pre-surgery questions

I admit it... I have absolutely no patience but I am trying to figure this whole surgery thing out since I now know I have been approved. I am waiting on my letter so I can schedule my date but I am the Chief Financial officer for my company and I have a lot of major work deadlines coming up so I want to get a handle on what the "average" thing is to expect......so..... How long are most people out of work if you work a desk job? How long is it before you can drive? After surgery when do you go back for followup with your doctor? This is so confusing! Thanks in advance for any help you can offer

Well, I can only answer for myself. After my insurance company approved me, I lost 2 days for pre-op surgery test and 5 days (1 week) when I had the surgery. I was only in the hospital for 2 1/2 days, went home and started back to work that following monday. Have had no complications, feeling great, lost 40 lbs since surgery. I started driving 4 days after my surgery; only short trips. My surgery was Laparoscopic. Call your doctor's office, they will tell you what all the pre-op test you have to do before your surgery date. Hope this helps!

Answers are gonna vary due to type of surgery and Dr. I had open Fobi Pouch, was in the hospital for Monday - Thurs. Couldn't drive for 2 weeks. As for working at a desk, no way due to all the nausea I had. However some people don't have that to deal with. With an open incision it hurt to move, laugh, sit up long, etc.... However I felt well enough to type on the computer and look over things. So you might be able to work from home. Good luck. I didn't have patience then or now.... Congrats on the approval. Lynn

I was in the hospital for 3 nights, drove at a week, and back to work in 2 1/2 weeks, could've gone back at 2 weeks, except I couldn't get into see the docotor early enough to get a return to work note. I am in my 2nd week back to work and have been absolutely fine Susan Lap RNY 12-1-04 285-256-155

Learn patience! lol...yer gonna need it when you start eating, woman! Boy, did I have to work on that as well. I had open Fobi Pouch...drove myself to doc for 2 weeks check. I was out of work, desk job, for 6 weeks, because I felt I needed it and Dr. let me decide when to go back. I've known folks to go back at 2 weeks. I could not have, not a 40 hr. week. No way. I probably could have gone back and been pretty comfortable in 4 weeks, but I had plenty of time built up and wanted to get used to the food/drink plan before I went back. I work a crazy "desk" in an elementary school and sometimes I don't even have time for lunch, I just snack at my desk. I just felt I needed time to adjust to trying to get all my liquids, etc. in. I had an easy recovery, except for the times I was so tired. Being home allowed me to nap and heal, but again, everyone's different. My school found out they COULD survive without me! That in itself was a blessing for all of us. Good luck.

Ok i had mine done LAP and it was on a tuesday so i was out of work on monday for pre op stuff and then i was only in the hospital for a night and then i was back at work on monday for Half days only ...i came in and did what i needed to and left ( i am an accountant ) so i dont know if that helps or not but i also had no issues at all Laura

Lets say I had surgery Wednesday, Nov. 17 and went home the next day. Then I went to work on Monday Nov. 22 which is a desk job. So like everyone said it depends on you. I'm a fighter and I couldn't let this get me down. So I didn't over do it but I fight with it. Good luck to you. Lisha H

I had open RNY on a Monday and was in the Hospital till Thursday morning. Drove myself to my first follow up visit a week later. I went back to work at 3 weeks and by then I was STIR CRAZY cause I'm so not a home body! I started walking on day 1 and haven't stopped exercising of some sort every day since then! You DO have to remember it is major surgery and your body needs time to adjust! If you have the luxury of working from home - I'd take full advantage of that!