Pre-Op Exercise and Vitamins

My surgeon prescribes 20 min. of exercise 5 X per week before surgery .... to build up your heart and lungs before surgery. I'm walking on our treadmill and gradually increasing speed and length of walking time. I'm having to start out with 2 shorter sessions per day and gradually increasing to doing all 20 minutes at once....and if  it works out, I'll be increasing as tolerated. Hopefully I'll be walking briskly longer than 20 minutes by the time I have surgery. What exercises did you enjoy? What exercises do you enjoy? I'm also taking 2 multivitamins with iron and 2 Vitamin C 500 mg. until surgery as prescribed by my surgeon. I have a question for those of you that have already had surgery .... did you have a difficult time with multivitamins during the liquid diet phase pre-op? The vitamins make me nauseated on an empty stomach. Maybe I can wait until just before I go to sleep, pop the vitamins, and go to sleep quickly. Did you have any problems with this? Do you have any suggestions? I'm not in the liquid phase yet....but, it's coming.  ; ) Thanks to everyone!    Shelly

Hi Shelly; my exercise pre-op consisted in walking and I did kick-boxing work-outs....I enjoyed both. I have always like walking and I continue to do that now.  As far as the vitamins, I was on the liquid diet pre-op for only one day (day before surgery), so I did not have much of an issue. I now take multi w/iron, calcium and B12, all are chewable, which I am not crazy about. But even during the liquid post-op diet, they did not bother my stomach. I don't know how long your pre-op liquid stage will be, but you might try them with a protein drink, or jello....Good luck... - Anna

Thanks, Anna! I'm not sure how long the liquid phase will be either. I find out at my nutrition appt. scheduled for the 9th. I did pick up a sack full of free protein drink samples today at OWLO to try before surgery so that I can figure out which ones I like best. I know I have a 10 day pre-op diet, but it's not all liquids. I'll post specifics when I find out more. I've never tried kick-boxing. I'm so impressed that you're a kick boxer! I'm hoping to get a bicycle after surgery and to ride a bit outside....but of course, our Oklahoma weather may influence me to opt for an indoor stationery bike. ; ) Dr. Nelson prescribes Multi with iron and Vit. C 500 mg. 2 per day for the month prior to surgery. I found some pretty small Vitamin C pills and I plan on crushing them post op. I'm taking Unicap multis that are pretty small vitamins. I'm not sure about them.....and I'm sure the taste will be bad....so I may be doing some vitamin searching for post op.

A kick-boxer!!! Thank you! But hardly....I have a set of DVDs at home and never moved past the beginners DVD, but I did that a lot during my pre-op diet. And it some a work-out ! I have not resumed with those simply due to a matter of time. I have replaced them with other exercises, though. I still walk, I joined Tan & Tone America (I love it - I go about 5 days a week!) and I do about 15 minutes daily on the elliptical machine that I have at home. I have a lot more energy now, so I am really excited about all the exercise I can do! Amazing what a little weight loss can do! - Anna