Vestibulectomy recovery questions

[u/Available_Mind6066]

For those of you who have had a vestibulectomy, how long until you were able to walk around, and when were you allowed to start exercising?

Do you have any advice to prepare for recovery mentally?

I’m having the surgery next month and I’m not particularly worried about pain, but I’m starting to feel pretty freaked out about being on bed rest for a bit (some people said 1-2 weeks?) and not being able to exercise for 6 weeks or more. Exercise is a huge part of my life, I bike to school, I climb, I lift weights, and I am anxious about the fact that I won’t be able to do any of that for a while. Not to mention not being able to get out and see people for a bit. Im nervous about losing my strength, and I’m nervous for my overall mental health.

Any advice, stories from surgeries, or even just ideas for staying sane during bed rest are much appreciated!!

[u/throwaway112505]

I've had 2 vestibulectomies, 1 partial and 1 full.

I was able to walk around and take the stairs right away without any problem, which I was surprised about. But, you do not want to be walking around or even really standing upright for long periods of time. Plan to be mostly horizontal in bed for 2 weeks. After that, you can see how you feel and start gradually doing a bit more. I did too much at 1.5 weeks and popped a stitch! You will want to avoid this.

I started taking short walks around the neighborhood at around 3.5 weeks. It would cause inflammation and pressure, so I kept it short at first and gradually increased. I had pain with sitting for 2 months.

My biggest advice is to start making a big list of things that you can do during recovery. It's a bummer to not be able to exercise or socialize like you normally can, so I find it helpful to focus on what you can do. Remember that you will get back to normal exercise and normal life; this is just temporary. You will absolutely gain your strength back.

My therapist recommended setting a "schedule" for each day. Even if all you put on your calendar is to wake up, read a book, nap, call a friend, shower, etc., that is still helpful!

Some things I put on my list for things to do: read books, play video games, organize my Amazon wish list, organize my emails, make a list of recipes I want to try, make a list of hikes I wanted to do after recovery, crochet, knit, set goals, meditate, go through photos on my phone, coloring book, podcasts, audio books, call a friend or family member, play a board/card game, watch TV shows, watch movies, Duolingo, organize Google Drive and files on laptop, plan house projects, clean hairbrush (lol), take an online course

Prepare snacks and foods that you are excited about eating! For example, I froze individual services of veggie lasagna and had some yummy treats like pudding and popsicles. Some friends brought treats too.

Honestly my mental health was relatively fine. I was focused on recovering and had plenty of activities to keep me occupied in bed.

[u/Available_Mind6066 → u/throwaway112505]

Thank you so so much for taking the time to respond. I really appreciate your insight! I love the idea of making a list of things I can do and making a schedule and will definitely do both of those. Thank you, again

[u/throwaway112505 → u/Available_Mind6066]

You're welcome, best wishes