Talk to me about post op exercise. What did you do? When did you start? What is a no-no?

I have a daily yoga practice that is key to my sanity and I am worried about not doing it for 6+ weeks. I will be walking but beyond that wondering what worked for others.

I asked the nurse and she said nothing beyond walking is really recommended until 6+ weeks but she said yoga seemed fine. I am not talking about hot crazy yoga but something gentle.

Would love to know what other people did ;-)

I started walking the day of surgery and have walked almost every day since. I also swim and do deep water aerobics since 8 weeks after surgery. I am 6-months out and just started some strength training with weights. I always walk though.

Like Librarian- walked the day of surgery and kept on walking....

My mistake?-Thinking that yoga was "easier" or "harder" than walking. I went to a yoga class as soon as I was cleared for exercises and almost passed out 4 times in one class. INDEED, I found it easier to jog than do yoga (where I had to put my head down), in the first 3-6 months post op.

You will know when it is time. Your body will take significantly less effort to propel you and you will think something like "This is easy"

When it is easy...time to do something harder

Hi

I walked for the first 6 weeks...

There are 5 incisions scattered across your upper. abdomen. They are not really crazy painful but they are uncomfortable.

There is a lot of work done internally. The stomach is bypassed and the intestine is then sutured to the pouch. The remaining stomach is sutured closed.

The RNY is a very complex surgery. Please refrain from doing anything other then walking. There will be plenty of time to exercise.

Yoga is a group of physical, mental and spiritual practices. There is quite a bit of stretching, movement & core strengthening. Early on bending over or even getting into bed or a chair is uncomfortable. Maybe try meditation without all crazy yoga moves? Lol

You don't want to risk messing things up internally.

Good luck and I hope this help!

Sandra

Mahalo.

I started weight training about 5 weeks post surgery. I avoided exercises that focus on core muscles for an additional 3 weeks.

I am 6 months post-op and do strength training/power lifting 3+ times a week. There haven't been any issues.

You dont want to put any real stress on your abdominal muscles.

i was told nothing that involves the core for the first 4 months

Cardio, cardio, cardio...then start lifting 5-6 months out! Take your time!

The only fairly universal rule is no lifting anything heavier than 10 pounds (approximately a gallon of milk) for 6 to 8 weeks.

If it were me, I would stick to walking. But really, your guidelines should come straight from your surgeon.

walking right away, swimming at 3-4 weeks out (surgeon said it wait until all the glue & scabs fell off before swimming). I think I started yoga about the same time (3-4 weeks out). I had to wait the longest before going back to strength training - I think 6-8 weeks. But it's been awhile, so like Grim suggested, ask your surgeon.