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How long did someone help you at home after surgery?



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Hi, everyone! I'm new to this community and WOW, what an incredible resource! I've been reading through posts for about a week and it's been really insightful. Thank you all!

I'm trying to figure out my post-op support for when I'm released from the hospital and head home (I live alone). I know everyone is different, but how long did someone help you out at home after surgery before you felt like you were good to go on your own?

If you have any other insights or considerations related to this as well, please let me know. Thanks so much!

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Hi, everyone! I'm new to this community and WOW, what an incredible resource! I've been reading through posts for about a week and it's been really insightful. Thank you all!
I'm trying to figure out my post-op support for when I'm released from the hospital and head home (I live alone). I know everyone is different, but how long did someone help you out at home after surgery before you felt like you were good to go on your own?
If you have any other insights or considerations related to this as well, please let me know. Thanks so much!
Welcome! I had the sleeve in April and I slept the first day I got home. I had someone with me for a week but didn't really need the help. I was able to do everything without assistance. It's really up to you. Good luck on this wonderful journey.



Sleeved on April 25, 2018
HW: 258
SW: 238
CW: 209
GW: 165

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I was revised from band to the bypass March 21st, I was in the hospital until the 23rd. My wife was around for a while, but honestly I didn't need any help at all at any time after leaving the hospital, for most things at least. I was told not to lift more than 10 lbs for several weeks, so I just didn't lift anything too heavy. So I couldn't help out everyone else, but I didn't need help with my own day to day stuff.

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Welcome and good luck!! I had my sleeve on 7/31 and was back home that afternoon. I had my family helping me but if I had to be by myself, I would have been fine. The hardest thing is when I need to pick something up off of the floor.

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I had help for a day and a half and I have a toddler. I was fine, don’t get me wrong I was sore but felt pretty good overall.

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I prepped a lot prior to surgery tons of cleaning and organization (I'm a minimalist anyway) so that I would not need any help afterwards. I had someone check in on me once in a while but I was ok alone. I have children but that were away during this time as well (purposely)

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My mom was home with me through post-op day 5, but I feel like I would have been pretty good to go by day 3 or 4. I had some trouble bending/reaching, but I think I would have been okay. If you have the ability to have someone with you through day 4, I'd recommend it, but if it's hard to make that happen then I think you can just go with the first three!

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I have had help the entire time from my husband. I have a needle phobia so I needed someone to give me the injection that prevents blood clots. I also needed help with my toddler. My doctor said I could not lift him into the bath tub (for example).


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1 hour ago, MK686 said:

Hi, everyone! I'm new to this community and WOW, what an incredible resource! I've been reading through posts for about a week and it's been really insightful. Thank you all!

I'm trying to figure out my post-op support for when I'm released from the hospital and head home (I live alone). I know everyone is different, but how long did someone help you out at home after surgery before you felt like you were good to go on your own?

If you have any other insights or considerations related to this as well, please let me know. Thanks so much!

Hello Newbie. I didnt have anyone to help me do anything...I was on my own.

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I was sleeved on the 10th and came home on the 11th completely independent. Just can’t lift.

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I think it depends on what you need/do on a daily basis, I really didn't need any help with anything for me personally. However, my husband had broke his foot and had to have surgery on it a few days before my surgery so my mom came to help, but mostly she was just available to go to the store if needed and she cooked dinner for my teenage son and husband. If you have small children, you may need help doing the basics for them for a couple days.

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These are all SUPER helpful perspectives -- thank you all so much for these insights. I feel a lot more confident about planning for after surgery. Really appreciate it!

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I live alone, and my mom stayed with me for about an hour after we got home from the hospital. She was satisfied I was fine and went home.

I was a little sore, but had no issues doing laundry, making Soup in the Instapot, etc. in the days after surgery.

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5 days. Because I too couldn’t give myself the lovenox shots 😂

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Same as what most have said. My wife was around but I did for myself fine. If I needed she would have taken care of it but I was fine getting about and taking care of myself. I know for sure her being around helped me, knowing she would be there if I needed assistance with anything. But fortunately I didn't. Best of luck to you when your surgery comes about.

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      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.
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      1. LeighaTR

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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. 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💪
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