Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

How long did you wait to drive?



Recommended Posts

Good morning all!

I'm so happy it is finally the middle of the week! I'm hoping the next two months move this quickly!

My question this morning is, how long did you wait to drive?

Due to job responsibilities and finances I'm only planning to take a week off of work for recovery. Do you guys think I will be okay to drive by then? My sister and I (we live together) work at the same place but have different hours, but I need to know if I should make plans to do some shifting of times if I will need a ride.

Of course, I'm going to ask my doctor the next time I see him. He is going to see me pull out my combination notebook of questions and roll his eyes I swear! lol

Thanks all and have a great day!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Good morning all!

I'm so happy it is finally the middle of the week! I'm hoping the next two months move this quickly!

My question this morning is, how long did you wait to drive?

Due to job responsibilities and finances I'm only planning to take a week off of work for recovery. Do you guys think I will be okay to drive by then? My sister and I (we live together) work at the same place but have different hours, but I need to know if I should make plans to do some shifting of times if I will need a ride.

Of course, I'm going to ask my doctor the next time I see him. He is going to see me pull out my combination notebook of questions and roll his eyes I swear! lol

Thanks all and have a great day!

I waited about a week and a half. The doctor said wait two weeks. I quit taking the Lortab after one week so I felt I was good to drive after being off of that for a few days. Always listen to your doctor of course. But if you aren't taking narcotics I would think you would be okay to drive. Note that I am NOT a medical professional though. LOL

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have the exact same response as ranoodle. I took a week and a half off of surgery and was off the loratab about 3 or 4 days after surgery. I drove myself into work when I returned and was completely fine!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was told not to drive until I was off all pain meds & I could move fairly comfortably. I started driving at a week out. I felt a little light headed the first couple of times I drove & I did have some pain from having to sit so upright at that point. I probably would have been better had I given it another couple of days. However, it wasn't horrible to drive at one week out.

Krista

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was supposed to wait until my first post-op visit with my doctor, which was about a week later. I have a teenager with a driver's permit who is always happy to drive me around, so I didn't have any problems. Although Saturday morning, I did the usual "going to get the mail," and I was halfway to the post office before I remembered I wasn't supposed to drive yet. That would have been at about 4 days. I wasn't on narcotics, and it was a quick drive. I didn't drive again for the rest of the week although I didn't have anything bad happen.

One other caution I received about driving was that you shouldn't do it right after eating new foods. You don't want to be driving when you have a bad reaction.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I wasn't given any driving restrictions that I remember. My surgery was on a Friday, we flew home on Tuesday and I was driving around town on Wednesday...so I guess that was 5 days. Honestly, I felt well enough on Monday and Tuesday that I could have driven then.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was told I could drive the day after stopping the pain meds. So, I drove about 3 days after my surgery because I did not take pain medication after leaving the hospital.

Kelly :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I drove an hour home from the airport 4 days after surgery, then went everywhere like usual after that without any problems. I didnt have to take any pain meds from the second post-op day on, so you will want to consider if you are medicated before getting behind the wheel. :P

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My discharge papers said no driving while on pain meds so I drove the day after I came home - I only took tylenol after day 2 in the hospital.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×