If lifted, I shouldn't have, it hurts, now Am I in trouble?

Husband Tim is about 8 weeks post op from an open radical surgery.  His surgeon gave him the go-ahead to resume regular activities in moderation.   Lately, he's been carrying heavy bags of dirt and mulch trying to get the yard in shape.  (no, he won't listen to me   )   He gets a twinge of soreness and strain here and there, but it mostly goes away.  Right now he says it feels like he's *done alot of sit-ups* sore.  He had the lower groin pain as well.

Perhaps, if you still have pain tomorrow you should give the doctor a call.   Or if something just doesn't seem right give a call tonite.

There is no way to tell if you've done any real damage.  Perhaps the physician can tell.
I can only suggest you take warm showers, walk, take Acetemetophene (Tylenol - as aspirin and ibuprofin cause bleeding.), and TAKE IT EASY UNTIL THE PAIN GOES AWAY.

Oh yes, and don't do it again....

If you have a hernia and it is not hidden by body fat, you will be able to feel it.

Be careful and don't let it get constricted.  If it protrudes, lie down and work it back in carefully.
Then get medical attention by the next day at least.  Go to the emergency room if it stays out.

More than likely, you have strained some of those internal sutures from where the vas deferens, seminal vessicals, etc. were removed.

I am on week nine and an hour ago just lifted a lot of 40 lb. cases of fruit and vegetables at work.

However, I have CAREFULLY been doing calculated calesthenics to work up to this since week 3.  At week 4, I lifted nothing heavier than 15 pounds.  At week 8 I lifted just a few 40 pound cases and was exhausted for days.

Everyone is different.  It is my left side (where the da Vinci tools could not get through the adhesions from the spleenectomy and the subsequent incisional hernia repair) that is tender and hurts when I do too much.

NOTE, my 60 to 80 hour per week job of 30 years has always involved this kind of work.

I too feel the loss of strength and occasional few days of abdominal pain (The worst was not from lifting but bending inside my car when cleaning the floorboard.)

My doctor's advice has been - if it hurts, don't do it.  He says it scares him when his patients are working sooner than 3 months - and lifting anything substantial before 6 months.
He also feels my continued incontinence (while walking and lifting...) is directly related to my activity level.
My feelings are that being continent and sedentary is not my goal.  I've got the sitting still and reclining stuff under control!  

I am also avoiding taking disability pay as a job-opportunity/promotion came up at week 4 when I went back to work. 

Sometimes I feel a little foolish as I ask the petite 20 year old young lady that works for me to lift the 30 pound cases for me. 

Better to feel foolish than to feel pain!

Take it easy.  If you feel a hernia or the pain doesn't get better after a day or two of taking it easy, go to the doctor, regardless!

Holding you in good thoughts.  Keep your spirits ups.  ;-)

Cedar Chopper

 Any Doctor that thinks his patient should turn to a vegetable for 6 months instead of steadily (slowly) building muscular strength back...does NOT have my vote of confindence! Gene, age and surgical site/direction of the cut, plus comorbidities all play a role in how quickly or how well we we heal. A healthy man with few to no comorbidities should be able to build his strength to a decent level at 8 weeks post-op. If I were to guess, it would be the resting muscles let you know they were awakened yesterday. The ole saying, if it hurts, don't do that, does apply in the early stages after surgery. Perhaps lifting 50 pounds on your first attempt was asking for some pain but keep in mind....it takes using those muscles to bring them back into shape. There would be a little strained sensation under any condition and, there will be again as you begin to use those abs. Your poor abs have been cut and then allowed to do little to nothing for 2 whole months. You have awakened a beast but he's (La Belly) actually pretty grateful. Just give the abs a little time and keep using them at a pace that feels alright.

Be Well,  Swim

Gene,

I ALWAYS love what "Swim" has to say!  I completely agree with her about pushing the envelope.  Do pay close attention to this idea of individual levels of comorbidity.

However, I would add that - for me - this particular abdominal surgery is VERY different from other abdominal surgeries I have experienced: inguinal hernia repair, appendectomy, or even laparotomy/spleenctomy, and incisional hernia repair (with retention sutures - OUCH!).
With this surgery (open radical prostatectomy) - as I increase my activity level, the "stumps" from the missing parts - and the relocated bladder - are VERY "loud."  They literally take the breath out of me in ways that I cannot communicate.

Still, Swimom is absolutely correct about ratcheting up the healing process as much as you can - without hurting yourself.  It's just that for me, it is not so much a question of "abdominal" strength (I've been doing 600 modified stomach crunches and 50 push-ups a day since week 5) as pushing past this vacuous sense of feeling weak and gaining familiarity/coordination  with the new "land" I find myself living on.  I am in week nine and I  still let others unload the pallets of 60 pound boxes of potatoes.  I do lift a few more heavier boxes - every day.  (Thanks Swim!)
I also like the Bluebirds' cautions about riding bikes and sitting exercises.
A few more Kegels each day are in order, too!

Concerning modifying your signature:
If you actually "Log On" - your toolbar will include a "control panel" button.
From there you can edit your signature in the profile section with your information (e.g., pre-surgery PSA's, biopsy information, type and date of surgery or procedure chosen, where you are in the healing process, etc.).

Not everyone does it.  It helps:
   Those responding may not remember where we are on our path.  
   Those we respond to can weigh our perspectives and gain a little better insight.
   We save time as we don't have to keep repeating ouserselves.

May God's Love be with you, always - in the Son
Cedar Chopper