forgive me if you all have answered this question already i could not find any information on the subject.
my sister just had a histerectomy, at the age of 25 
i wanted to help her recover with some yoga. she is a very fit person already so i believe some movement will be good, but i wanted to help her with some gentle poses.
can anyone give me a list of poses that they know are safe and helpful for post-histerectomy patients?
thanks
Welcome to the forum,
Could you share more information with us so that we can give you more appropriate recommendations for your sister?
Was the procedure:
[B][I]Complete [/I][/B](removes the cervix as well as the uterus),
[B][I]Partial [/I][/B](removes the upper part of the uterus and leaves the cervix in place), or
[B][I]Radica[/I]l [/B](removes the uterus, the cervix, the upper part of the vagina, and supporting tissues)?
I look forward to your reply.
Best wishes for you and your family,
i believe it was complete, but only one ovary was removed. she was diagnosed with endomitriosis and a a condition that the dr said would inevitably end up as cervical cancer.
it has been only three days since her surgery . so far there have been no complications. the dr has recomended that she take a few short walks each day and no lifting for at least 4 weeks.
it is too soon now for her to begin any kind of movement besides getting to and from the bathroom each day.
i will be staying with her and her family to help do all of the things she cannot but also help her recover. i was hoping to develop a long term program that would gradually increase in demand as she increases in strength and energy. to begin with she will not be able to do anything strenuous that requires her abdominals. even coughing is a strain for now.
Rest, rest, and more rest. The body needs to heal. Pranayama… easy Durga breath. Your sister needs to heal, both physically and emotionally. Short walks, then longer. When applicable, easy stretches (i.e. hastasana, standing and lying down on back. Maybe little foot circles and hand circles … just to keep the legs and hands moving. (Modified and shortened SYT JFS no belly/torso movements until appropriate.) Encourage her to take her time. A hysterechtomy at 25 results in more than just physical trauma to the body. (All surgeries, even appropriate ones, are traumatic to the body.)
My best to your sister. Good for you for being there for her!
Thank you for giving us more info. It is very good that they were able to leave the one ovary so that she isn’t going through sudden menopause too.
My recommendations are aligned with Cathy’s. I know that you are asking for poses (asana), but there practices she can do right now to comfort her and to aid with her recovery. As she heals and is ready for asana, we will have a better idea of what to recommend depending on how she is progressing.
Her breath is going to be her greatest tool for healing right now. Encourage her to rest one hand on her heart and the other on her belly and to take full, gentle breaths. Inhaling through the nose and the exhale can be through the nose or the mouth. For clients who are releasing (or wanting to release) trauma or emotion, I have them exhale through the mouth with a audible sigh. It may feel awkward or silly at first, but it is a wonder. I use this myself and it really is helpful for me when something comes up during my own practice that I want to let go of. She may need privacy to do this or someone, like you, close by just in case she needs you.
Another thing that I use for clients, and for my loved ones, is to oil and massage their feet. I use few different oils depending on the situation, Dr. Hauschka’s Moore Lavendar Oil is wonderful for soothing and calming, but you can make your own too. I recommend organic, refined, untoasted sesame oil as your base. It will not have a smell to it, so you can add some lavender and rose oil, or another scent your sister enjoys. The oil choice is secondary to what the oiling and your touch will do for her. It is nurturing and grounding for her and will truly benefit her recovery and her wellness of mind.
The second chakra is the [I]Svadhisthrana[/I][I], [/I]which for women occurs between the uterus and the cervix. This disruption to the physical body may likely lead to a disruption to the subtle bodies. Ample rest and gentle movement, breathing with the heart and belly connection, and the oil-massage will all be of great benefit to your sister at this stage in her recovery.
Best wishes,
The best thing to recommend would be Restorative yoga in the style of Judith Lasater. I have a student who recently had a large cyst removed from her ovary in major abdominal surgery and is doing Restorative once weekly with fabulous results in comfort, energy level, peace and calming. There is great value in these supportive postures for reducing swelling, edema, muscle strain or pain and generally supporting a return to balance after such a major assault such as abdominal surgery.
The book, Rest and Renew by Judith Lasater is a good bet for home practice or hopefully one can get out to a class regularly. I have put a fuller response on our website here.
Jennifer
Dear Rad,
Since it has now been nearly a full month since your sister’s surgery, I agree that Judith Hansen Lasater’s Restorative Yoga would be a wonderful way to move into a physical practice. Restorative Yoga
Jennifer:
I clicked the link that you included but it went to a post by Sonja Podstawskyj. Will you please also include a link to your fuller response that you offered? Thank you for that.
I searched for the book on kalahari and amazon and could not locate it. Please help. Thank you.
Vanessa,
Here is a link to the book: http://www.amazon.com/Relax-Renew-Restful-Stressful-Times/dp/0962713848
Namaste,