Starting
I was not able to jog before surgery. I would walk 3 - 3.5 kilometers a day. Immediately after surgery, walking was limited to about 10 minutes every few hours due to fatigue and pain management issues. At day three, I was able to do a little under a kilometre per day. It took me about half an hour to do that. A week later, I was doing 1.5 kilometers a day. I am 4 weeks out now and doing 3km a day. So I'm back to my pre-surgery walking abilities.
I would say that my recovery was very quick. No complications. I walk out of choice and for fun, not for any weight loss goal. Food is my main focus in that respect. The hospital says to walk as much as you can, but for general health, only 30 minutes a day of walking is really necessary for good health.
Pre-surgery, I was doing weight lifting with a trainer three days a week for an hour. I have to get a surgeon's note 6 weeks out to be allowed to resume that activity.
The pain was only really bad for me when I didn't take one of my scheduled doses of Dilaudid, under the suggestion of a nurse, which I regret. Other than that, the pain was manageable with what the hospital gave me. I would advise you to be vocal about when you are in pain and be your own advocate for when you feel you need pain medication.
The worst of the pain for me was the first 24 hours, then it was manageable with Tylenol.
I had no pain around the incision area. I had gas pain and discomfort in my insides.
If I had to do this all over again, I would not be as afraid of the pain as I was before the surgery.
Everyone is different, but it may work out for you that the pain won't be as bad as you are imagining.
