When can I start running again after laparoscopic cystectomy?

[ald28]

I'm 3 weeks into recovery after my laparoscopic cystectomy, as well as removal of endometriosis and a stent had to be inserted into my ureter as this was crushed by the giant ovarian cysts I had.

I feel fine, other than some pain when I wee from my stent in my ureter. However, I am desperate to start running again. What with the lockdown and not being able to exercise fully, I'm going mad.

I was told full recovery would be after 6 weeks, but I'm itching to get out there and run - can anyone advise on when they started maybe light jogging after their op?

Indoor workouts are a bit difficult as my arm was completely numb after the op (6 hours in theatre), so I can't use that arm as freely as normal at the moment, which makes exercising a bit hard. However running would just require my legs haha.

Thoughts appreciated! x

[Pippax]

Hello,

I don’t think there is going to be a right or wrong answer. It will all be down to your body and how you feel. However, I suggest taking it easy and building it up slow. You’ve just had major surgery!

I had a similar op last November and only started more intensive exercise (running, HIIT etc) in Feb. Before that I was just going for walks and doing gentle yoga.

Pippa

[ald28 in reply to Pippax]

Everyone keeps saying that to me! Hahaha I know I need to take it easy - when I went for a vigorous walk the other day, I got back and had blood in my urine. I'll give yoga a go, thank you Pippax xx

[Busy-Lizzie]

Hi,

Recovery time can vary from person to person and according to what has been operated.

I've had 3 surgeries: the most recent was in January this year. I have to say I was fitter and generally healthier prior to that op than I had been prior to the previous 2. So I thought I'd be back to normal faster than average.

I work 13 hour shifts on my feet and swim, dance and play tennis.

Recovery was gradual. I started out walking gradually further each day, starting from 10 minutes in a flat surface, then increasing to 15 mins, then 10 mins twice a day. I managed 45 minutes by week 3.

In week 2 I started gentle Pilates, being careful with movements that put excessive strain on abdominal muscles.

In that same week I restarted barre work.

By the middle of week 3 I resumed swimming, beginning with 20 lengths.

It was frustrating having to start off like that and build up gradually because I was used to doing 50 lengths 3 times a week.

I was managing gentle jumps in dance by week 4 and had an exam at the end of February, (and it was a case to do it or lose not just the fee but have to wait another whole year to sit it) which was five and a half weeks post op. It went very well.

So...though I'm not a runner, alot of what I do can be quite strenuous.

In terms if intensity and duration, I would say by week 6 I was able to resume normal dance classes of 1.5 hours duration.

I resumed work at 6 weeks post op but I was finding it would take a whole day to recover from one day shift, and after 2 week back at work and finding I was taking 1 step forward and 2 back, I reduced my hours to two and a half days.

I wondered whether I'd maybe slowed my recovery by having to prepare for my dance exam, but I also had a head injury as a result of a car accident at week 4, so there was more to it.

All in all, stamina takes a while to rebuild, so exercise does help.

I feel there ought to be more physio input for recovery so we're guided. After all, in the NICE guidelines they recommend exercise to combat Endo, so you'd think there would be better support post op to achieve it so we can help ourselves manage the condition.

[edonn in reply to Busy-Lizzie]

Hey, such a good point! I had no physio recommendations after surgery but understood physio often visits post-Caesarean and hysterectomy patients before they go home. I looked for advice in that respect and was told it didn't apply to my surgery. Eh...abdominal, removal of organs? Funny how the systems work eh? Hope you are well, sounds like you have been through a lot.

[ald28 in reply to Busy-Lizzie]

I would love to go swimming, but that's definitely not possible at the moment with lockdown. I personally think that would be the best exercise, as it's gentle, but works out the whole body. I'll be week 4 by next Thursday, so maybe then I'll try to do something a bit more vigorous.

You're right about the physio support post op - other than walking, it doesn't suggest anything! x

[edonn]

Hi ald28, first up hope you continue to recover from the op and take good care right now.

Gosh everyone is so different, every surgery is so different. I had endo removals, multiple adhesions removed, d&c, cyst removal and double salpingectomy. I had some complications after also so was much slower back to any exercise(13 weeks instead of expected 6-8), but when I finally did few weeks ago, I was like you...itching to run. I used to look at people jogging by like they were magical creatures to admire haha!

I did listen to a coach friend however and did walk/run and started back like we all did or should have done when we started our running lives.

It felt so odd to run gently for 2 minutes, walk 1 minute and do this only for 20 minutes first few times, I felt I could do more and coach said that's exactly when NOT to give in and go. I moved it to 3 minutes, 1 minute after a week or so, and couple weeks later was back to a consistent run. I'm still only doing 3-4 miles and am not pushing myself to get back to longer distance which I like (I can't anyway, here in Ireland we can only exercise within 2km of house and this may be made smaller over next few days).

Yoga and some gentle core exercise will do wonders to help your running when we can escape fully again soon. This is temporary (your recovery and our global restrictions), accept it as a chance to give the body maybe a little more rest and I hope you feel on top of the world again soon.

100% agree with @Busy-Lizzie, after a Caesarean, a friend of mine had a physio visit her before discharge with exercises etc. But after mine and most other gynae surgeries also abdominal in nature, nothing? Hard to find right things online too, worrying you might do the wrong exercises.

[ald28]

Awesome, thanks so much for your reply, I might try the running exercises you've suggested. Luckily, we don't seem to have been imposed with the 2km rule in England, but it's only time before people start taking the p*ss!

Will find some decent YouTube yoga workouts to start following - although I am the least flexible person I know hahaha.

Thanks again x