Scheduled to band Tues.Sept11. Will I be able to sing in the choir 5 days later on Sunday?

Thanks!!! I have learned a lot reading all your posts.

I know that everyone heals differently and I have read many many posts of people taking lots of time off of work to recover but I always think what the heck were they doing? I know that is terrible and I'm not trying to offend anyone. I had surgery on Friday and was back at work on Monday. I was also chasing after my 1 yo son all week. By about Wednesday I was feeling great and by Friday I couldn't even tell I had surgery (except for the scars of coarse). Like I said just my experience but I would see why you couldn't sing in the choir, just be sure to follow doctors orders.

thanks for your answer....did you have a lot of swelling???

Hey Wanabthin-

Thank you! I am being banded tomorrow, and have been very worried about my recovery...I have a 10 month old baby at home and I am starting back at my teaching job a week after banding. I figured that I didn't have much pain or problems after my c-section, so this should be a walk in the park, but I got a little worried with some of the other posts. Hopefully, I will be like you and will be feeling just fine in no time. I am so glad to hear not everyone feels awful after surgery!

Thanks again!

You should be fine by that point. It's taking me a little longer I think because I had gallbladder surgery just a week before my band surgery. I'm not on pain meds anymore (day 5 post op now) but, getting up and out of bed and off the couch is still a little hard for me. I'm ok once I'm up. Everbody's different and has their own circumstances. Good luck!

I'd say 5 days is fairly marginal. There is something you DO need to be VERY VERY careful of though. When you are first banded you are on a liquid only diet. If you aren't doing what you need to, you can VERY EASILY become nauseus, light headed, and weak. I am concerned about whether you will be standing the entire time. Singing could put a strain on your throat and chest. If you insist on doing this you had best recruit some help in the choir. Warn them to keep an eye on you if you start to look funny. The last thing you need to do is take a header off some risers. I am serious. This is a very real possibility.

I have just been banded on the 25th and had originally planned to return to work on wednesday. I can assure you that there is NO way I'll be able to keep that schedule due to the extreme pain and weakness. I think much depends on your health prior to the surgery. While my BMI was 41 and my weight 280 going into surgery. I have noticed that people with lower weights seems to have an easier time of things. I was the 'smallest' person banded that day with 5 others. I felt myself fortunate because I didnt seem to have as many pain problems and swelling. I think things got much more severe after I came home because the oxygen in the hospital helped me to rest much better. As now I cannot get a full breath without extreme pain.

I actually ended up in the ER last night because my oxygen was down to 66% and I ended up having a panic attack when I couldnt breathe. I scared the life out of my husband (and myself) because they thought may have had a blood clot.

Luckily I was released early this morning. But my point is try not to make any pressing plans of yourself because you may well need extra time to recover.

That doesnt mean you're a wimp or wrong..it just means your body and personal experience is 100% different and yours alone. I tried to gauge what I'd be doing by now (and feeling) by reading the info on this board and I can't say anything I expected is quite the case in reality.

I too believe your age, overall general health, and weight going into the surgery play a part---but that is just it---only a part! Everyones body reacts differently to the surgery, as well as to the anesthetic.

I was 289 pounds to start, and in good health, I was 45 y.o., I did great, I was back up and around in no time, and have done very well with no complications since surgery. I was banded the same day as my SIL, and we went in about the same weight, she is 12 years older, was in good health, but had more problems recovering, she was sore longer, on meds longer etc. She has also had issues since being overfilled---it has not been an easy journey for her.

Have you ever had other surgery to have an idea how the anesthetic affected you?

Planning anything too early is not a good idea in my book. It adds stress to your recovery on top of just trying to get over the surgery, and the lack of real food.

I fully realize there are things you just cannot quit doing---being a Mom for instance! I was back to taking care of my 1 year old granddaughter on my own within a few days. I flew home on day 3, spent 5 hours in a car, and 5 in the air...and managed it all on a dose of Tylenol. But it was mostly sitting! My DH was home for another day or so, then I was on my own with the little one, while everyone went to work.

If there are things you can put off---put them off! If you feel up to it, you will be free to do what you want, if you don't you are not then having to push yourself.

Take your time to heal properly, and get in plenty of fluids, including some liquid protein---especially in the early healing stage---it will give you back some energy. That was my biggest issue, I would get so tired so easily!

Good Luck to you all!!!

Kat

I wish I could be one of those people posting that I went to work a few days later! But my abdomen was really sore and I was groggy for quite a while. The gas pains left after four days. I was thankful for a full week of rest and only really felt back to myself about 6 days after surgery. Goodluck I wish you a speedy recovery!

I thought I would chime in.....because I also was trying to base my recovery on what I was reading. I was banded on Thurs 8/23 and went home as an out patient that same day. I wasn't exactly thrilled about that fact but with insurance companies being what they are, that was what they were willing to cover. I have had other abdominal surgeries (appendix and gall bladder) so I had an idea of what to expect. The day of surgery and the following I was kind of out of it. I was very bloated from the gas and had a hard time sitting up without help. It was Saturday though when I probably felt my worse. Getting the water down and trying to keep up with my eating requirements was difficult which in turn left me with no energy. By Sunday I was able to drink 4oz of sugar free Carnation Instant Breakfast and viola! I am feeling sooooo much better. So obviously getting that bit of protein in for me worked wonders!!

Scheduled to band Tues.Sept11. Will I be able to sing in the choir 5 days later on Sunday?

Thanks!!! I have learned a lot reading all your posts.

Recovery time is unique to the individual.

I have known patients who went back to non-physical work in two days, and I know patients who took 6 weeks off to recover.

One of the hardest things for most people to grasp is that with the Lap-Band, everyone will have a different experience.

Our doctor wants his people to not go to work or drive for one week. Then after that you are free to go. Just need to becareful with lifiting etc.

Chris

Pre Band

St. Louis

250/

As a former choir member and fairly serious singer, let me chime in here. While you may be well enough to drive, sit up, do light work etc., that is *NOT* the same as the constant and intense pressure you put on you abs while singing. I am 15 days out from surgery and could have gone back to my desk job after a week. But yesterday was the first day that I got through a full vocal warm up.

My humble advice would be to heal up and go enjoy the performance from the audience!

the mad frog lady