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Traveling cross country-5 weeks post op



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On 10/1/2021 at 6:03 PM, KarrinnaP said:

I had my surgery (sleeve) 7 days ago. I am moving to California Oct 29th. (Military) We will be traveling for 4-9 days (depending on kids) from South Georgia. I was supposed to have surgery this past summer. Then they made it for august and then covid got worse. So finally last week got it done. But now so many worries. Has anyone travelled Long distance after sleeve surgery? Anyone who has any tips or tricks they learned or have any good ideas. I have no idea how I’m gonna do this when I’m limited on what I can eat and we will be on the road for a while. Just getting nervous.

Gas stations now have Protein Shakes, boiled eggs, yogurt and nuts. These will help in a pinch. You’ll do great, just use the bathroom as often as you can (don’t wait or hold it)

Congrats on the move ❤️

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11 hours ago, KarrinnaP said:

Thank you. I appreciate that. It’s been so long since we’ve driven through to California. I’m from California but it’s been a good 12 years since I’ve driven to or from California. Last time was when I was in Dallas but this is much further and then we used to travel a lot to Colorado from California growing up. I just remember being in the middle of nowhere a lot of the time. But I feel much better after getting advice from you guys. And at least I know I’ll have options and be able to make good decisions. Gas is crazy there. Im not looking forward to the many things we will have to adjust to financially. That’s for sure. But I’m happy to be getting back to family.

Best of luck on your journey, not just the drive. It's so hard to move emotionally and physically, but I hope you can at least enjoy some of the beautiful scenery. I love to travel and although I usually fly, I do enjoy all the beautiful things I see out of the car windows once I land. I hope you love your new home and adjust quickly.

Also, I hope you can easily find a new bariatric clinic to help you move on in that part of your journey as well. Especially consider finding a bariatric therapist as I suspect that will be challenging with all the stresses of settling in!

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Being stagnant in the car so long you may want to consider wearing compression stockings. Ev3n a month or so out there is some risk of DVT for prolonged periods of immobility.

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19 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

Gas stations now have Protein Shakes, boiled eggs, yogurt and nuts. These will help in a pinch. You’ll do great, just use the bathroom as often as you can (don’t wait or hold it)

Congrats on the move ❤️

Thank you 😊

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5 hours ago, Tony B - NJ said:

Being stagnant in the car so long you may want to consider wearing compression stockings. Ev3n a month or so out there is some risk of DVT for prolonged periods of immobility.

Thank you. I will have to buy some. Great idea!

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Wearing compression stockings can help improve circulation and reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) during long periods of sitting, like during a cross-country car trip. It's especially important to consider if you're still in the early stages of recovery from surgery.


Compression stockings can help prevent blood from pooling in your legs and reduce the risk of developing blood clots. They're easy to wear and can make a big difference in your comfort and safety during long drives. Remember to stretch your legs and take breaks regularly to keep your blood flowing and reduce the risk of DVT.

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On 10/2/2021 at 6:21 AM, lizonaplane said:

Yeah, I am 3 weeks out and I'm hungry all the time. I wish people would stop saying "you will not feel much hunger". I'm following my plan to a T and it's not head hunger - my stomach is growling and I am not craving anything in particular, I am just HUNGRY. Even when I've just eaten, I want to eat more, but I'm afraid.

I agree! I never went through the not hungry phase and I hate hearing the its just " head hunger" statement as well. I know the difference between cravings and stomach growling hunger! I've been hungry from before surgery, weeks after and now 9 months ...I've just decided feeling hungry is better than being fat!

I also don't understand dieticians and people here saying eat deli meats, most have nitrates, salt and Water added to them - not exactly healthy! I guess in a pinch they're better than nothing...

Edited by BlondePatriotInCDA

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Traveling cross country 5 weeks post-op sounds like a big adventure! It's great that you're feeling up to it. When it comes to moving your stuff, you might want to consider hiring a moving company to help out. I've heard good things about Moving company Lund, but I've never used them myself. They could make the whole process a lot smoother and less stressful for you.

Since you're still in the early stages of recovery, it might be a good idea to pack light and take plenty of breaks along the way. Maybe even plan your route so you can stop and stretch your legs and rest when needed. Also, don't forget to check in with your healthcare provider before you hit the road to make sure it's safe for you to travel. Your health and well-being should always come first.

Edited by NinaWelch

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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

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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.

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        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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