There are several surgical treatments for uterine fibroids, but the procedure that completely removes the fibroids while leaving the uterus intact is the myomectomy. The myomectomy procedure itself can be done several ways, depending upon the type, size and number of fibroids you have, and each procedure involves a different recovery period. In all cases, you shouldn't return to strenuous exercise until you have your doctor's permission.
Abdominal Myomectomy
An abdominal myomectomy requires the surgeon to access your uterus through an incision between your navel and pubic bone. This is the most invasive form of the surgery and results in the longest recovery time, but it gives the surgeon more access to your uterus, which is important if your fibroids are large or distorting your uterus. You'll stay in the hospital for two or three days, then recover at home for up to six weeks. You should avoid strenuous activity completely until you are completely recovered, but you may be able to do some gentle stretching within a couple of weeks and work your way up to light resistance training once you are stronger.
Laparoscopic Myomectomy
If your fibroids are small and easily accessible on the outside of your uterus, your doctor may choose to remove them with a laparoscope through small incisions in your abdomen. Laparoscopic myomectomy is an outpatient procedure, and you can recover in as little as two weeks. This procedure results in less postoperative pain, so you may be back on your feet rather quickly -- don't jump right back into your fitness routine until your doctor clears you to exercise. You may take casual walks toward the end of the second week, but skip it if you're on pain medication. Stick to gentle stretches at home instead.
Hysteroscopic Myomectomy
During a hysteroscopic myomectomy, your surgeon feeds a long tube through your vagina into your uterus, then uses a tiny tool on the end of the tube to shave off the fibroids. Because there is no incision, hysteroscopic myomectomy is done as an outpatient procedure with less than a week's recovery time. You can usually return to your workout a week after the procedure, but don't just pick up where you left off -- start slow and listen to your body before you pick up the pace. Take at least a week to gradually work back up to the level you were working at before your surgery.
Safety
Always follow your doctor's advice about returning to your workout. Rushing things can lead to a host of complications, including ruptured incisions and blood loss. Exerting yourself before your body has healed can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, rapid pulse and fainting, and working out while on pain medication can lead to nausea. Being on pain medication also increases your risk of injury because your pain receptors are blocked, and you may not notice damage until it has already occurred. Even as you ease back into your routine, stop what you're doing if you feel pain at any point. If your bleeding intensifies or you otherwise fail to feel better, stop exercising and call your doctor.
