Surgery then travel for vacation?

[ProfessorSlim 115]

I'm pretty sure I'll be scheduled for first week of December 2017, this year. I want to take a trip w kids & another family 12/26-12/31.

Is this feasible?im usually pretty quick to rebound from things. Thoughts? Thx!!

[Kat410 423]

If you're quick to heal and rebound (like I am), you will probably be fine physically, but you will need to plan your meals. You will most likely be on liquids (maybe pureed at that time depending on your plan) which can be challenging in certain environments. If you will be staying in a home - no problem, if you are staying in a hotel you'll need to think through how to manage your nutrition.

Also, most people find that while they are physically fine, there are repercussions that they are dealing with (less stamina as your body adjusts to a longer term calorie deficit), soreness, mental and emotional fatigue, irritability, etc.)

Also you may want to consider how "food centric" your vacation will be. Some things (and some people) are heavily oriented around food/eating. It really supported me in the first 6 weeks not to be around what I considered food oriented activities. While on liquids I just MISSED EATING. I missed the taste of food, I missed chewing, I just missed it.

That did pass after the first two months, but I also had very little of those kinds of activities in my environment and that really worked for me and let me keep my mind focused on other things.

[Kat410 423]

If you're quick to heal and rebound (like I am), you will probably be fine physically, but you will need to plan your meals. You will most likely be on liquids (maybe pureed at that time depending on your plan) which can be challenging in certain environments. If you will be staying in a home - no problem, if you are staying in a hotel you'll need to think through how to manage your nutrition.

Also, most people find that while they are physically fine, there are repercussions that they are dealing with (less stamina as your body adjusts to a longer term calorie deficit), soreness, mental and emotional fatigue, irritability, etc.)

Also you may want to consider how "food centric" your vacation will be. Some things (and some people) are heavily oriented around food/eating. It really supported me in the first 6 weeks not to be around what I considered food oriented activities. While on liquids I just MISSED EATING. I missed the taste of food, I missed chewing, I just missed it.

That did pass after the first two months, but I also had very little of those kinds of activities in my environment and that really worked for me and let me keep my mind focused on other things.

[Clementine Sky 707]

Kat410 gave excellent feedback, so I'm just echoing what she's written. I think it's reasonable to be optimistic that you'll have recuperated sufficiently within a couple of weeks to travel, but you should definitely plan very carefully and meticulously. You also will have to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for the frequent food temptations you'll face and be determined to have a strong will. It's important to diligently follow the dietary restrictions during that first month out to protect your health. Even small deviations from it can be problematic, so you'll have to be willing to stay the course even as everyone else on your vacation is indulging in more treats and meals out than typical. It's also a time when your stomach is still adapting and might be unpredictable, so you'll want to have access to a decent bathroom everywhere you go. I never had any extreme complications, but I had some stomach issues, plus the surgery caused my hormones to go out of whack and I had a brutally intense period two weeks early. I hadn't been prepared for it.

I personally would have struggled on a vacation like that so soon out. For one, I kept having the VSG entirely private with the exception of my husband and parents, but on such a trip that wouldn't have been as feasible because everyone on it would understandably be puzzled as to why I couldn't eat solid foods. You'd have to make plans for all your meals, which could impact them. If your family and the one you're traveling with is going to be aware of your surgery, how crucial it is you follow post-op dietary restrictions, and fully supportive of you, then you'll be in a far better position for success. After the two-month mark I was traveling fairly often, including a trip to Australia in December (I'd had surgery in August) and it all went beautifully, but it was easier when I was no longer on a liquid or soft food diet, and my stomach and hormones had calmed down. So really consider your own level of willpower and how much cooperation and understanding you'll receive from your kids and the other family before booking. If you think you might be tempted to eat something "forbidden" during that time, then you might want to consider having the surgery after the holidays.

[Strivingforbetter 246]

I had the DS surgery in June and three weeks later, I was on the road on vacation with my husband. It was rough eating in restaurants and trying to find things I could eat and not cause a problem. I ate fish, eggs, and cheese frequently. It got really old and I wasted a lot of food because I couldn't eat very much, but i survived and stayed on my plan. When I got back home, I had lost a good amount of weight that week, which before my surgery would never have been possible on a vacation. So, it's doable if you look after yourself and are really selective on the kind of restaurant you select and what you order. I didn't need willpower. My stomach would yell at me when it was time to stop eating or I would get sick if I ate the wrong thing. It was a good teacher.

[ProfessorSlim 115]

Thanks for all the responses, I think I'll be fine, but it is a lot to consider. I know I will be committed, and will not ruin my surgical adaptation, that is just how I am. Once "sleeved" I'll be the type that follows the plan well, I'll be afraid of bursting or stretching the "pouch"......I think my biggest worr now is "ruining" my kids fun, regarding foods. We can go to eat, they can eat, I will be on plan...but I do not want it to be about me and what I am NOT eating, so to speak.

Anyway, thanks for all the answers!