As I consider the lap band, I am wondering about recovery time. I am a firefighter/paramedic, and strenuous lifting/bending is part of my job description. Am I doomed to weeks and weeks out of work?

Audrey

everybody is different. Best thing is talk to your Dr. about it. good luck

I'm an R.N. in a hospital. I took 2 weeks off work before going back, just to be on safe side. Laproscopic surgery, generally, doesn't require much time off work, as less muscles and tissue are damaged as with open surgeries. With lapband, they are not removing anything, just adding something, so healing is very quick, for most people.

Thank you for your helpful reply. Do (did) you do a lot of patient lifting?

Audrey

The info I have read is that people who do a lot of physical labor should take 3 weeks to recover. At my two week post op appointment my doctor said there was no restriction on how much I could lift. On the third week I was lifting printers and computers with no problem, and like normal don't lift anything more than one person can handle. But, I'm not doing it all day long like you would be.

The info I have read is that people who do a lot of physical labor should take 3 weeks to recover. At my two week post op appointment my doctor said there was no restriction on how much I could lift. On the third week I was lifting printers and computers with no problem, and like normal don't lift anything more than one person can handle. But, I'm not doing it all day long like you would be.

Thanks! Three weeks is better than four, or five, or six, I guess... but either way I'd have to go on short-term disability, which is 65 percent of my salary, so I was curious ... thanks!

Audrey