Hey i had my surgery on thursday 9/9 and yesterday my doctor met me removed the cover i had on my stitches and said i could function normally and swim and stuff but online all doctors said weeks - and my pre op diet was 2 days not weeks like others i was thinking of going to a general M.D. To do some testing and look at my wounds for a second opnion but people around me are saying im being paranoid im honestly not sure what to do can anyone give me advice please ? He has done this operation many times etc but i just feel they dont care about patients that much after i paid and op is done.

Hope you are all doing well and thanks for taking the time to read this hopefully i can get some information here
I was 145 kg im 140 now already entering 2nd week of my diet from wednesday

If he did your surgery, I'd follow his orders. If he gave you a plan, stick with it. If he has done this surgery many times he is obviously doing it right. Don't compare him or yourself with others. Don't believe everything you read online!

I have other friends and family who have had the surgery. That's three different surgeons between all of us. There were three DIFFERENT post op plans that we followed. So far. we all are doing well. Follow YOUR surgeons plan.

some surgeons don't require a two-week pre-op diet, so that isn't at all unusual.

as for exercise, I was only allowed to walk until I was four weeks out, but if he's seen your stitches and thinks it's OK for you to swim, then whatever...

Well, i’ll echo the others here in saying trust your doc. He has actually seen you and treated you, and I would assume he would be in a better position to advise YOU, than someone who’s never met you.

On the other hand, your peace of mind is paramount, so if you believe you will be better served by another, then by all means go that route. You *may* be hindering your future success if you don’t trust your doc…so go with one you do.

P.S. Nothing is stopping you from waiting a couple more weeks before YOU feel comfortable enough to go swimming. He didn’t say you HAD to go swimming, only that you CAN.

Good Luck! ❤️

As others have said, each surgeon is different and has different recommendations and requirements. The pre-op and post-op diets can vary WILDLY between doctors, but that doesn't necessarily mean one is better or worse than another. If you feel like you need additional support, its totally fine to consult with your PCP or a registered dietician, depending on what you need. The other thing to remember is that just because your doctor said you CAN, doesn't mean you HAVE to. You may be cleared to swim, but if you aren't comfortable, then don't. Maybe they say you are ready for the next food phase, but you feel like your body isn't? That's fine, go slower if you need to. The guidelines are just that, guidelines, they are not hard and fast rules for what you have to do at any given stage (although I certainly wouldn't condone going any faster or do more than recommended). Ultimately, you have to listen to your gut and do what you think is best for YOU!

It’s best for you to have a doctor you can trust. Is there a NP at his office? Sometimes they can be saying the same exact exact thing but they are just better with reassuring people (surgeons are great at what they do but tend to not be the best with people). I say don’t do anything sooner than the surgeon says but if you need to go a little slower for peace of mind that can’t hurt anything. Like others have said. Just because he says you CAN swim doesn’t mean that you HAVE to.

You should NOT swim until your wounds are entirely healed. Any decent lifeguard would prevent you from entering a pool. (I'm a former lifeguard, too.)

If you are uncertain about your surgeon's judgment, it couldn't hurt to have your primary care physician follow you through recovery.

I recommend you do some more reading about bariatric surgery so you aren't dependent upon just what your surgeon has told you. For example, these two books are good, although there are others.

Pre-op diets are drastically different from surgeon to surgeon so don't be worried about that. Some don't even require one, until two days before surgery to make sure your system is clean of debris. As far as the swimming and exercise are concerned... Usually you can soak in the bathtub or swim after 2 weeks due to the incisions needing to be healed. I believe two days is far too soon. May get infected. My surgeon wanted me to start doing light exercise like walking or cycling right away, just no heavy workout with weights.

Edited September 14, 20215 yr by Tomo

I wana thank you all for your advice and tips, you are all Angels made me feel much better!

I've been frustrated throughout the whole process about how inconsistent the different pre-op and post-op diets and instructions have been so I totally feel your pain here! How is it possible that the medical community hasn't done studies and determined a recommended set of guidelines at this point?!

Anyway, the others are right that just because you're cleared to do something doesn't mean you are forced to right away. If it helps, my info said no swimming or taking baths until 30 days out AND until the incisions have healed to the point where it looks like regular skin, no scabs or anything. I think it may be difficult because everyone heals at different rates.

I'm sorry that you're not feeling supported by your surgeon's office now that you've had surgery; I agree that sometimes the impression is that you're not their problem anymore. The good news is that this has been a really fantastic community for advice and help.

A lot could be due to starting BMI. I only had to do 2 days clear fluids, but I do know my surgeon has patients that have to do Optifast before surgery for 2 weeks or more. So, it really depends on the patient.

I had no swimming/hot tub. I couldn’t even shower for 72 hours.