UOAA Discussion Board

Hi mike here discused getting a kpouch
Sugery ! My question can I lift wieghts again after healing ? I have heard mixed reviews and read things some people say yes they go back to normal activities and weightlifting in our find some say you can’t does anybody have any friends or relatives that I’ve had to keep out of surgery that I’ve gone back to weightlifting in been okay? I’m 240 pounds after not been able to eat much hardly and lose weight normally 250 pounds very muscular healthy in good shape! Was told some people say you can’t do any set ups any weights anything that I’ve heard other people say you can do sit ups and you can work out they say it depends on the person? Any information of any friends or relatives that have had the surgery done not able to work out again please feel free to tell me a story I’ll let me know any details thank you!

The answer is 'it depends' .... sorry. I had my ileostomy years before the internet so no one said not to. I was walking as soon as I got out of the hospital and progressed to jogging a bit (ouch for a while). I started lifting weights a couple of years later. A number of years after that, my PB in squats was double my weight and I could bench my weight. NOW .... if I had surgery recently I probably would not have done anything like that weight. I'm not lifting now, but that's a cardiac issue. BLEAH. I do teach Pilates so lots of core work involved with that. So .... swimming, skiing, sailing (I race) are all things I do. Others golf, surf, climb, sky dive ..........

BUT, the ileostomy is a smaller hole in the abdominal wall. Let's face it, any ostomy IS a hernia, meaning a break in the abdominal wall. My stoma is less than an inch across, so less exposure to worsening. Someone with a colostomy whose intestine was externalized further down the system could have a stoma many inches across and thus a larger opening, more chance for further damage, etc. That's the absolutely not medical or anatomical description, BTW!

So back to my first 'it depends'. I would always advise caution. And healing is a months long process before anything truly strenuous IMHO. Rushing into to much strain is a recipe for damage. I hope others chime in as there are a lot of active ostomates kicking around!

Thanku appreciate all comments it help