laparotomy recovery

[leslie00]

hi everyone
i had a laparotomy done 9 days ago.i removed two small fibroid and a dermoid cyst.today i removed my stitches ,and stood in front the mirror and saw a sag over the cut,which i never had on my tummy,my friends tell me it is swelling and will go down with time,but just in cause should i wear a girdle or belly band,if yes for how long?

[RoseMe]

Hi,

I had a laporotomy last week and am wondering when I will be able to exercise again - you said it was easier to get back into it than you thought it would be. I'm 27 and, like you, am just glad that I'll be able to have children and both those cysts are gone! However, I love my exercise and miss it so much. I ran marathons last year and would really appreciate any info on recovery.

Thanks!

[CB05]

I'm 27 and 9 months post-op.  I'm an avid runner and workout freak.  Before my surgery I had a very flat stomach.  Right after surgery I was devastated at the site of my bloated belly.  Indeed the swelling went down and getting back to exercising was easier than I thought it would be.  My husband is a physical therapist so that helped.  He tells me the "shelf" is caused by the layers of tissue and muscle under the skin being sewn together and developing scar tissue.  In time it should break up become less ridged.  At 9 months post-op, the scar, which never bothered me, is practically gone - but the slight shelf is still there. Hey, life goes on. I count my blessing that the cyst did not endanger my ovaries and I can still have children - yeah!

[Veggie2006]

I found this on the internet:

"It is normal to feel a hard ridge along the borders of the incision. This will go away with time."

I am 7 1/2 weeks post-op laparotomy and I still have the ridge but it is much smaller than it was. I hope it goes away completely. I can deal with the scar, but the ridge bothers me. I am glad to see that it is normal though and that I am not the only one concerned about it!

[dalip]

Give me a shelf any day. I would rather have a slight overhang(8wks post lap)any day,as i have no pain now and after 12mths of constant agony it feel wonderful. You have to put things into perspective like ravenlady says.Dawn

[layla965]

I'm 5 weeks out from having the same thing. Still a little shelf there, I'm hoping when I go back next week they'll let me start pilates again. Believe me it does go down,albeit slowly. I know it feels like forever. The girdle idea-- not a good one. I tried control top panty hose and it isn't very comfortable and seems to just make the shelf  look higher up than it is and make you look almost pregnant. Just stick to loose clothing until things are comfortable. Try low impact pilates and yoga or thai chi when you're able to start exercising to work on your core. (abs and lower abs)

[Anna-maria74]

Over 6 months down the line and I still have the shelf too. Must be honest had a bit of a tear last night (not like me at all). Was wondering about people staring at me in the summer - the scar and stuff. Mine is still keyloid and I do have moments of feeling a bit sad. I used to have a wash board tummy was very slim indeed and now I have put on loads of weight, have this shelf, puckering keyloid scar, celulite. My self esteme is terrible I keep acusing my husband of looking at other woman. I keep imagining him lusting after woman at work, I am being ridicluous. I think about Becky and get sooooo cross with myself I mean CROSS. I must have had issues before to feel so damned insecure now.

Anna x

No idea if that answered the question that seemed to turn into a me thing didnt it lol.

[layla965]

I'm 5 weeks out from having the same thing. Still a little shelf there, I'm hoping when I go back next week they'll let me start pilates again. Believe me it does go down,albeit slowly. I know it feels like forever. The girdle idea-- not a good one. I tried control top panty hose and it isn't very comfortable and seems to just make the shelf  look higher up than it is and make you look almost pregnant. Just stick to loose clothing until things are comfortable. Try low impact pilates and yoga or thai chi when you're able to start exercising to work on your core. (abs and lower abs)

[RavenLady]

Good to know we are all in the same boat!  Anna, I understand how you feel but try to avoid externalizing what you feel with the DH, could make a minor issue into a major issue!  Remember, just because you hate the shelf does not mean your husband does!  Ladies, I am over a year out and still have the dang shealf but it does go down.  It takes time and although it is seems trivial with respect to what some of our Cysters here deal with, it is not.  I imagine it is a hard thing to deal with especially when you had great abs going to begin with!  Perhaps that's why I am able to cope, I had the first Laparotomy at age 11, shealf construction began!  I don't even know what abs are like without a surgically installed shealf!  I do believe it is important that you get your arms around the fact that the shealf is a direct effect of laparotomy and not due to anything any of us did or did not do.  Cut yourself some slack Cysters!  We are always our own worst critics, if we were not, we would not be who we are but sometimes you gotta throttle it back.  Hang in there!  MV

[RavenLady]

Hi Leslie,
     I have had three laparotomies over the years with the last one (I hope!) a year ago November to lose an ovarie and the two "aliens" riding it.  Both benign and good riddence!  I have "The shealf" too and although some of it absorbed after recovery, not all.  What's left is tolerable but now I know why I read about Gals who combine cosmetic tummy tucks with abominal surgery.  I am tall and fit (at almost fifty) and understand that the surgery itself does contribute to this especially if you have had kids.  I have noticed a gradual decrease with more Ab exercise but not convinced that will alleviate it totally.  It does not bother me enough to go beyond that but perhaps that is because I have had more time to get use to my shealf.  Bothered me alot more just after surgery.  Give it time Leslie.  Welcome to the RS!  MV

[miss_missie]

its just swelling it takes about a month...and not to the girdle idea