Hi guys,

My surgery is in a few weeks and I'm still very excited about it. I'm not nervous at all. My question for those of you that have had the procedure already is how long did it take for you to feel well enough to return to work again? I have an office job, so I won't have to do prepare for lifting or anything like that.

I ask because I've scheduled a week off for recovery time and I'm wondering if I'm being too confident about my recuperation time? I've read from a lot of folks here that they felt normal after about 5 days or so and based taking a week off post-op on that. I should also add that I'm going into this surgery in great health (no co-morbidities at all) other than being obese (lol) .

Any opinions/advice would be much appreciated!!

Thanks so much,

Nat

Will your work be understanding if you ask for a week off and end up needing to take two weeks off if your not feeling well? If not take two weeks.

PS You have a great attitude and I think when you have a positive outlook you tend to heal quicker.

Edited October 30, 200817 yr by noosagirl

Three days was enough for me...and like you I took the week off. I am glad I did, but I was up to my regular self in three days! Becareful not to over do it because you do tire out quickly.

My surgery was on Wednesday and I went back to work on Monday. But you do tire easily.

Will your work be understanding if you ask for a week off and end up needing to take two weeks off if your not feeling well? If not take two weeks.

PS You have a great attitude and I think when you have a positive outlook you tend to heal quicker.

Hi noosagirl,

I don't think my job will have a problem with my requesting more time off in necessary. I'm about to start a new job, so I didn't want to take off too much time since this might happen to be during my last two weeks, but I will if needed.

Thanks for your feedback and advice,

Nat

Three days was enough for me...and like you I took the week off. I am glad I did, but I was up to my regular self in three days! Becareful not to over do it because you do tire out quickly.

That's awesome and good to hear. I plan on taking it easy and fortunately, my job doesn't require me to be running around a lot so I'll still be able to take it easy when I return to work.

Thanks for your input,

Nat

My surgery was on Wednesday and I went back to work on Monday. But you do tire easily.

Great to know, thanks so much for your response and advice!!!

Nat

I doubt you'll need more than 5 or 6 days off. By day 5 I was going to the movies and playing fetch with my friends 100 lb dog. I only took the 5th day off cuz my boss insisted on it.

The first day I had the surgery, I wasn't really in any pain. I just slept the rest of the day.

The second day I was in a pretty good amount of pain, but the third day hurt the worst. The fourth day it was a little painful but not bad and by the 5th day I was pretty good to go.

Getting the band was the best thing I've ever done!

Best of luck

Edited October 30, 200817 yr by coolcrystal

I doubt you'll need more than 5 or 6 days off. By day 5 I was going to the movies and playing fetch with my friends 100 lb dog. I only took the 5th day off cuz my boss insisted on it.

The first day I had the surgery, I wasn't really in any pain. I just slept the rest of the day.

The second day I was in a pretty good amount of pain, but the third day hurt the worst. The fourth day it was a little painful but not bad and by the 5th day I was pretty good to go.

Getting the band was the best thing I've ever done!

Best of luck

Thanks so much CoolCrystal, that's exactly what I needed to know. I think I've taken the exact amount of time I need than!!!

Nat

hey, what up? you will be back to your old self in no time. the first day i was regretting why i did it, but from that day on, i was feeling a whole lot better. the only thing is that you have to walk to relieve the gas! i also had my surgery on a wednesday and was back to work on monday. i have an office job too so it didnt require me to to a whole lot of bending and lifting. you will be glad you did this cause i forget most of the time that i even have the band , until i go to eat my favorite, grits and eggs and realize that i can only eat a portion of what i used to be able to eat. you know something funny, i was so upset that i couldnt finish it the first time, cause it scared me a little to know that this used to be my dish anytime of the day! but you will be fine. i go for my first fill on nov. 6th and i cant wait for it.

i'm a big sissy in the crowd, i would have needed 2wks off (don't work outside the home). i had extreme port pain for 10+ days and got very little sleep because of it. i'd suggest a Plan B, should you need to take extra time & not have issues doing so.

Nat,

I had surgery on a Thursday, went back to work for 2 half days Tues. & Wed the next week. Took off Thurs. & Fri. (Dr. appts). I was back to work full time 11 days later in an office. I was a little tired at the end of the day the first week back but I made it ok. While off the first week I made homemade chicken noodle soup, homemade beef vegatable soup, fed the family & I got homemade broth (much better than canned). 1 1/2 months later I am working both my full time job & my parttime job, probably 55 hrs. per week. No pain at all, love my band!!! First fill Nov. 12th.

Good luck on your surgery.

It took about 10 days for me to feel normal. But I am a lot older than you "young gals".

I felt pretty darned wonderful by day 3. I was posting here the evening of my surgery day, day 2 I was a little sore and took 2 doses of prescription pain meds, but that was it. I felt WONDERFUL! I was happy happy to have the band, etc. I had surgery on Friday, a class on the next Tues afternoon (I'm a nursing student) and I BOMBED the math test (and I am a math whiz). Teacher said she figured it was because I was still suffering aftereffects from anesthesia. I felt good, though!

So it just depends on you. How you think you feel, and how you are actually performing, may be 2 different things! LOL I'd think a week is probably good, though. By that next friday, 1 week out, I was back to normal. I was hungry as a bear because I could only have liquids, but I was "normal". :biggrin:

Good luck to you!

Wow! I cannot imagine returning after 3-5 days. I took 2 weeks off and ended up coming back a few days early (today, actually) for 1/2 days. I have a desk job, but it is demanding with lots of stress and I wanted to be sure I was fully recovered and rested (both physically and mentally) before I returned to the rat race. I still have some bruising and pain in the port area, which makes sitting at my desk and leaning forward to type a little painful.

My advice: Listen to your body and make sure you give yourself adequate time to fully recover physically. If you take 2 weeks but end up going back in less time all the better.

I didn't feel myself again until 1 week. I took off 2 weeks because I do have a demanding job, but I think you should give yourself plenty of time to heal. I'm 10 post op and still have alot of pain from my port and a hernia repair ( which I didn't know I had until after surgery)so I agree that you should have a plan B. Good luck w/ your surgery!