopic appendectomy (emergency as well) several years ago. I was up and walking the next morning. I had to make a lap around the floor I was staying on before I could go home.
    I had the surgery Tuesday night, was home Wednesday night. Two days later I tried to play in a volleyball tournament and ripped my sutures. Oops! But really, the pain wasn't even that bad and it healed in about two days.
    So I'd say by the next week and a half I was up and working out again pretty hard core.
    Hopefully your doc has good news and you can be out and about too!
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