Pre op weight gain and concern over getting fat and not being able to exercise for months post op

Hi H78. It’s difficult to say how much weight you’ll lose because everyone’s recovery is different. They advise you to eat more before the op but you can still eat healthily. The bowel does not like being handled and can take a few days to settle down after your op so you might find that you don’t fancy eating much for the first few days - I seem to remember living off jacket potatoes with cottage cheese but not the skin. If you have a stoma then again, it may take a while to settle down and it can feel like food is going straight through you to start with.

Once home I had a lot of soup and pate on toast or cheese and crackers. If you look at my profile you’ll see that I had a couple of set backs which caused even more weight loss. I think I lost over a stone at one point and looked awful! I gradually put a stone back on but settled at about 7lbs less than when I started out.

After the op you’ll be told about not lifting anything heavier than a kettle with 1 cup of water in for at least 6 weeks. I would speak to your surgeon or colorectal support nurse on 1 of your follow up appointments about HIIT as you don’t want to risk doing any damage or getting a hernia 

Hope this helps and I’m soon you’ll quickly get back on track 

Take care

Karen x

Hi H78,

I too have rectal cancer and had an abdominoperineal resection, leaving me with a permanent stoma, in August 2021.  A very useful book I found is "The Bowel Cancer Recovery Toolkit" by Sarah Russel.  The subtitle of the book is "Recover Faster with activity, exercise and lifestyle".  It is very comprehensive and readable and focused on exercise, as you are.

It has step by step very practical advice from someone who is a clinical exercise specialist who has long experience of working with stoma patients and others who have experienced bowel cancer.

I am now 11 months after my operation and, although recovery was slow I now feel fitter than before the operation!

I wish you all the best for the op - but don't try and rush things!

Jane

Hi H78

Its really positive that you are feeling fit which will aid your recovery. I had rectal cancer which was almost blocking so my intake of food was limited. I exercised and had meal supplement drinks twice a day to try and give my body some energy and strength

I was very bloated with the cancer and gained a lot of tummy weight. 
After op I dropped a stone and a half and looked dreadful. 
Now I am a good weight and everyone says I look well. It’s hard to put a lot of weight on with an Ileostomy if my scales say up I just cut down a little and stay around the same weight. 
Don’t worry about your weight. 

They will encourage you to do as much exercise as you are able, you will talk to a physio hopefully whilst you are in. Walking is generally ok, but you cannot lift anything for a few weeks. Just watch your body and take it slowly, says me who kept getting told off for doing too much!