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The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › General Hot Yoga Discussion › Benefits of Hot Yoga › Yoga after hysterectomy?
Tagged: healing, hysterectomy
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Has anyone here had to come back from laparoscopic hysterectomy surgery? I have to have the procedure Wednesday (everything except one ovary 🙁 🙁 ). How long before I can get back to my mat? I’m completely bummed after finally finding a series that works for me and keeps my back in much better shape than in the past – now I am looking at weeks to months before my ab muscles will be healed enough for the intensity of Yoga. I wondered if anyone has had a similar experience? Is there any Yoga I can do to help the healing along? My friend (who I wrote about in another thread) used the Yoga to heal after a bad motorcycle accident. But that was leg surgery rather than right in the core muscles. UGH…
Anyway…Thoughts??
THANKS!
Helen
Hi Helen,
I am scheduled for laproscopic abdominal surgery in December. I was told that after any abdominal surgery there is a 15% increased chance of hernia, which has me thinking a lot about what going back to the yoga room will be like. They also told me that I would be essentially back to normal in a month, and could go back to class then.
Since I’m aware that this will be an issue, I’ve thought a lot about the various postures. My concern involves some of the spine strengthening postures, especially half locust, because I notice I have a tendency to push my abs outward. I realize this is not proper form and have been working for weeks and months to be very mindful of that and think about pulling the abs in, instead.
My other concern would be the backbends. But all I can do is slowly ease back into it and be very mindful of how the incision sites feel. I also realize there are many postures that should be just fine.
Like you, the idea of being out of class for a while is not pleasant, but I’m trying to approach this as an opportunity to increase my awareness in every posture.
There is also a lengthy thread in this forum about healing hernias, and that might be worth a read.
Thanks for posting your question, I had thought about posting a similar question!
Good luck with the surgery!!
-Kristin
Good luck to you, too, Kristin!! Maybe we can be recovery buddies…LOL! Since I am going first I will let you know how it goes for me and we can keep one another encouraged as we both get back to it 🙂
I was not aware of the increased risk of hernia…Is that forever and always or just during the healing process?
Thank you for your reply! Will keep you in my thoughts and prayers…
Namaste!
Hm, that’s a good question. All I was told was the 15% increased risk….perhaps it is lifetime, but they say no lifting more than 5 pounds for the first few weeks. Then I think, “Well, this yoga has given me pretty good core strength, and I have good awareness”, so perhaps the risk is slightly lower for us. 😉
I like the idea of recovery buddies! Best of luck!
-Kristin
Hi Kristin!
Well, surgery was yesterday…They got in and the mass they were supposed to take out was gone! Wooohooo – Prayer and Papa in action. The decision was made by the doc and my husband not to take anything out since the primary purpose for the surgery – an orange-sized mass – was no longer an issue. I have three little incisions that need to heal but otherwise I am good to go in a few days.
I am praying for you as well – I say to the Great Spirit, do it again for Kristin! Whatever is making her need surgery, take it away.
Let me know how everything is going! I will still be here to cheer you on if you need it…And I am always happy for encouragement to expand my ‘edge’.
Blessings,
Helen
Well that is remarkable!! What good news!
I can’t wait to hear about you going back to yoga after just a few days! wonderful indeed.
I’m perfectly healthy, but donating a kidney for my sister. Should be fairly routine for me, they say. Just some post-op healing time. I’ll let you know how it goes.
still smiling at your news…..
-Kristin
Oh, wow! You are a hero!! All blessings and a quick healing be on you and your sister. My co-worker donated her kidney to her nephew last year. She was back at work and doing just fine in about 8 weeks. She had a lifting restriction for a time but otherwise was good.
I’m not sure if I will be able to return to yoga in a few days but I should be able to go back to work much sooner than originally planned. I have three incisions in my stomach (on and beside my navel) that have to heal before I will be doing any back bends or deep Yoga breaths..LOL.
H.
Hello lovely ladies
Was reading your conversation and I thought you may like to include the core building exercise that I teach on my video as part of your rehab … Have you tried it? It could be very good post-surgery because of its self-limiting nature. You just can’t overdo it because of that.
Wishing you fast and happy healing
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Thank you, Gabrielle – Will check out your video!
Hope you are doing well.
Blessings,
H.
Thanks Gabrielle! I will definitely use this early on to rebuild strength and also give me a sense of where things stand in terms of healing.
Helen….have you been back to class yet? How is your healing coming along?
-Kristin
Hey Kristin!
I am pretty well all healed up. It took some time for my GI tract to recover from Anesthesia but I’m starting to feel like myself again!
I actually do not attend classes. My back is pretty messed up and I have to modify almost everything and cannot to any twisting so going to class is hard because I can’t really do what everyone else is doing. Sometimes the teachers try and come push me further than I should go and I have to ask them to stop. It just became more stressful (and painful afterward)than helpful so I do Gabrielle’s home program and have a set that works for me. I have a couple of Yoga coach friends that I also consult. I wish I could go to class – maybe someday I will be able to return. 🙂 BUT yes, I have returned to my mat. Slowly but surely!!
How is everything going with you? Are you all prepped for December?
H.
That makes sense to do it on your own then! I really need the social pressure and pushing of a class, otherwise I find myself slacking off until somehow I have a TV remote in my hand. 😉
Yes, all set for December. Should be reasonably routine, only one night in the hospital! I’ll let you know how it goes.
Haha! Yes…The TV remote finds its way into my hands too…It just follows me around!! I really like classes. I like the studio atmosphere – the studio close to where I live turns the lights down low and has soft music playing during class. Maybe one day I will be able to return…Even the Yin Class I took once left me a mess. I think it was the pigeon pose…I love that pose but it doesn’t love me! LOL!
Prayers are with you for both of you in December!
H
Welp, I am returning to this thread because just last Friday I had to have that hysterectomy after all. I had a baseball-sized fibroid on my uterus. I wanted to remind myself of this discussion about returning to Yoga post surgery. The surgery was laproscopic with robotic arm, so no abdominal cut, just the holes on my upper abdomen where they inserted the cameras and the instruments. Gabrielle, I will refer back to your link above for the core building workout. Kristin – how did your surgery go? I trust you are all healed up? Have you gotten to get back to your practice?
Blessings,
H.
Hi Helen
All the best for a speedy and easy recovery.
Please let me know if there’s anything I/we can do to help
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Thank you!
I hope all is well with you and yours!
H.
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