Hi!!

I know this is probably answered somewhere else on the website, but I am still doubtful so I hope someone could answer my question!

I have my lap band surgery scheduled for the 28th of November and that is exactly one week after my final exams finish so i would have to start my pre-op diet straight after my exams, however, I needed to know how much time I need to take off from work after my surgery because I work in retail at a department store, at a jewellery kiosk. Generally my shifts are anywhere between 8-10 hours a day with about a half hour break... there are no seats so I would essentially have to stand for the entire duration of my shift... any advice on how long to stay off work safely would be much appreciated!

Thanks!!!

I'd be interested in seeing responses as well. I manage a tile store and although I am allowed to sit, I also must lift 60lb boxes for customers (and yes I am female lol). Ive read 1 week home then light duty. I wonder what peoples actual experiences have been so we know what to expect!

Truth be knows, everyones body is different when it comes to the recovery time. I had the lapband installed with also a hiatal hernia repair. Usually I recover quickly from surgeries, but I wasn't feeling right until day 6. I did mine on a holiday weekend and hoarded my vacation this year and had 12 days off which included weekend. From what I've read on here, I"ve seen people go back to work in 3 days. As far as sitting or standing, really I felt better when I was standing then sitting but again everyone is different. As for lifting, my doctor did not want me lifting over 5 lbs. So just ask him for a light duty slip. Plus if the guys a work can't do some lifting for you for a few weeks, I'd have to say thats pretty ignorant. I work with all men myself and they were extremely helpful if I needed something done. Good luck to you both in your journey.

Same case Stacey! I have to stand all day but i will be working during the christmas period and they will have many consignments of new stock coming in with each box weighing 20+ Kilos! and i certainly did not want to inform the people at my work about my surgery! so i dont know whether to wait it out until i am ok to do everything or to go and try and avoid heavy lifting.. :/ ive already had to take time off work because of uni, and now i have to take more time off because of surgery which is why i want to be clear just so i know what to tell me manager who is not a very understanding woman by the way!

I am a grocery checker in a busy store, I went back to work on day 4. I did fine, I was just very tired and slept well when I got hom.

Truth be knows, everyones body is different when it comes to the recovery time. I had the lapband installed with also a hiatal hernia repair. Usually I recover quickly from surgeries, but I wasn't feeling right until day 6. I did mine on a holiday weekend and hoarded my vacation this year and had 12 days off which included weekend. From what I've read on here, I"ve seen people go back to work in 3 days. As far as sitting or standing, really I felt better when I was standing then sitting but again everyone is different. As for lifting, my doctor did not want me lifting over 5 lbs. So just ask him for a light duty slip. Plus if the guys a work can't do some lifting for you for a few weeks, I'd have to say thats pretty ignorant. I work with all men myself and they were extremely helpful if I needed something done. Good luck to you both in your journey.

I am considering taking about 7-10 days off and then tell my manager that i had some other surgery because she is a real gossip munger and everyone in the dept store will find out if I told her that I had lap band surgery! now im trying to come up with another "fake" surgery i could tell her I had so i could get away with not carrying things/do less strenuous work once i get back.. i would love it if there were some boys working with us to help when it comes to the lifting/etc... but its a jewellery store so all our employees are girsl >21 years of age... so not much help with them!

I am considering taking about 7-10 days off and then tell my manager that i had some other surgery because she is a real gossip munger and everyone in the dept store will find out if I told her that I had lap band surgery! now im trying to come up with another "fake" surgery i could tell her I had so i could get away with not carrying things/do less strenuous work once i get back.. i would love it if there were some boys working with us to help when it comes to the lifting/etc... but its a jewellery store so all our employees are girsl >21 years of age... so not much help with them!

Tell her you had hernia surgery; you are not to lift things when you have had this type of surgery. I know that I have an umbilical hernia that has to be repaired at the same time I get banded. You can also ask your surgeon to write this type of note and if he/she is cool they will do this for you.

Debora

Everyone is different as other people have said but the no lifting is a must for your abs to heal right. It isn't a matter if you feel like you can handle it or not you can't lift. I am just 3 weeks out and just this week I feel 100% normal, like I did before surgery. I was really tired and exhausted. I didn't realize I would be so sleepy for so long. I hope you can get at least 10 days off. Like DebHart said, just tell them you had a hernia repaired, it is all in the same region

I had my surgery on a Friday. I took that friday off and the following week off, so with weekends it came out to 12 days. I was very glad I took this time. It made my first week of liquids so much easier and my insicions healed beautifully cause I spent that whole time resting. I work in a job where I sit all day. The first week back at work was very uncomfortable to sit in the upright posistion all day. Advil helped. Not sure about lifting things so soon. I'm 6 weeks post op and I lift very little if anything over 10 pounds. Good luck to you

These are all great suggestions! I think i am going to try and get a minimum of 10 days off and just tell her I had a hernia surgery, should be fine!

Also since i will be out of the house and about for pretty much the whole day, i wont be thinking as much about food/wont have the opportunity to even think about cheating especially since its christmas time then!!! and i will HAVE to prepare in advance for my food which will be good practise:)

I was banded Tuesday and am going back to work on Monday. I sit at a desk all day so I don't think I'll have any problems.