Returning to Cycling After Surgery - Seeking Advice and Experiences

Good morning all, I'm new to the group today and wanted to say hi and jump in with a question.

I had a proctectomy in 2014. Three days after surgery, "The Phantoms" paid me their first visit. My state of mind at the time would not allow me to comprehend why and what was happening. I went to the bathroom and tried to do what had been the norm all my life. I split the wound wide open, and to this day, it has never healed.

Before getting my ileostomy, every spare moment I had would be spent riding my bikes. I'd cycle to and from work, and any spare time I had was spent cycling around the coast and beach. Having an open wound on my cushion put an end to all of that.

My life has changed markedly recently, and I'm looking to get back to doing what I want for a change. I would love to get back the freedom cycling offered me.

I'm sure many others have had similar issues. I would be very interested to hear about you warriors who have dismissed conventional wisdom and got back on your bike, so to speak.

Shaun

Hello Shaun.
Welcome to the site and thanks for sharing your thoughts on cycling.
I used to walk and cycle a lot as an alternative to using the car. It wasn't the stoma that stopped me, but the problems brought about by an increasing age and all that seems to accompany that condition. 
However, with the advent of electric bicycles, my enthusiasm for this type of transport has been reinvigorated. I converted my pushbike to electric about 4 years ago and have enjoyed the 'new' experience ever since. The main advantage being that I no longer have to disembark and walk when going uphill. Also, the speed at which I can get 'away' at junctions means that the motorised vehicles are not held up or obstructed by my presence.

I notice that there are so many different options for electric bikes nowadays and (having fallen off a few times) I have been contemplating changing to a trike or a pedalec to compensate for my aging years.
As you have probably gathered, I would recommend getting back into the saddle asap for anyone who is contemplating whether or not to take that step. 
Best wishes

Bill 

I ride almost daily. I have four different bikes and put the widest tires the frame allows and a comfortable seat. Hopefully, you will get back on a bike soon and enjoy the benefits.

Hi Bill, and thank you for your kind welcome. You have got me thinking now, Sir. An electric bike would be perfect around here, more hills than Rome!

Hello Bob, wider tires didn't even enter my head. Thank you.

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Yep... well... 2 wheels are two wheels.

I don't use pedal power though. And my seat is much more comfortable on the motorcycle than on a bicycle. So my comment would be, after total procto... 9 months ago... I'm riding without any pain, cushions, worries.

Sure did miss it. Hoo haa! 😁

Some therapies to consider for chronic wound healing.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). This can help wounds heal faster by increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood to help repair tissues. During HBOT, you breathe pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber where the air pressure is 1.5 to 3 times higher than normal. The increased oxygen levels help wounds heal from the inside out by reducing swelling, fighting infection, and building new blood vessels. Repeated treatments can also help maintain normal tissue oxygen levels even after therapy is complete.

Wound Vac. There is also a wound vacuum device that can help heal wounds. The gases in the air around us put pressure on the surface of our bodies. A wound vacuum device (wound vac) removes this pressure over the area of the wound. This can help a wound heal in several ways. It can gently pull fluid from the wound over time. This can reduce swelling and may help clean the wound. It's unclear if it reduces bacteria. NPWT also helps pull the edges of the wound together. And it may stimulate the growth of new tissue that helps the wound close. A wound vac is uncomfortable and a bit of a hassle. But it does work to heal chronic wounds.

Getting your posterior healed would help make riding a bike far more pleasurable.

Good luck

Hi Shaun

I had my Barbie butt 4 months ago and am still in too much pain to consider getting back on my bike, which is a Cube ebike.

There is a new saddle coming out in October by a company called Ataryx, I think that's the name.

The saddle has two moving parts that avoid weight on the bum crack.

Worth checking it out.

Allan

Shaun - I'd second the idea of an electric assist bike.

I'm a barbie-bum too, though mine stopped being yucky and oozing after 6 months or so. I bought a Decathlon Riverside 500, which is a decent bike, not too heavy, with disk brakes, etc., for €299. For months, I left it in the shed - I just couldn't get up the steep lane from my house to the road - maybe 300 meters! Totally bushed, panting, feeling so pathetic.

Then I converted the front wheel to electric, and my life changed. It took a few months to be able to tackle some of the hills around here, but now I do 20 to 25 km every day it's not raining, at an average of 20 to 22 kph. The kit was from Swytch, by the way, a UK outfit, an absolute doddle to do. But I wouldn't bother doing that today, despite the fact that there are quite a few kits available these days from UK and EU sources. This is because there are some very reasonable ready-to-roll electric (assist) bikes available at the £1,000 - £1,100 mark - check out Decathlon's Riverside 500, 520, and 100 range - in fact, right now there's a "second life" i.e., a refurbished 520 at £999, which is a steal. My bike conversion has the advantage that should electric bits fail, and they will, I can turn it back into an ordinary bike. On the other hand, with the motor in the front wheel and the battery on the handlebars, it's very unbalanced and inclined to roll away when you park it against a wall! The Decathlon one is rear-wheel drive and mid-mounted battery - much better. Obviously, these are pedal assist, not electric bikes with a throttle, which would require a road license, insurance, etc., and are restricted throughout Europe to 250 watts and about 25 kph (you can go faster, but you'll get no help from the electrics). Just that bit of help up hills and accelerating away from lights will put a big smile on your face. Treat yourself - you deserve it!

I can't say I was ever advised to NOT cycle, but while the surgery and the stoma nurse follow-up was superb, there was no discussion or advice on recovery, exercise (apart from NO crunches or other abdominal exercises!), just left to read a few pamphlets. My GP seems to have no idea - I tell him what I want on my prescription, and he dutifully writes it down.

Don't give up! Take it easy and just keep trying and learning what works for you. I'm currently in France on a biking holiday and also rock climbing. It was a slow start post-surgery (2008) and just figuring out what equipment works for my new body, what I need around me or with me to make it work. A very comfy seat on a bike for one! Being realistic and accepting some limitations is okay, and whilst these sports are different for me now (e.g., how hard I can push myself), they are still enjoyable, and I bike and climb several times a week at home.
Life is hard with a stoma, so take success and achievement from any small gains you make.

Good luck trying what works for you and be kind to yourself.

Thank you, Ismini. Enjoy your holiday. Not jealous... much.

Good advice, Winnie, thank you. I still have issues with drainage from the wound, but I think the time is right now.

I prefer calling mine a Ken Butt. Even though some might say it's pretty enough to be a Barbie... OK, I'm the only "some" who thinks so. 😁

Hi Allan, and thank you for your reply. I'll keep an eye out for that saddle, then get my... on it.

Hey Beachboy. Thank you for your reply and advice.

I already had the fattest tires I could fit on my gravel bike and a comfortable seat, so the first thing I added to my bike was a Redshift suspension seatpost. The seatpost made a huge difference in taking away the shock of bumps and potholes but also helped me mentally to not worry about it. I was riding four months after my surgery; the area was painful for the first 6-8 weeks, but luckily mine healed up pretty fast.

Good morning, and thank you all for your replies. I appreciate you taking the time to respond and share your advice and thoughts. And for making me feel welcome, it's been a while since I've used any kind of social media. So, it is nice to get back to how it all started for me. Forums, just a good chat, frank exchange of views and experiences, with no fakeness.

Focusing on getting back on the bike has been a bright light in what had been a dark place after a difficult few months. I was looking through my pictures and found some of my favorite place to ride. I was fortunate enough to live near the beach in Southport ❤️ and would follow the tide out looking towards Blackpool. A nondescript little spot on the planet, that meant so much.

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