Post op recovery

[Louise Pembroke]

What do you mean perhaps not as dangerous to women, depends what position you're in!![swinging from the chandalier]. Yes I'm now having very funny visions of one of us asking a surgeon pertinent questions before surgery...

[Andrew MacLean]

Heart beats faster pressure in eye goes up strain on sutures increases.

I did try to negotiate exceptions to the "no exercise" rule with my ophthalmologist, and while I was a great deal less specific than others in this string in the activities that I was venturing as possible exemptions, he was fairly clear that there were no exemptions.

His rule seemed to be that if I needed to ask, the answer was no.

Like Per says, we've got the rest of our lives to go climbing Everest or lifting heavy weights.



Andrew

[Louise Pembroke]

Yes Andrew, but it could be fun asking!

[Per]

Hehe, Louise!!

Well, I guess the idea of the man beeing the active part traditonally. But today I think even women should be warned about this

Next time.., ask your surgeon

[Louise Pembroke]

I'm all for maximum embarassment of the surgeon with a long list of questions!!

[Sweet]

LOL ok not going to get into any specifics here!!

I was also told to wait until at least six months and even then to take things very slowly. No lifting carrying or excessive bending, anything basically which can pull your stitches. I would recommend taking some rest as jumping straight back into things may be a bad thing.

Sweet X x X

[Asif]

As with everyone else here I was told to rest for the first few weeks after a graft. However, I could return to most normal activities but not to the extent that they were being performed at before.

For the first 3 months I avoided any stretching, bending and lifinting no matter what the weight . After about 4 months post op I began to resume physical exercise. Before I started I asked every consultant I had seen regarding physical exercise and weight training and most of the opinions were consistant. I was told that I could continue exercise and weight training but to avoid anything excessively heavy where I would have to hold my breath on the last few reps and lift with great force. Lifting weights other than that would not make a significant change to the IOP.

From 4 months post op to now which is about 7, I have gradually got back into exercise rather than picking up from where I left. I started from lifting very light weights from about 25% of what I could lift to moderate weights which is about 75% of what I lift now. I maintian a very steady breathing pattern, ALWAYS exhaling as i lift, as breathing out will alleviate/minimise pressure within the body. You may look a bit silly but your protecting your graft.

I would really have stopped lifting weights totally but as several consultants said it was fine to do so provided I dont left excessively heavy, I decided to gradually get back into it. Reading some of the comments made regarding heart rate being somewhat proprtional to IOP I will be lifint less heavier weights.

Another thing I also wanted to mention was tap water getting into the eye. Obviously you keep your grafted eye closed during a shower but cant help getting a little water when you reopen them. Has this caused anyone problems? As I am still washing my hair and face seperatly before I step into the shower, or wear goggles if necessary.

Asif

[Andrew MacLean]

Asif

Like everybody else I have had very slight entry of tap water into my graft eye, in just the circumstances you describe. It has never actually been a problem for me, but if there was an occasion when I got a lot of tap water in my eye I'd flush it out with sterile saline.

It does occur to me that there may be a regional variation in the risk posed by tap water. I live in West Central Scotland where our tap water is fairly pure, with no added fluoride. The water here is very slightly acidic (I can never remember whether that is high or low pH).

I know that around the UK there is a marked variation in the pH of the water delivered via the taps, and daresay that this is mirrored in the acidity or alkalinity of water around the world.

Andrew

[jayuk]

Asif

I have been showering etc normally since the 4 month mark. Once the top layer of the cornea is healed the risk of infection greatly reduces.

The only other aspect would be bacteria/germs getting to the sutures and causing problems thereafter. However, I always have a few spare bottled of Chloramphenical but have never needed them

J

[GarethB]

It seems you guys with relativly recent grafts have to put much of your life on hold post graft.

When I had my first graft in 1989 I was told showering as normal was fine after a couple weeks and to carry on as normal, just avoid heavy lifting. Bending strtching, running etc was fine.

The grafts themselves are fine over 16 years on.

This relates to other threads, but I do think first world countries rely too much on medication and our natural defences are relativly weak. Just my opinion.