Question about abdominal exercises

[jstx]

Hi all,

It's been a while since I've posted; I'm a year & a half out from donation. My surgery was in June 2011. I've recently been making a concerted effort to exercise regularly (up to this point exercise has been quite sporadic, I'm agraid to say). When I try to do any ab intensive exercises, I feel a pulling, burning sensation in the area between my belly button & main incision (which is at my bikini line). Is this normal so long after surgery & do you know of anything I can do to alleviate the discomfort? I really felt it today trying to do crunches on a "manual machine" at the gym (where you lay with your feet slightly elevated & do crunches) after doing some yesterday. Maybe I just need to break a day or two between exercising my abs until I get them in better shape. I'm sure it's not possible but it feels like something could tear if I keep up with the exercises. I have felt this all along but never kept with exercising my abs enough to concern me....always just thought the muscles were out of shape. But today I'm a bit concerned since I couldn't do more than a couple on the machine due to what felt like extreme pulling internally....and maybe I shouldn't use a machine until my muscles are used to the exercise. Just thought someone here might have some insight.

Thanks for your help,
Jocelyn

[Orchidlady]

Wow Jocelyn! That does seem like a long time out to feel the pulling! 

My surgeon had a very specific outline made for me regarding exercise and amount of weight I could lift for over about a six month time frame. It included approval for ab work at about 5 months out. I did start out very slow, and my trainer had some modifications made where it was easier on the abs. I will say that even 5 months out I felt some pulling. I would dial back if I did - like you I didn't want to tear anything. My mantra was that if it felt uncomfortable, I would stop, wait a week and try again. It did take close to a year before I could do pretty much any type of ab work and all pulling sensation ceased.

Have you been doing ab work all along or did you just start recently? If you are not used to it, you may very well be feeling some tenderness or stretching of muscles as they become used to the work they are being asked to do. Also, there are a number of different theories out there, but the majority say to treat abdominals as you would any muscle group - don't work them every day in a row. Allow a rest day in between.

Play it safe, and contact the transplant center if it bothers you. Hope it resolves for you Jocelyn.

[tjhurley]

While I empathize with you Jocelyn, at the same time I am a little relieved to find out I was not the only instance if this. My post donation instructions were to not do Pilates until I didn't feel that burning sensation. It's not like I'm a slacker workout wise, I was back up to six miles running (okay slowly, which is my normal speed) within 6 months of donation.

But that abdominal burning plagued me for what seemed like forever. I finally gave up trying and would stick a toe in every 6 months or so, to check the status. A little before my 3rd anniversary, I was able to exercise my abs with only the typical "agony" of someone who had not done serious ab work for 3 years.

My advice is patience and check your status periodically. When I had a "tummy tuck" years and years ago, it also was years before I could do abs without the burning.

Janet
Donor in 2009

[jstx]

Thanks for your feedback! While I'd love to be able to say I've been diligent about exercising....I can't! I've been drinking lots of water though! Shouldn't that just flush the fat away so I don't have to exercise?!  ;D I haven't been consistent with exercising my abs so I'm thinking that they are seriously out of shape & I'll need to patiently & gradually start using them again. I'm between jobs right now & thought it would be the perfect time to establish an exercise routine. I'll take it slowly & will give my abs a rest period of a few days between workouts until I can build up to every other day.

Thanks again for your replies. It is very comforting to know other people have experienced this. I'll contact my transplant center if it keeps up.

[sherri]

Ok, since we're all fessing up....

I'm not a big ab worker or weight worker. I do the cardio work out, or at least try, by walking a few times a week. I never had strong core muscles and after the surgery it only got worse. I also felt the "pull" for at least a year. I know when I stopped feeling it was one day when I went to close the back of my mini van and when I reached up and stretched (I'm only 5 ft tall), I didn't feel the pull. I had been feeling it the whole year but very mildly and only with certain stretches. The problem now is the past two or three years (I donated 5 years ago) I noticed that I have a pain in my lower left back which started to radiate down in my gluteal area. I went to physical therapy hoping that some exercises might help to strengthen that area. My core is very weak which does not support my lower back. The PT worked with me but after quite a lot of money it has not improved all that much. I try to do some planks and leg exercises but I am not consistent. I guess lesson is, keep your muscles toned especially core. Maybe a few sessions with a PT or good trainer might be helpful to see how you can start slow and build on  it.

Good luck Jocelyn!

Sherri

[Fr Pat]

Dear Jocelyn,
      Hi. I'm not a medical professional, but I'll try to pass along what I remember reading about "adhesions" just in case that MIGHT be a cause of your problem:
    The internal organs are coated with a slippery substance that helps them slide against each other without irritation when we move. In any abdominal surgery (including kidney donation) this slippery surface coating can be disturbed here and there by the surgeon's hands or by the surgical instruments. After the surgery if (before the disturbed areas on the surfaces get re-lubricated) two or more such disturbed areas touch each other a spider-web sort of scar tissue can form and connect the two areas/organs. Those are the "adhesions". Unless/until the adhesion breaks naturally the two areas can be uncomfortable/painfully locked together instead of sliding past each other. This can cause small or big problems. (A BIG problem would be if an adhesion caused a kink in the digestive tract.) A real bad adhesion can be repaired by another surgery, but with the danger that the new surgery might cause new adhesions.
     Well, that's about all I remember. Perhaps you might search "adhesions" on the web and see if anyhting matches what you have been feeling?
     Would there perhaps be some fitness trainer or licensed massage therapist who has special training in helping post-op patients that you might consult with?
     Hope some of this helps. Please let us know how things go.
  best wishes,
        Fr. Pat

[jstx]

Thanks Sherri & Fr. Pat for your input. When I told a friend how I was feeling (she's a medical transcriptionist) she mentioned adhesions to me. I did look them up & the only thing that really resonated with me was this hurting while using the muscles. I tried to contact my living donor coordinator but my email bounced back as undeliverable. Sherri do you know if Sharon is still at JHH? Do you guys think I should try to get in touch with my center? And where would you suggest I look for a massage therapist or fitness trainer that specializes in post op recovery? I've never used either so not sure where would be the best place to start.

Thanks again for the information!

[sherri]

Jocelyn,

Sharon's name is still listed on their website, but who knows she may have finally retired. I told her to wait for me to graduate and I'll take her position! Here is a phone number 410-955-6875. If not call try 410-614-9345 (general number for living donors). Let me know how it goes.

Sherri