How did you tolerate a long flight home?

[serenity1959 67]

After my surgery, I will have about a seven hour flight home. Those of you who had long flights, how did it go for you on the way home?

[wreed 1]

Where did u go for your surgery? I'm trying to get everything set up for June 1st in Mexico.I too will have a long flight.

[serenity1959 67]

I will be going to Mexicali with Dr. Aceves. My original date was in a year, but I think I have DH talked into August!!! I am so tired of being in pain.

[msjazzyldy 49]

Great question I will have a 6 hr. flight home as well.....

[TexasMiss 314]

This one I can help with lol. I was on a 20 day liquid preop, and was having surgery the day I arrived. Mistake #1--it was miserable running around the airports and on the flights and nothing to drink before surgery. Mistake #2--give yourself enough time between flights. When your thirsty and feeling weak you don't move as fast! Now, with that being said, I did make it to TJ. Traveling down there wasn't the greatest experience but I made it. Coming home was much easier. I had so much anxiety coming back because I couldn't move as fast and was a little tender (but not in horrible pain). I wanted to come home and if I missed a flight I wouldn't get home for another 5-7 hours. So this was our game plan...

When we landed in San Diego that place was PACKED. We decided if it was like that again we would ask for a wheelchair so I wouldn't have to stand the whole time going through security. We took an 8:30 am flight out and the airport wasnt busy at all. I got through security in about 10 minutes. BTW, I watched a lady in a wheelchair bypass the line and go straight to the front What really saved me was pre-boarding. I was very nervous about navigating the aisles, bumping people, and hitting my incisions etc. Southwest was awesome! They gave me a blue slip which let me pre-board (didn't cost anything), so I was the second or third person on. When we got settled they boarded everyone else. Sat right up front so we were first off also. Just told the gate agent I was just discharged from the hospital, had open incisions, and asked to pre board...she didn't even question it! It really made the trip home very smooth and put my mind at ease

[serenity1959 67]

Thank you so much! That was really helpful. I will be sure to ask if I can pre-board.

[AmandaRaeLeo 2,145]

Thank you so much! That was really helpful. I will be sure to ask if I can pre-board.

I did pre boarding too. I flew Southwest and sat in the very front which has tons of leg room. This allowed me to stretch my legs out and flex my feet and ankles.

Amanda Rae

[HoosierGirl 780]

Surgery Monday, traveled home Thursday. (Wish I would have added an extra day and scheduled my flights for Friday.)

Anyway...arrived at the San Diego airport at 1pm for a 3pm flight. I had plenty of time to walk around, buy a big Water, drink it and walk some more. Flight from San Diego to Denver was about 2 hours - so that was nap time. Delay in Denver. Again, big bottle of Water, lots of walking. Flight from Denver to Indy was about 2 hours. With travel from TJ, wait time, flying time, layovers - total "travel" time was about 9 hours. I didn't feel badly, but I was really tired. Didn't use a wheel chair anywhere, but I did use the pre-boarding time.

Good luck!

[julielle 199]

I didn't use a wheelchair in San Diego as there was no line for security and it took about 15 minutes all in to check in and pass security. I did have wheelchair assistance in Denver and Montreal, which I can highly recommend since the gates can be far apart, with wheelchair assistance I was able to ride on those little carts they have riding around the airport and quickly got to my gate. When I got to my gate they had me sit in the handicapped section right beside the door and when boarding started they let me on right away. (I had assigned seats though so that wasn't a huge deal). In Montreal, they were waiting for me with a wheelchair and being in a wheelchair made going through customs so much easier, they went to a special line and it was straight to the front for me. The flight itself really wasn't that bad, but I do highly recommend calling your airline and telling them you'll be needing wheelchair assitance on your return flight.

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

My advice? Ditch the wheel chairs. You're sitting on a long flight the last thing you should be doing is sitting more when you could be doing your necessary walking. Everyone is alway talking about their fear of blood clots or the pain from the gas.. Yet they don't do their best to walk it away. Seriously.

[julielle 199]

There's walking and then there's WALKING. Have you seen how huge some terminals are, when you have to get on a bus at gate whatever and then go to another terminal, walk through the whole thing etc, worried that you're going to miss your connection? The wheelchair was a real blessing. And I'm one who walked walked walked at the hospital, and yes once they got me to my gate I walked walked walked at the gate too, but at least at the gate I was already where I needed to be and there were chairs to sit down on when I needed to.

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

Yes.. I transferred too. I specifically bought flights that I would be walking a lot. I've had 4 surgeries in MX and the one I had the most pain was the one I didn't get to walk with.

[Rena's got this 274]

Yes.. I transferred too. I specifically bought flights that I would be walking a lot. I've had 4 surgeries in MX and the one I had the most pain was the one I didn't get to walk with.

Four surgeries in Mexico! Were they all weight loss related?

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

Four surgeries in Mexico! Were they all weight loss related?

Yes. Lapband..

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

Oops.. Last one was sleeve