How long til you could really go back to work?

Hi -
I am scheduled to ave my surgery on Wed. Sept. 15th and planned to be back at work the following Monday.  Is this realistic?  I am in sales in the construction industry so I am carrying tools around (some that way up to 20 lbs) and walking all over construction job sites. 

I am getting the gastric sleeve.  In your experience - how long til you are REALLY back to 100%??

Thanks,
Mias Mom

Well, I had my sleeve on Wednesday; had a second surgery for internal bleeding on Friday; returned to work on Monday for 6 hours. I work a desk job and still would be wiped out by 2:00 in the afternoon for the first week. I'm not sure you should plan on carrying very much for that first week. You'll have to talk to Dr. B. about that. He usually says do whatever you feel capable of as long as it includes WALKING!

Best wishes on your journey.

Lois

Thanks for the info.   Is Internal bleeding common?   

Looks like your journey is going well!!   Congrats on the weight loss!!

Thank you. Yes, it is going well and I feel very fortunate. The bleeding episode was a tiny blip and I never felt concerned about my recovery. Dr. B. doesn't send you home 'til he's confident you're on the mend.

Ask Dr. B how frequently it happens; he'll tell you exactly how many episodes they've had. I don't think it is frequent, but it does happen and I remember him mentioning it in the seminar as a complication. I think mine had about stopped when they opened me up on Friday; they glued the entire staple line and sucked out the pooled blood. Since then I've asked him about what might have caused it and was told it could have been a blood vessel didn't get completely crimped by the staple line. My personal suspicion is that the first time I stood to walk, I was queasy and retched, tearing loose a tiny spot.

You're younger than me and will probably have an even better recovery. Some people on the VSG forum talk about still feeling hunger after the surgery. I never did, but I think the fact that I had done a low carb diet for three months prior to surgery may have helped. Also, sometimes people confuse acid problems and stomach tenderness with hunger. Talk to the doctor if you are feeling uncomfortable about anything.

Good luck!

I am in sales too. Had my surgery on a wednesday and took the rest of that week and the entire next week off. I would really take it easy if you are going back that soon, maybe half days or something for the first couple of days. DRiving was not bad but getting in and out of the car hurt...soreness.I take that back....driving was a bit painful at first. Especally when I had to look behind me and twist my stomach so watch out for that.  I carry things too, but only carried what I needed as light as possible for the first couple of days until I felt safe holding things. I didnt have a lift restriction but I was very careful.

Thanks for the response - I appreciate you letting me know.  I know that Dr. B likes us to get up and about right away which I will do but I cover the whole state so I don't want to be somewhere far away and have a problem because i pushed it too hard.  I will also ask Dr. B about it.

Looks like you are doing great with your weight loss.  Any hunger or anything after your surgery?

I will say I had he same fear, I can drive 3 hours from home some days in some really small towns in OK. I was very afraid of having an issue, but thankfully I have had none.I did ask Dr. B about that and he said it is okay to drive that far out. I was also afratid of sitting too long, blood clot possibilities. They said if I was up and walking every hour after surgery that will help.  I just always kept liquids in my car to keep me hydrated. I drink way over the required 64 oz because I am in and out of the heat all day.

As far as hunger, I just kept my stomach full of liquids so no hunger issues. The first couple of weeks I would see a commercial and think oh that looks good but the thought of eating it made me sick. Your stomach is so fragile at first. Now 2 months out, I feel a small amount of rumbling in my stomach like ahunger pain but that is because I might not have drank in quite awhile. But my head says I dont want to eat anything. Very trippy. So I just get a drink and it goes away.

I had my surgery on a Monday and went to the lake on Friday and was tubing on the boat with my kids on Saturday although I would never tell Dr. B that.  It's not so much the pain you should be worried about keeping you from going back it is the energy level.  The surgery lowered my energy level more than I was expecting it was probably a couple of months before I felt 100% surgery combined with such a low calorie intake will really wipe you out.

I had the same scheule: check in early weds a.m. had surgery by 1pm, walking by 3ish, d/c 1pm next day. back to work on Monday.

Only my abdomen was sore, felt like I'd done a million sit ups or been puking for a week (LOL). I went back to mostly "desk" job and was fine other than somewhat tired. I didn't have a choice either, not enough sick leave and didn't really think I'd need anything more unless I had a complication.

Had no comps, no pain meds, did everything I usually do and just didn't get overly into more difficult chores. Like I wouldn't have mowed the lawn or anything like that--but I did carry a case of water into the house (but didn't have to bend over or down to let go) so just be smart. You'll know what you can do and what can wait. Some people are not knocked out by surgery but some are.

WHAT I DO RECOMMEND is taking a pillow with you to surgery. You will want to hold it to your stomach when you drive home. It feels like you have no control, you're full of air, fluids, and gas and you might feel like your tummy is now uncontrollable jello (feels like that) so when you make a turn or hit a bump....you feel like your guts are gonna come out. A pillow is merely  a psychological bandaid but feels good!!

Personally, I think Monday is too soon to go back to a job that requires lifting and carrying heavy objects.

My surgery was textbook perfect.  I had absolutely NO complications.  That being  said, I had surgery on Friday, went back to work on Tuesday, and was wiped out in 5 hours.  My job requires no lifting.

Please talk to your surgeon and see what he has to say.