I'm approved through insurance but am currently thinking of moving up my surgery date from July 29 to mid-June. I will be leaving the country for Italy on July 2 and staying for two weeks, which would give me two weeks after I get banded to prepare for the trip. For those post-lap banders, would that have been too soon to travel? If I wait until July 29 I'll have to start a new job soon after I get my band, which sounds much more stressful to me. Of course, I don't want to travel two weeks after surgery if it's not realistic.

It's been a while since my surgery, but thinking back, I would not have been ready to go out of the country 2 weeks post-op. For one, international (usually) means a lot of walking, and even though I felt good at two weeks, I'm not sure I could have handled that much energy and movement. I was also restricted, so I personally would not have wanted to go out of the country for fear that I didn't yet know how to eat, and wouldn't want to be thousands of miles from my surgeon with potentially no way to get band care if something happened.

It will probably depend on things like - how well you heal. I felt pretty good just a few days post-op, but I've known people a month out who were still miderable. I went for a walk 2 days post-op (assisted my a shopping cart), but know people who didn't dream of leaving the house until 2 - 3 weeks out. There's also an element of what you're doing. If you're going for work and will be in an office/desk for most of the day, that's different than a leisure trip where you're more likely to need to do a lot of movement.

I was banded at the beginging of December and still miserable around Christmas. There's no way I would have been ready for a major international trip just 2 weeks post surgery.

If you feel the need to move it up, can you move it up by a week?

ZillyAnne,

You are young.....In my opinion, you'd be fine. I was banded on June 2, 2008, and the same day I went to Target and stopped at another hospital to visit a family member. On the next day, it was mostly resting but for the most part it was a cinch ... so far. I am going back to work today. My job is pretty laid back and I can call my day quits when I want. Basically you will be on a plane relaxing. I asked my doctor when I could travel to a third world country and he said, a month. And if I am not mistaken he said as long as it's not a third world, you can travel in 2 weeks. Ultimately depends on you individually, the doctor can tell you what he thinks and your peers here can share their experience but it all depends on how you recoup from surgery.

Not banded yet, but I have thought about international travel in general, and specifically immediately post banding. My plan and suggestion would be do to your best to find a clinic or doctor that does or is familiar with the band, preferably one who can speak a language you can speak. These surgeries are more common in Europe than the US, so finding a "just in case" place shouldn't be too difficult--the language thing might be but I think is less important than having access to someone who knows what they're doing.

In terms of healing--I don't know. Two weeks sounds too soon to me and I'd avoid it if I could but based on the fact that most people seem to be back at work within a week, and this is a vacation you might be alright. Just know that many people experience the band feeling tighter during and after air travel (something to do with pressure) so you may want to plan accordingly with Protein shakes etc.