Post-Op Weight Restrictions?

I was wondering if any of you had weight restrictions further out from your surgery to get your ileostomy or colostomy. I'm 2 months and a couple days post-op and I'm wondering about this. My doctor hasn't given me the all-clear yet although everything is healed up nicely. TIA!!

Abdominal incisions are complex, and you only see the outside skin healing, not what's underneath. Assuming you're not taking any meds that slow the healing process, and you're not too old, it can take between a year and 18 months to fully 100% heal from abdominal surgery. They say you can get to 95% in the first 6 months, again assuming what I stated above. 2 months is nowhere near enough time to allow unrestricted lifting. Relax, you got some time to kill! Better safe than sorry!

;O)

Just like Bob said

Don't rush into lifting. I am on a very restricted lifting cause I am prone to hernias. I have had too many surgeries on my gut, lots of scar tissue and mesh put in to help. I also try and wear stoma support belt. It wraps all around like a girdle so I don't blow out my stoma from lifting.

Thank you both very much. I just turned 25 on Feb 12th. I was just wondering because of familial adenomatous polyposis, so I had my colon removed when I was 18. If I had rectal sparing from precancerous polyps, I wouldn't need my ileostomy that I have now, but alas, not in my books. So, I got my ostomy 2 months ago at Johns Hopkins. I don't do lifting, but I was just wondering what it would be like from now on. I'm still on the 10-20 pound restriction, which I don't mind. I was just curious. I can't lift much anyway, haha. I'm only 5'3.

Here is a little trick for you: a gallon of milk weighs in at 8 lbs full, so the a block of cheese is 1 lb. That is an easy way of, oh my, I can't lift much.

How to Adjust to Life with an Ostomy with Bruce | Hollister

Only 5'3! You short girls are well hard. You could pick a 6'7 man up and throw him across the street with one hand, lol.

Two months is very early to be lifting anything heavy. Further on, it won't be a problem unless you have any other health problems.

In my younger days with an ileostomy, I used to strength train so I lifted some very heavy weights. I never had any problems. Health problems now won't let me.

If you search online, you will see other people with ostomies, male/female, that are bodybuilders. So yeah, we can do anything anyone else can do, only even better than they can!

I was restricted to 15 lbs until I went back to work about 9 months later. &zwj

My original surgeon 25 years ago did say I should respect a 10-pound weight restriction for the rest of my life! ... !
Being a plumber and having a young family with 7 kids and 30-ish, I knew better than he. Now 25 years, continual hernias, and 8 surgeries later, he was probably right!!!!!!!! ..........

#justsaying

Ahhhh......the joys of being young! Who hasn't been there. But what fun would it have been had we known then what we know now. Keep on keepin' on C!

;O)

All good advice that you've gotten here. Just a reminder, it's not just lifting you need to be careful with. I recently got over Covid, and developed a terrible cough that I couldn't shake for a couple of weeks at least, and it was pretty bad. On my last pouch change I noticed what looks to me like I've developed a bit of a hernia. Up to this point, I'd been doing really well, over a year and a half post-surgery, and had gotten back into working out and doing abdominal exercises to strengthen my gut. It looks like it wasn't enough to prevent a problem from starting. So try to avoid violent coughing!

Terry

I'm 5.5 months out from my last surgery... In PT, the heaviest thing I lift is a 2lb ball. I know part of the reason for that weight restriction is because you're laying down on your back to do this particular exercise, and with the way you move, there's nothing to keep it from falling on your face, so preservation of nose and teeth. I carry a lot of things at once... Carrying a couple gallons of milk, a couple big containers of laundry detergent, heavy toddlers... I'm allowed to walk one big dog at a time. Oh, I was told never ever ever ever ever do crunches.

Never ever ever ever ever???That's the same as saying you can never constrict your abdominal muscles........which would be impossible. They say that because they have to speak to the lowest common denominator of patients.......ie, the stupid ones. You absolutely can flex (constrict and relax your abs) when you're fully healed, as you do it many times a day without knowing it. Just stand up and lean back even a bit past the vertical and your abs are fully in play. You have to know what the Docs are trying to tell you when they give blanket recommendations. By the way..........how much milk do you guys drink????Might be cheaper to just get a cow. Just sayin'...........

;O)

Thank you everyone again haha. I don't lift much of anything. I have tendinitis in most of my body along with weak joints. Literally, I can walk for 10 miles and end up with a sprained ankle (it's happened once before, lol). My surgeon placed my stoma in a weird spot for me because I have a short torso, so all my jeans and pants rub against Fred (stoma). I've been wearing sweatpants and joggers because those are the only things that don't hurt him or irritate my incision around my belly button.

I'm sorry, Desirae, for your thread, but...

Bob!

You don't listen to me! The "never ever ever" etc... was a direct quote from my PT to me about crunches - except I added an extra "ever" or two - (crunches); the ones you lay on your back and do on purpose are the "never evers" for me, abdominal surgery like mine. This PT has had the delight of knowing me for years, so she knows my surgeries well. And I listen fairly well to her, so definitely a keeper.
2/4 - drink milk, 3/4 - use milk in cereal = a lot of milk?; I wish they had mini cows (don't say a calf). I saw these mini donkeys and I think I need one now.

......Who are you again?

Looking for a real donkey myself. Let me know if you find one.

;o)

I want a mini one, I'm on a 7-year ban from adopting another dog... but mini donkey wasn't a part of that ban. I'll let you know if I see a donkey pop up at a local rescue.

I know a "horse's ass" if you want his number!

I'm 5'2" and tell my husband all the time it's too hard for me to lift the trash out with my height. I'll go get another trash bag and start filling a new one. I did have stools in the rooms I need them the most, but my husband and kids keep moving them to different places, which obviously isn't helpful.

Desiraeelaine, definitely take it slowly as you heal, and you will continue to heal for a while. And anything you do, try to always pull your belly button in. Like you're trying on jeans that just came out of the dryer and shrank. Just a little info for those talking about crunches. I just studied for my recertification and came across this: "Crunches and sit-ups exert 3300 newtons (340 kilograms/749.60 pounds) of compressive force on the spine when it is in a flexed position. This constant force on the spine can cause serious consequences, such as bulging discs in the back, pressure on the nerves, lower back pain and even a herniated disc." Plenty of other options for the core, like planks.

Desirae, I think Ben's answer should get extra helpful points because of what I think is a nice comment in British about short women.

Oooo Lori, I think you'd like this new exercise I'm doing. That muscle that connects at the front and back of the spine- it hates me.

Think we all know one or more of those! Keep yours, I know plenty!

;O)

Please put your stools in the toilet where they belong. It's not nice to leave them out for others to have to deal with.

The Management

:o)

Hi Des,

They make a plethora of guards and covers for your stoma to protect them while wearing a belt or from your pants' waistband. I don't use one personally, but a lot of folks on here do. Might be easier to post a question about them, as many may not read this deep into your post to see you'd like some info on them. But protecting your stoma needs to be a top priority, and hopefully some on here can direct you to some good choices. You can also make your own if you're in that mood as well.

;O)

Oh, I got hit with some outfit ideas! Can you do low-rise shorts or petite pants/jeans/jeggings/yoga? High-rise leggings under tunic tops? Dresses because summer is almost here - you can make them more casual too by wearing Converse, Keds, Vans type of shoes. I buy mini dresses and they aren't too short for me, cute t-shirt dresses. High-rise yoga/workout/athletic pants - shorts. I don't know where you like to shop but Old Navy has a lot of this type of clothing right now. What I'm wearing today I think would work for you - high-rise leggings, and an oversized white button-down. I needed something I could dress up or down depending on what I do the rest of the day. :)

1) Management, really??
Ew, why?

Here's a couple not smart things I've done this week... I've started hanging into my washing machine again so all the pressure is against my abdomen, but I choose not to look for where husband/kids/dog sitter might have moved the step stool and then walking 2 dogs at once.