HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

CAN ANYONE TELL ME ABOUT HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET BACK TO WORK AFTER LAP WLS? I AM TO HAVE MINE IN A MONTH AND THEY SAY IF ALL GOES WELL I SHOULD BE OFF WORK ABOUT 2 WEEKS. I WOULD LIKE TO HERE FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SURGERY TO SEE HOW LONG IT TOOK THEM TO GET BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS. OF COURSE IT DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF WORK YOU DO AND HOW YOUR SURGERY GOES. ANY WAY IF ANYONE CAN GIVE ME SOME IDEAS I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. AT WORK I HAVE BEEN ON 1/2 DAYS OF SIT DOWN TIME TO DO PAPER WORK. ALSO IF ANYONE CAN TELL ME SOME GOOD WORK OUT THINGS TO DO ...I CAN'T WALK BECAUSE I HAVE A BAD ANKLE AND BAD KNEES. THANKS CHERI

Hi Cheri! I'm pre-op and will be having open RNY at that, but I have heard that 2-4 weeks is about the average for lap. Good luck, Sweetie! & Sherry Open RNY 02/04/04

It depends on you and your surgeon......Most works cannot let you go back to work unless your surgeon has released you.....I am a stay at home mom, I also do a little daycare....I took like 3 weeks off from daycare, because of the lifting......but I went right back to being a mom and wife, and housekeeper.....haha! But if you have a sitdown job and you NEED to get back to work.....let your surgeon know! For the bad ankles and knees......maybe water areobics or stationary bike! Good Luck ~Jesi

Hi Cheri- I had open RNY in August and at the time I had a strictly desk job. I went back to work after being out for 3 weeks. I did not have any complications so was able to do my 8 hr shift right away with no problems. A coworker with the same job had to ease back into it with 4 hrs per day but she was pretty sick and very fatigued after surgery. If I would have had lap surgery I think I would have gone back in a week. It's not just how you feel that determines when you go back. I found that the biggest challenge was relearning my eating habits and figuring out how to incorporate that into a work schedule. In addition, if you find you are nauseated easily after eating it is easier to deal with at home than coupled with the stress of having to do your job. You can't be gulping down your food or drink on short breaks like the old days- it just doesn't work! Hope this has been helpful. Michelle -105#/-83"

Cheri, I had my surgery Lap on 10/14/03 and was back at work 1/2 days on 10/30. I work in an office on the computer (mostly). I started back full time a week later and did not have any problems. I think everyone else is right, it depends on the job that you have and also your surgeon. Also, maybe too it depends on how well your surgery goes and if there are no complications. I was very forturnate ( I guess ) that my liver was small and I only needed 4 ports instead of 5 for the docs to be able to visualize everything in there. Hope everything goes fantastic for you. On your exercise question - do you have access to a pool? Water exercise can be very helpful and the bouyancy takes the stress off the knees and ankles, I've heard. Take Care! -Deb W.