Question:
How long post-op 'til you can swim?

HELP!!!!! I am a summer girl! I am 3 weeks post op and I'm going stir crazy. I need some sunshine and swimming! I remember my surgeon telling me while I was still in the hospital not to swim right away, but I can't remember how long 'til I can. I have an appt. on Monday and will hopefully get the green light. I don't really want to call before then because they are so busy, and it seems like such a trivial thing to bother them with. We have lots of activities this weekend at my moms house, and she has a pool. I would love nothing more than to just dive on in!! I just wondered how long most people have to wait to swim? My incision has healed up nicely, but I still have a couple little scabs from where the G tube was, and the reinforcement sutures I had. Please, any information would be helpful!! Thank you!    — Kim B. (posted on May 10, 2001)

May 10, 2001
I believe the general rule following extensive surgeries is 6 to 8 weeks before exercising other than simple walking. I'd think you could slowly climb in and walk around in the water, but don't swim or dive. Take care.
   — Cindy H.

May 10, 2001
At my three week checkup I asked if I could PLEASE get in the swimming pool. Since my incision was scabbed over and not draining, the surgeon's office told me that I could get in the pool... but I could not SWIM. I could "splash around." I would think diving and laps would be out of the question! The best thing to do is to give the doc's office a quick call. It's not a silly question at all. Or, if you don't want to hear "no" for an answer, you could rationalize it and go ahead and do it. After all, they let you get in the bathtub now, don't they?? Best answer is call the doc though!
   — BethVBG

May 10, 2001
Just my 2 cents worth. I went back to the pool at about 4 weeks post op, and if you didn't know you had your stomach muscles cut in half before, you will when you get into the pool. I had no idea how much you use your stomach muscles to help you maintain balance. It wasn't terrible, but more uncomfortable then I would have expected. My recommendation would be to either call the surgeons office (lkely one of the nurses can answer the question), or wait until you see the surgeon....you can live a few more days if need be.....better to be safe then sorry...blah, blah, blah :-)
   — tlg6056