I'm coming back to work 4 days post op (no other choice in the matter unless it's absolutely impossible for me to come).

What should I bring with me? What will I be able to wear? Will I be swolen?

Here are just a few things that come to mind that I'll need to bring to work.... food (obviously), a few Water bottles, tums, heating pad, pillow to put behind my back.

What am I missing? Are there any special accomodations I might need to arrange with my employer (aside from more time off, lol).

Well, you won't need food -- you will probably be on a liquid diet. Bring whatever you are supposed to drink, some Gas Ex strips if gas bothers you, and a pillow for your back, if it is bothering you. I was fine to sit and walk around by Day 4 post op. I was moving kind of slow, but I was fine. Bring some over the counter pain meds like tylenol w/ you too.

Let us know how it all goes! I have to go back next week, but was able to take 2 wks off. I still have trouble getting up from sitting and drinking all the liquids makes it rough, you have to get up to go to the bathroom a lot! I think it'll be harder to be on the pureed food to go back, having to have all that with you. I don't know about you, but my back is killing me from protecting my port side, it's still sore.

Best of luck to you!

I went back to after a week from surgery ...def u need a pillow for ur back (lumbar support pillows work great not too bulky) Lots of water and ask ur boss if its ok if every 1 to 2 hrs u walk for 10 minutes i aksed mine and he had no problem...im on 3weeks full liquids whcih ends sept 28th....good luck 2 u

You may get very very very sleepy if you are anything like me. The most important thing, bar none, was a sports bra. I tried to wear a normal bra and one of my incisions was centrally located between my breasts where the bra band would be. It was exceedingly uncomfortable and I had to change during lunch to something more accomodating.

You will also have some swelling, so definitely wear pants or a skirt with plenty of "give" around the waist. You will be uncomfortable anyway, so you should dress to accomodate your situation.

I also went back 4 days later and did fine, just really easily fatigued. I felt as if I could just lay my head down on my desk and sleep. I also couldn't concentrate well so I had to perform tasks that didn't require much thought. Good luck.

Interesting post, hope there are more comments. I too am going to be an early work return.. I am self employed, and can't leave the office for too long without causing problems with my contracted work. I have a friend who can help out with the phones a few hours a day so I am going to make sure I can afford to pay her for at least a week. I have one advantage in that my office is at my dads home so I can go lay on the couch for a bit when needed, he is elderly and also has a lift chair,, hehehe that should come in handy too!!

I have a desk job so it was easier for me to return on Monday (after a previous Thursday surgery) than if I had a physically active job. The difficulty was that my job requires me to *think* -- novel concept, I know! It was difficult to concentrate on tasks while taking prescription pain meds. In my case, I was on Percocet, and thus difficult to actually work! I left each day around 4:30 (I usually work 9 - 6), and went home and took a nap. I made sure we didn't have any social event or after-work stuff to attend to -- I think that helped as well.

As soon as I shifted off of Percocet (day 7) and on to Extra Strength *Liquid* Tylenol, that made all the difference! I was alert and able to focus at work. Liquid Tylenol is great. Drink lots of Water with it.

I also had chicken broth with me and drinkable yogurt.

I also went back to work the following week after my banding. I did not have any issues. You will want to walk and not sit for long periods of time. Good luck.

I went back 8 days after. I couldn't have returned any sooner...

When I did return I took

Mylanta Liquid

Extra strength gasX gel tabs

Liquid blast tylenol

2 Isopure a day

lots of bottled Water

pillow

I had my surgery on Friday and returned to work on Monday. NO issues! My office is on the second floor and there is no elevator. The stairs did not bother me. In fact I found being able to up and down the stairs (take it easy!) helped with the gas. Although I did not take any meds when I was at the office, in the afternoon I did get sleepy. But hey, I still do! I was fine, you will be too! The only thing I took with me was my liquid lunches and snacks. I still pack my lunch more than not to this day.

Heating pad. (back)

Pillow(back)

Milk of Magnesia(no bowel movement for me for 8 days)

X-Strength Gas X

Propel water

Chicken broth.

I will be having surgery on oct 1st and wednesday and have to return on monday the 6th. wish I had more time off, but I am pretty new to my job and lucky they are giving me that time off. so i am hoping for a quick and healthy recovery as I will wish for all of you

Congrats to you.. I am just starting the whole process and I see by your bios that you did this very quickly. do you mind if I ask how you got through so quickly? Love to hear some of your story..

I'm coming back to work 4 days post op (no other choice in the matter unless it's absolutely impossible for me to come).

What should I bring with me? What will I be able to wear? Will I be swolen?

Here are just a few things that come to mind that I'll need to bring to work.... food (obviously), a few Water bottles, tums, heating pad, pillow to put behind my back.

What am I missing? Are there any special accomodations I might need to arrange with my employer (aside from more time off, lol).

Macpa,

it totally depends on your insurance and your doctors with how long it takes you.. I work for the hospital where my surgery is being done so my insurance company does not require in major surgery pre reqs. I could have had my surgery done about a month ago, but since I am new in my job I had to wait until i had been there for 90 days to take time off.. My doctor only required us to get a physc eval, cardiac clearance and do 3 to 4 week diet plan with a nutritionist just to show us how we will be eating and to work with an exercise physiologist.. It has been a learning curve and I can tell you I am super proud of anyone that has to go through a long process. I am so impatient I would go crazy waiting. I am very thankful my process has not been to long..

Hope your process is quick and everything goes well..

Hmmm...food? I couldn't have even protein shake until day 8. And if you were (are?) sutured at your surgical sites, heating them really isn't a good idea...they could actually dissolve before doing their jobs! (sorry to be a downer!) Otherwise try to get up and walk around a little every 30 minutes or so (assuming you have a desk job). I'd suggest liquid tylenol for pain. And that pillow would probably feel better across your tummy than behind your back...at least that's where it helped me the most! Good luck; if you can, check with your surgeon about the heating pad and follow his recommendation.

Thus far, it has everything to do with my doctors. Some are apparently either extremely busy with a very high volume of visits and surgeries, or maybe they're just not very flexible, I don't know. But I've been able to call them and get my appointments scheduled for within a week of calling. They called me to schedule my first class less than a week after I mailed my app, they wanted me to come in 3 business days after they called but I couldn't (vacation), and a bunch of other stuff held me up until finally I made the class, but that was all my fault. I could have been banded by now had it not been for that. The psych and dietician both have been very flexible, I could have had my appointments sooner but I have to consider my job and how they'd feel about me going to more than 1 doc appt in a weeks time. So I'm trying to spread them out a bit without delaying everything too much. Everything is almost ready to submit to insurance, this time next week it should be sent off. My insurance said they take about 2-3 business days to review and I don't think I'll have any trouble getting approved because my BMI qualifies and they don't require a medically supervised diet. So, long story short, things are progressing quickly thanks to physicians with flexible schedules.

Congrats to you.. I am just starting the whole process and I see by your bios that you did this very quickly. do you mind if I ask how you got through so quickly? Love to hear some of your story..:crying: