2 questions: exercise and pregnancy after panproctocolectomy.

[littlefreebird]

hi everyone i'm 11 weeks post-op.
feel amazing! have been 100% and forgotten what a crohn's free life felt like.

i have started work full time (40hours) a week and life couldn't be better, noone knows about my bag, it's my little secret, i don't give it a second thought really.

i just had 2 different questions to ask and now that i'm working i don't have time to see my dr or surgeon...so just looking for opinions.

exercise has been asked about before but i've gained 2 and a half stone and reached my ideal weight, i want to start toning.
am i allowed to use little weights and am i allowed to do stomach crunches/ sit ups? (my surgery was open, but my scar is starting to soften like the rest of my skin)

also

i'm aware you have to wait at least a year before getting pregnant but my partner and i are talking about it more and more, would maybe like to start trying next spring/summer and i can't find anything online about pregnancy and panproctocolectomys. my surgeon had briefly said 'i shouldnt have problems at my age' and i know the ileostomy makes no difference to pregnancy but i was just wondering about the scar tissue and if having the rectum and anus removed affected fertility.

does anyone know anyone who has had children after this operation??

 

[Gav]

Hi LFB,

With regards to exercising, I'd say you are way too early to try stomach exercises. The stomach wound and stoma area itself are sensitve to possible hernias as they are still weak compared to how they were.

Even 4 years post surgery I take great care and do speed abs rather than proper sit ups to try and tone and even then if I feel the odd twinge near my stoma I will avoid those exercises for a couple of weeks and then stick to more aerobic exercise to help tone. If you end up with a hernia, especially a parastomal one, it's another op and more stoma surgery, which is best to avoid if you can. Having said that, it's one of the most common post stoma surgery ops as many tend to end up with hernias.

I managed to get a stoma hernia support waistband, can't remember the make now although I think it was EAKIN and I wear this when playing any sports. It's great and you can't make it out under the sportswear as it sits tight to the skin.

With regard to pregnancy, I know that certainly the proctectomy part of the operation where they deal with the rectal wound can cause certain fertility issues. However, as your doc says you are very young, so will probably have the odds in your favour. I do know of one person who has just recently become pregnant and she had a proctectomy 5-6 years ago I think.

All the best. I hope some of this helps!

Gav

 

[Terriernut]

LFB, I'm the parastomal hernia lady, sadly. I'm 4 weeks post op for hernia repair. It was not as entirely successful as I would have liked.

To be frank, my abs were destroyed in the original surgery. When they reverse me I'm handing them my MasterCard for tummy tuck surgery at the same time.

I'm searching desperately for help for my abs to strengthen and tone as much as possible. I'm thinking yoga and walking. I dont like looking like Santa Claus! (I'm skinny but for the abs...disgusting! OK, on pred now for a flare so even WORSE)

Dont push it is my only advice. Walk, walk, walk some more. Dont lift dont push it. I'm an ex athlete....I even trained for the olympics once upon a time.

As for pregnancy I cant offer any advice, sorry.

 

[vickyoddsocks]

Wow Misty you trained for the olympics?!
In what sport!?
Thats amazing, I'm hoping to ONE DAY train for the olympics - extreamly unlikely though, I'd have to stop eating cake first! lol!

 

[Misty-Eyed]

I came across this today on pregnancy. It's a little hard to read but very informative

http://www.iossg.org.uk/asset_store/document/pregnacy.pdf

 

[Snoflayk505]

Hi littlefreebird! I had the same surgery 1 year and 3 months ago. I'm 29 in a couple days. According to my doctor when I first had the surgery he said I shouldn't have any problems with a pregnancy. Good luck, practice makes perfect lol.

I do have a question for you though. My removal of the rectum/anus/colon never healed. Surgeon re-did the surgery (anal area only, stoma is perfect) 3 weeks ago. Were you still draining after 3 weeks? I'm just wondering how long until your it started to heal closed?

 

[littlefreebird]

thanks everyone for your replies, very reassuring to hear....when will the risk of hernia reduce? risks of hernia were never mentioned to me which is very annoying!

snoflayk505, not sure what you mean by draining? i never had a drain 'down there' after my surgery, i'm still getting traces of mucous everyday in tiny amounts and my peri-anal wound has not healed/closed yet as it managed to open a little after surgery. my surgeon is happy to leave it and it will eventually close over time. i suppose i'm still only 12 weeks post-op.

 

[Gav]

As you can see our very own Misty has had to go through the problems a hernia near the stoma can bring with it.

Some good info here:-

http://www.stomabags.com/ostomates-family?view=facts&id=103

Misty....with regard to some yoga that can be used to strengthen the abs have you tried the "plank" yoga position? I've tried this myself to great effect, and it doesn't seem to stress the area like traditional situps.

Some good info about that here:-

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/470

 

[Terriernut]

Snoopy plank??? :rof: I will look at the links thank you!!! :ycool:

 

[Gav]

Snoopy plank??? :rof: I will look at the links thank you!!! :ycool:

If only the snoopy plank was able to strengthen those muscles!

Life would be so much easier! :grr1d:

 

[Terriernut]

Tell me about it! I'd be a Playboy model if it did!!!

Yes, I want to do Yoga. I think it would be perfect for us ostomates. I also want to do Zumba, but I'm afraid I'm gonna have to get clearance from an expert before I try it!

 

[hazeydays]

hey littlefreebird, i hope that you are taking it kinda easy! I had a PPC in 2002 and I did have to take it easy afterwards but have had no plroblems going to the gym when you build up slowly, in the interik (and by that I mean the first year) I swam and swam and swam, which was supportive and also meant that I toned everywhere!


Latterly I found a hulahoop good for toning without being too hard on tummy muscles ...

and as for pregnancy I am now 6 months gone!
again everyone is different but I am sure having a healthy lifestyle and diet would have helped that more than anything and so far no problems at all!

good luck angel, any questions just ask!

 

[2thFairy]

I never thought of using a hulahoop. Brilliant! Thanks for that.

You should add that to our Sticky: Good Advice for You. http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=45979