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I'm a middle school teacher and I'm hoping to schedule my sleeve surgery for mid-July, after I finish working summer school. If I can get it scheduled at that time, it would give me a total of about 4 weeks until the first day back to school.

I'm just wondering if there are any other teachers out there who had the procedure done in the summer, and if so, how did you feel (physically) going back to school? Most of the other "back to work" posts I've read are about going back to desk jobs, which is very different from the demands of teaching all day.

About me: I'm on the lower end of the qualifying BMI spectrum (35) and 34 years old, otherwise in pretty solid health. I've been sticking to the pre-op diet religiously and exercising every day in the hopes to give myself the smoothest, must successful chances at surgery and recovery.

Edited by CapGal26

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I am a music teacher and had my vsg the week before Thanksgiving. I went back when everyone else did after Thanksgiving and conducted 3 Christmas concerts.

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I took off 6 weeks for my vsg but could have definitely went back at 4 weeks and I have a physically demanding job. You should be ok

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40 minutes ago, teacherlady095 said:

I teach high school English and I JUST had my sleeve on Friday evening (4/27). I was back at work today (5/1) and had no problems. I was moving a little slower, but I feel great!

Wow, holy crap, that's so impressive! Thanks to everyone who responded. You all are making me feel a lot better about this.

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Wow, holy crap, that's so impressive! Thanks to everyone who responded. You all are making me feel a lot better about this.

I had my lapband removed and sleeve on the same day. It has been much easier than anticipated. I feel even better today! Don’t worry - you’ll do great!


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Wow, holy crap, that's so impressive! Thanks to everyone who responded. You all are making me feel a lot better about this.

You’ll be fine! It’s time to get excited! I’m also at the lower end of the BMI (I went to Mexico because I wouldn’t have been approved here) and I’m 41. I feel even better today! It’s crazy to think that less than a week ago I was getting the sleeve and I’m already back to work and feeling fine - but that’s what’s happening! It blows my mind!


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I'm a middle school counselor who is up and about all day. I am having the gastric sleeve surgery on June 27 which will give me a full 6 weeks before I go back to work. I am also at a lower BMI (34) and have no health complications. I'm having my surgery done in Colombia where my mother lives because insurance here won't approve me.

What kind of presurgery diet are you following?

I am trying to cut out sugar and flour as well as increasing my Protein and reducing carbs. I'm beyond excited and nervous! I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about what my life will be like after surgery.

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8 minutes ago, newme1962 said:

I'm a middle school counselor who is up and about all day. I am having the gastric sleeve surgery on June 27 which will give me a full 6 weeks before I go back to work. I am also at a lower BMI (34) and have no health complications. I'm having my surgery done in Colombia where my mother lives because insurance here won't approve me.

What kind of presurgery diet are you following?

I am trying to cut out sugar and flour as well as increasing my Protein and reducing carbs. I'm beyond excited and nervous! I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about what my life will be like after surgery.

Hey, so glad to have an educator friend who has a similar situation to mine!

Kaiser has a very clear pre-op diet that everyone is supposed to follow, and I've been sticking to it pretty religiously. If you'd like, I can take pictures of those pages of the binder! Basically it is:

- No alcohol
- No caffeine
- No carbonated drinks
- Breakfast: roughly 3 oz. Protein, eaten first. Then fruit and a starch and fat. (There are very specific serving sizes depending on what food you're eating.)
- lunch & dinner: roughly 3 oz. protein, eaten first. Then veggies and a starch and fat. (Again, serving sizes in the binder.

The result is that you're consuming roughly 1200 calories per day. No snacking allowed -- they really impressed upon us that the people who struggle to lose weight (or gain weight) after surgery are the people who snack.

Happy to take pictures of the serving sizes for you if you want! It's basically my bible right now. I just went to the orientation a week ago and I've lost about 5 pounds already.

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I've been eating definitely eating more than 1,200 calories a day and need to reduce my food intake. I have cut out soda and alcohol, but not my morning coffee. It's definitely a challenge for me to think I will need to give it up for a stretch post surgery and I know I should start now. Thanks for sharing those guidelines and helping me focus. I am terrible at dieting and hence why all the excess weight has crept up on me over the last 15 years.

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Teacher here!! I'm waiting on my final appointment with my doc to schedule surgery right now.

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I understand your concern when comparing to desk jobs. If it helps, I'm a nurse on a busy unit working 12 hour shifts. Went back 1 week postop and haven't missed a step. I think 4 weeks will be fine.

Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

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Hi. I’m an elementary teacher. I was sleeved the Day before Thanksgiving and went back to work on Monday and was fine. My stomach was tender for about a month after surgery, but I was still able to keep up with the rigorous demands of teaching. I had my surgery at age 48. I am 5 ft. 3 in. Tall and began at 217, so I was also on the lower end of the BMI for surgery. It was one of the best decisions ever. Good luck on your journey. You’re going to do great!

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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