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Exercise after rectocele/ prolapse repair

7 replies

Purpleknickers · 29/05/2015 09:18

I had surgery to repair a prolapsed bowel and mend a large rectocele 7 weeks ago. My surgeon says everything is healing well although the deeper internal stitches will not dissolve until about 4 months after my op.

I have not been brave enough to test out my new bits (DTD) my surgeon did say another week or so for that although I am in no hurry/scared. What I forgot to ask him was when I can start exercise again, I have put on about half a stone through not being able to do much. I am thinking 30 day shred from next Monday which will be exactly 7 weeks. Can anyone that has had this done advise I am being crazy please?

OP posts:
WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 29/05/2015 09:22

Don't even think about the Shred, please, just no way! Can't stop and post for long now but that is WAY too strenuous at this stage. It takes about 6 months for everything to get to as strong as it's ever going to be. High impact exercise is supposed to be avoided indefinitely. I had the same done 2.5 years ago BTW.

Purpleknickers · 29/05/2015 09:39

Ok thanks for your advice whoknows I am very scared of ruining everything that has been repaired. Perhaps I can start with long walks

OP posts:
WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 29/05/2015 18:44

Sorry, that was a bit abrupt earlier, I was busy doing stuff and posting on my phone at the same time, but didn't want to lose your thread.

There have been a lot of other threads with good advice about exercising with prolapses (pre and post repair), if you do an advance search of prolapse and exercise, you will probably find some of them. Also, there is a brilliant private FB group called Pelvic Organ Prolapse Support (POPS) with ladies from all over the world sharing and supporting, professional women's health physios etc too. Walking and swimming would be a good place to start, and of course pelvic floor exercises. You will find it takes a while for your strength to build back up, but you are going to have to take a bit more care long term with lifestyle and exercise, avoiding really heavy lifting, pushing, pulling, and most high impact exercise, but a lot of forms of exercise can be modified to make them safer. Some strong core workouts can do more harm than good too, especially crunches, you need to build up the core muscles with pelvic safe exercise. If you google Michelle Kenway, she has lots of excellent advice on her blog, and a Youtube channel. Also, if you can run to it (it's an import), there's a DVD called Hab-it, which is specifically designed to strengthen core safely. Both Michelle and the HAb-it presenter are women's health physios.

Hope you continue to recover well, it is all a bit daunting and depressing at times, but I think it's worth sacrificing some lifestyle factors to avoid having to have further repairs.

2fedup · 30/05/2015 06:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Purpleknickers · 01/06/2015 10:23

Thanks ladies for your advice I will rethink things and have a search for the Hab-it DVD

OP posts:
Gainous3 · 13/12/2018 04:41

Just had the rectcel surgery last Friday. My lift cheek down my leg is hurting so bad. Is this normal? I can sit to use toilet because I can't sit.

Seaweed42 · 13/12/2018 12:08

You can ring the hospital Ward where you had your surgery and hopefully one of the nurses there will give you advice on what to expect or will get some advice for you.

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