Healing times will vary depending on the type of procedure you had (i.e. abdominal, vaginal, or laparoscopic), what was removed (uterus, cervix, ovaries), and your physical fitness entering the surgery. However, everyone needs time to heal both internally and externally. It is important to talk to your surgeon about how soon you can do various exercises following surgery.
Following abdominal surgery, the following general recommendations can be made:
In the first few weeks, start with light movement, such as walking. Build up any movement gently, and listen to your body - if you feel any pain or discomfort, it is likely you need to rest a bit longer.
For the first 6 weeks, avoid lifting anything heavier than 13 pounds. A good rule of thumb is that if you cannot lift something comfortably with one hand, do not lift it-- ask for help.
By 9 weeks, most people can safely return to aerobic exercise.
The general “rules of thumb” above should be adjusted after speaking with your surgeon to determine what is right for you.
Tip from a Patient: “It is important to remember that everyone heals at a different pace, so you need to listen to your body to help you make sensible choices. You only get one chance to recover, so take your time and give yourself plenty of time to rest.”
Visit www.iapmd.org/surgery for lots of evidence based information and resources for those considering, going through or recovering from surgery for PMDD/PME.