wounds

Hi,

I am 1 week post op and was wondering how long did it take for your wounds to completely heal, also how long did you wait before starting an exercise routine? 

Mine were fully healed between 2-3 weeks out. I was walking immediately after surgery but not cleared for anything more than that until my 4 week post op appointment. I just started then with super low impact aerobics. I didn't add light weight workouts until a couple months after that, but that was my choice rather than doctor-ordered.

I was walking in the hospital and walking on a treadmill at the gym the day after I got out.  All exercise as tolerated but no twisting, lifting for the first 6-8 weeks. I didn't have any issues with my wounds, I finally pulled the strips off at 10 days because they never fell off on their own.

i was told to wait 1 month before swimming or taking a bath , because even though it looks healed there could still be microscopic openings that germs can get into (surgeon told me this)

no lifting of more than 10 lb for 6 weeks

walking the day of surgery

you will be tired for a few weeks

I was doing low impact exercise (walking) for the first couple of weeks, then I was cleared for any cardio.  By week 6 I was cleared for lifting etc.  

My wounds took a while to heal -- probably ~3 weeks.  I remember dying to take a bath, but waiting about a month.  I had to wait for the steri strips to fall off on their own.

I've been going on 30 min -1 hr walks but was wondering when I could start running and doing zumba again. I guess I heal slowly because I still have a small open wound with bandage

I was on the treadmill the day I got home from the hospital and was encouraged to talk at a moderate speed as much as possible.  I was restricted on lifting until 6 weeks out.  

My incisions were well-healed within 2-3 weeks.  

my incisions healed really well except for 3 spots where the dissolvable stitches didn't dissolve and my body was pushing them out of the incisions.  the nurse just had to pull up and trim them off at my 2w post-op checkup.

I did not have a lifting restriction for "parenting duties" but I was told nothing for exercise but walking for a month.  My son is 40 pounds, and I was allowed to lift him as needed depending on how I felt.  I felt fine, so there were no issues. 

I know how can you put a restriction when you have small children.  I have a 35 and 40 lbs boy and girl and I always have to carry them either into my car or from the bathroom to their beds so I couldn't really obey the 10lbs restriction

My external incisions were healed within a few weeks. They healed pretty well actually. Internally, I was told they can take up to 6 months for everything to be good and the internal stitches to dissolve. I am 3 months out and still occasionally get soreness in the muscles where my stomach was removed from my abdomen. It's nothing terrible, but if I sleep crazy it gets sore.