Another Weight-Lifting After Nissen Thread

My surgeon had told me that I could lift as much weight as I want (I'm at 8 and a half months out from surgery), and that if I lifted too much it wouldn't break the wrap since the stitches are very well healed by now.

He did say that if I lift too much it might cause some reflux, at which point I should not add any more weight.

Any thoughts?  I plan on getting back to what I once was - a serious weightlifter (though I lifted no more than 275 lbs at my peak......I'd settle for lifting 200 lbs max, I guess.....slowly working my way up to it over the next year, starting off with 10 lb dumbbells to get my body used to it again...)

DUDE!!!!!! Marcello, you have just inspired me to start lifting NOW!!!!!

Yes I remember about 2 months post-op lifting and even thought I took it easy with the weight the bench press felt tight around the upper abdomen. Not a natural feeling and so I took it even easier. Low weights and high reps for a while. I just kept going and within a few weeks I had reverted back to the usual 8 rep upper body/16 rep lower body routine. There was definitely an element of 'just doing' it even though I still had this sensation of slight 'tightness' around that area but now nothing (6 months).

Even though your wrap is probably ok by now, I'd start slow to get your abdomen to 'adjust' to the motion/tension/pressures you're going to subject it to. Give it a heads up but let it know there's no turning back. Then, absolutely pummel the life out of it with squats so deep and intense that you literally black out :D

How much did you lift when you JUUUST started lifting again?

I can't wait to get lifting again. I'm looking like "The Machinist" these days.

I just started lifting weights again at over 10 months out from surgery. I'm lifting 15 lbs per dumbbell, and lifting two of them at the same time.

I do not lift on a full stomach (actually it's totally empty - I lift right when I wake up), and I'm trying my best to breathe properly. I'm doing as many seated lifts as possible.

I've also been eating a wide variety of foods (I've cut out coffee, though, and I'm trying to not eat anything too late at night).

I feel kinda sore at my wrap site, and also I feel like I can taste my cereal from this morning still. I also feel slight heartburn (what I think is heartburn......it could be just food caught at the wrap).

My surgeon said, a few months back, that I'm free to lift as much as I want (I even asked about if over 200 lbs would be fine, and he said that the stitches would definitely hold, however it might allow some reflux through).

Thoughts? Suggestions? I get really into lifting weights and I worry that I might push it too far without even thinking. Does what I describe above sound like anything to be concerned about?

The wrap feels sore when I walk.

Thank you very much, St. Kitt!

You know what's funny is, I feel 100% today. I ate spicy pasta (with ground turkey, mushrooms, a lot of parmesan cheese, and pesto sauce) with wine last night, and then chocolate.

The next morning I feel totally fine. Now I'm just about to eat lunch (the same thing I ate last night), and I feel like I've never had reflux.

I shall see how I feel after consuming this pasta.

I'm feeling great! Still lifting the 15 lb dumbbells. I will slowly increase the weight probably by next week.

Drinking whey protein with lactaid pills.

I intend to get up to 200 lbs. No rush, though. I will add 5 lbs to my routine each time.

I have an endoscopy coming up this coming Monday. I will let you know how it goes.

I haven't lifted in about 5 days as I've been out of town, but I hope to start up again tomorrow morning.

I haven't been eating as well as I could have the past five days so I'm not feeling as good as I could, but it's nothing like before. If I chill out on the bad food and take it easier, I feel confident the slight reflux feeling will go away.

FYI he said the surgery appeared fine. Will discuss more with him when I call back for the biopsy results.

Gastroenterologist said all is fine, after the endoscopy. He said that the wrap is holding up fine. I asked if it had stretched and he said it had not.

I shall continue to lift weights! It is such a great feeling! I love being able to do this again! I've actually just upped my weights. Now I'm lifting 35 lb dumbbells per arm.

Waay less than what I used to lift, but I'll get back up there!

I am a year, one month, and three days.

I didn't start lifiting until about a year.

If you want my advice, just to be sure everything is healed up, don't start lifting around the 6 week mark. Wait at least 8 months. I actually recommend one year.

It feels just like always when I lift, though I don't give it that extra insane push when the weight is too heavy, just to be safe. That is probably in my best interests, weightlifting-wise, anyway, as it ensures I have more control and maximizes my lift, ensuring I have proper form.

First couple times I lifted my surgical site hurt. Nothing horrible, but it did ache.

I am lifting 35 lbs per dumbbell, and am slowly working my way with 5 lbs of additional weight ideally after each week or two (or I should say when I feel ready to go up to the next level).

Ok now I'm really depressed. I'm only 6+ weeks out, feeling like crap, but still have visions of getting back in my kayak in a few weeks to just putter around (once the water levels recede and flotsam & jetsam clears) but I can barely carry a 20 bag of dog food, and now I'm reading your posts saying you folks are several months (almost a year) post and just barely getting started with their lifting?
My kayak weighs only 40 lbs but I'm a small person ( a little over 5' tall) and need to be in shape to spare my wrecked back. I was planning to get back on the treadmill soon at the gym once I get past a setback I just had but now I'm not so sure. Did you folks wait until your 2nd post op appointment with your surgeon before even setting foot in the gym? After my surgery, my doc said to hold off but wouldn't specify a timeframe. I'm battling, still feel crummy, but getting very anxious to start back up. Maybe I'm not fully understanding the toll this surgery takes on your body? I just read one post that said wait 8 months. What did you do until then?

Sorry for the vent. I'm just getting very frustrated...

Battling and whining :o

Post Edited (1 day at a time) : 1/5/2013 10:04:36 AM (GMT-7)