working the abs after a hysterectomy

I was already about 30 lbs out of shape, then I had an abdominal hysterectomy about three months ago and now my stomach is a droopy mess. If you've been through it you know - during the procedure your abdominal muscles are spread to get to the uterus (much like a c-section). Now, in addition to my extra pounds, I have a tummy with stressed-out muscles and am frequently struck by post-surgical "swelly belly" where my tummy swells up when i overdo it. To make matters worse my lower belly and around the incision area (a bikini cut) I'm still quite numb.

Have you been through this and managed to get your abdominal area back into shape? Where on earth do I start?

P.S. I'm 35, and have recently begun reducing my calories and upping my cardio exercise in hopes of being in much better shape for spring break in 6 weeks.

If I ever get to goal, I am getting one too after maintaining for a while.... It will be partially for vanity too. I see nothing wrong with it, as long as you use a good doctor that has experience and knows what they are doing. I have had this flap of skin for years and I want it gone. I want to fit in jeans better, my thighs are much smaller in relation to my belly and I often have to wear jeans that are baggy on the thighs.

Weight training is giving me bigger legs - I don't mind it a bit.

I'm having one out of sheer vanity and I don't care what people think. My stomach has always been hanging down due to obesity. Now that I've busted my hump to lose the weight and have the apron of skin, the only way it's going away is via the knife. I have to deal with this adrenal problem which may require surgery so I can't make any definite plans yet. I also need to maintain my weight for another 9 months before I can have the surgery so
I'll probably do it over Christmas break, but definitely in the winter so it doesn't interfere with race season.

As part of my treatment for my eating disorder, I had a consultation with a plastic surgeon who explained everything to me, including that he thinks I have at least 20 lbs of excess skin with the stomach, arms, and legs/butt.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I guess for now I'll focus on losing fat/building muscle, and see what happens with the tummy.
Maybe I can go on Extreme Makeover for a tummy tuck. I could probably use some more cleavage while they're at it anyway.

As far as checking with the doc before exercise: I did, and she said
"feel free to resume all activity" and "listen to your body and rest when it tells you to". She didn't offer any specific exercises for getting the abs back in shape, but then again she's an OB-GYN, not a trainer.

I'm still open to a specific routine if anyone has a tried-and-true way to fix the poor ol' abused abs.

I had my gall bladder out 14 years ago the old fashioned way, not laprascopically. Four weeks after the surgery I started doing ab work 3 times a week - crunches, sit ups, reverse sit ups, oblique work, you name it. Within a few weeks I was doing 150-200 at a time and it helped the muscles get back. This was the upper abdomen, not lower, but it helped all over at the time. The dumbest thing I ever did was to stop!
doing lots of ab work these days

I lost weight in my upper body first, then my hips, legs, and stomach. When
I get the water weight problems (started again already ) I swell in the legs and stomach. My upper body has pretty much stayed the same except it isn't as bony as I was at my extreme lowest weight - when they made me gain back a few pounds. I'm losing size again because of the weight training, this time without losing pounds. I'm satisfied with the results of my current WOE and exercise.

I had a c-section 13 years ago and the abdominal bands never fully straightened back together. I'm left with a pendulous empty sack from the pregnancies as well as a bulging belly. I've lost over 60 pounds and have a decent waist and not overly huge bum but the pudgy apron of a belly hanging down is not going away.

I'm going to have to have an abdominoplasty (I think that's the term for it, i.e., a tummy tuck.) I just wish that I had established earlier that it was as a result of a medical issue rather than a vanity problem. I don't even know if I'll do it, but after 22 months of serious diet and exercise and weight loss I'd have to say my stomach looks just as bad as ever, only now it's the WORST feature instead of one bad feature among many.

I love having muscular legs too... but right now, I am still carrying a large amount of the weight I have to lose in my belly and hips. My belly is losing the fat slower then every other area... Did you have this problem too?? Or, did your weight come off proportionately? I could fit my thighs into a size 12 jeans if it wasn't for my big hips and belly..

I just worked out for the first time since last Wednesday on weights and I feel sore! The hotel I stayed at had a treadmill and bike only, so I used them and got to do some cardio on my trip.