I will be having my surgery in January. I am curious as to how soon after surgery your doctor recommended/released you to return to work. As part of the initial seminar, they say you can have your surgery, go home the same day (if all is well), and return to work the very next day. How realistic is this? thanks.:ranger:

I would agree that about a week off would be good minimum to aim for if you can. I dragged myself into the office briefly two days after surgery, but not for a long period of time. I was very sore (mainly from the anesthesia) and got tired quickly.

I hope you can take some time off!

Thanks for everyone's words of wisdom. I work in a doctor's office and, believe it or not, have only 3 sick days for the year. My job is that of a medical biller, so I do sit quite a bit (hence - the shape I am in.) I will look into having the surgery on a Thursday with the option to return on Monday or Tuesday. I think the pain medication may be a big factor in my job performance! Also, I really like writing out my food schedule - thanks make33 - as I can see the potential to overlook the necessities!

Everyone is different. I returned to the work 6 days later, but still had a lot of pain. I ended up working from home for days 7 and 8.

I was banded on a Wednesday and returned to work the following Tuesday. I am a school based therapist and travel to several schools, lugging my equipment which weighs about 20 lb. I modified my schedule for a few days after I returned because I did have a limit on what I could carry. I did lots of classroom observations, but also a lot of walking, stairs and driving. For a few days, I was exhausted when I got home, but after a few days, was back to normal.

Was banded on the 19th and went back to work today (the 28th). I was pretty sore, and had a few problems with constipation then horrid diahrreah. There was no way I could go back earlier. Today is my first day back and I'm tired, I'm having trouble concentrating, and I got the shakes for some reason. I feel okay incision wise.

:bored I am going to take 7 days off to get some well need rest, I am in the Banking industry so not much labor there. good luck!! try doing it around a hoilday that u guys are off on so you can have that day also the week of MLK day you will have that THURSDAY- WED OFF

Hey there. I am having surgery on Thursday, 12/20 and hope to go back to work on Wed., 12/26. This will mean I'll actually only have to take 2 vacation days for it. Is this realistic? I have an office job where I sit and type all day long--data entry type work.

Yes, that is realistic. I was banded on a Tuesday and returned on Monday to a desk job too.

khoffman;

I took 10 days off. I'm an adult ESL teacher. I did start on my translation job I do from home on the next day after coming back from the hospital in my pajamas and would go to sleep several times during the day. When I went back to work I felt weird,but sat a lot. Now I'm fine,but my students know that at noon I have to eat or else my stomach starts talking to me.

I'm in Asia and they recommend two to three days hospital stay, actually they insist on it. And i'm happy.

the original expensive private clinic i found said i would be in and out in a day or same day !!!

Then later with more invesigation, i found a nurse who told me the truth about the extremely high priced ELITE clinic.

the doc flies in from Europe, for a week at the most, and they schedule lapband surgeries for him back to back from morning to night till he leaves.

and yes, he is part owner in the clinic.

The time he is gone, he has a junior doc charging the same and doing the same. The deal is, it is so ELITE because his name is attached to the clinic. Sure you can get him to do it, as he RUSHES thru it.

cuz its affecting his personal bank balance.

anyway.....i just wanted to say....try to walk and drink lots of Water before the surgery, like two weeks before, so you will be well hydrated etc...and have some stamina.

i recommend an inflatable pillow cushion to ease the sitting at work. just put a nice pillow cover on it. no one really cares that you will sit on one...you think they will but they don't.

good luck

I was banded Thursday morning, was scheduled to go back to work Sunday night, but felt I was a still a bit too run down to do it. So I ended up back at work Monday night. Semi-physical job (security patrol).

I think that anyone saying they could go back to work the day after surgery hasnt gone through the surgery.

One week would be ideal. That will get you back to work feeling normal, not feeling 100 percent. I've had lots of surgeries (3 c-sections, hernia repair, gall bladder, ACL repair, meniscus repair) and I wasnt able to go back to work the next day after any of those. The closest would have been the gall bladder. Went back after 3 days, but was still weak.

I wouldnt go back the next day for no other reason than the noise from the gas pain!! Wow, is that ever loud (and funny)!!

Good luck on your surgery! Take as much time as you can.:notagree

I was banded this past Tuesday and went back to work on Friday of this week. I sat most of the day and left an hour early, but otherwise it was fine. It really depends on your job and what it requires of you.

I had my surgery on a Monday and was back to work Saturday, with very little pain. I have a desk job tho, so it was easy for me...

Good luck!!

Megan