Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Travel after surgery



Recommended Posts

First and foremost, what’s up gents! First post here and I am still in pre-op stages. Scheduled for my sleeve on the 17th of June.

I am ripping through this forum to set my worries at ease and answer my questions, it has all been an amazing help and I am thankful to know this tool is here when I wake up from surgery because support is a key to success.

all of that being said, I am wondering how everyone has done with travel after surgery. I have a training for work that I have to host exactly 2 months after surgery. I am assuming I won’t be on solid foods by then yet but maybe I’m wrong. Has anyone had to travel for work and did it go?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Will you be traveling by plane or car? If possible, pack as much of your own food w you and remember to stay hydrated. How long will your trip be?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, vegasjay82 said:

I have a training for work that I have to host exactly 2 months after surgery. I am assuming I won’t be on solid foods by then yet but maybe I’m wrong.

I've never heard of a restricted diet lasting that long. Usually regular diet starts at about six weeks post-op, and pureed/soft (solid) foods start weeks before that. The chief focus should be on hydration, not nutrition.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, waterwoman said:

Will you be traveling by plane or car? If possible, pack as much of your own food w you and remember to stay hydrated. How long will your trip be?

It will be by plane for work and it will be 2 weeks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i was on solid foods 5 weeks and soft foods 2 weeks after surgery. of course all surgeons have different length stages. Check with yours on how your stages will be from liquids, to puree to soft foods to solids.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You will not have a problem flying 2 months after the surgery. I think I was restricted for 2-3 weeks. I flew about 6 weeks later and had no issues whatsoever.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, it's important to follow your surgeon's guidelines. Ensure that you're well enough to travel and attend work-related training. Be sure to bring any necessary medical documentation and medications. Consider booking a hotel room with a kitchenette or access to a refrigerator to store your Meal Replacements. My business class flights company always pays attention to this kind of request. Besides, be mindful of your hydration needs and ensure that you're drinking enough fluids throughout your trip. If you have any concerns or questions, be sure to speak with your surgeon.

Edited by Moburak

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Of course, everyone's situation is different, so it's ultimately up to you and your doctor to determine what's best for your recovery. I wish you all the best and a speedy recovery. Support is definitely key to success.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It really depends on how you heal as a person, I would imagine.
I led a group of teenagers around Europe 4 weeks after surgery. My surgeon said that was the minimum amount of time he wanted me to wait before leaving the country (I think it was more in case I had medical issues in healing or with my gall bladder). Everything went fine. I packed Protein Powder, made sure I ordered only approved soft foods at restaurants, and drank Water all day. Stopping in grocery stores along the way to pick up yogurt or cheese or premade Protein Shakes was also helpful. (I was super tired of that Protein powder flavor by the end of the trip, though.)
Good luck!

Sent from my Pixel 4a using BariatricPal mobile app

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

A little late to the game, but I just had my Bypass on 5/15/2023. I am flying to Italy for a 2 week trip on 6/28, so around 6.5 weeks total from surgery to trip. I discussed it with my doctor and he had no reservations about the timing, I think he would have been comfortable up to about 5 weeks out. According to my food plan, I will be on soft foods by then, and fish/salmon is one of the best "starter" meats, so I plan on having a lot of seafood while over there. I do plan on taking a healthy stash of 1-off Protein powder mixes to dump into a bottle of Water if I need to supplement.

I would recommend requesting a hotel room with a mini-fridge and putting some yogurt/cottage cheese/protein drinks/etc in there so that you aren't constantly trying to figure out meals.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

On 5/19/2022 at 3:51 AM, FutureSylph said:

I've never heard of a restricted diet lasting that long. Usually regular diet starts at about six weeks post-op, and pureed/soft (solid) foods start weeks before that. The chief focus should be on hydration, not nutrition.

Everyone's different; I had specific food restrictions for 3 months following my procedure. It was gradual and things were added along the line, but I wasn't free to eat whatever I felt like until 3 months.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×