Up and running?

im wondering how long after surgery till I can expect to , like, go for a half-hour walk with the dogs or go shopping?

Pauline

You'll probably have lifting restrictions for the first 6 weeks, and that might make shopping challenging - you might want someone with you to reach tall things or to pick up heavy things.

Walking with the dogs might be challenging if they pull.

That said, I was only allowed to walk for the first 6 weeks - this is a pretty standard restriction. I started walking 1/4 mile at a time, slowly, it probably took 10 minutes. I increased every day until I was walking for an hour. So.. by the end of the first week I was walking for an hour.

Wow. That's impressive. A whole hour after 1 week. I was afraid of being laid up for weeks. My dogs walk 0ff leash so that's not an issue. And if I shop with my husband he can do the lifting.

'Surgery the day after tomorrow. Pretty excited. You've been such an inspiration to me, Gwen.

Pauline

As Gwen said, no lifting over 8 to 10 pounds for 6 to 8 weeks. And as long as the dogs don't need carrying, or pull, that will be fine. Bending to pick up dog poop can be uncomfortable for a couple weeks.

Otherwuse, walking as often as you can, starting the day after surgery, is expected and encouraged.

I had surgery on Tuesday. I was in the gym on a recumbent bike (albeit slowly) on Saturday for an hour. I drove on Friday to do the grocery shopping but made my family carry the bags in and used the lovely young men at the grocery store to help with putting the bags in the car. My restrictions were no lifting more than 10 pounds until my post op appointment two weeks after surgery. But it depends on you. (I had two c-section before my VSG, so this was a walk in the park for me!) Good luck!

Only two weeks of lifting restriction? Wow, I was told no lifting for two months, and many others here report six weeks.

Every team has different requirements. Mine was no lifting more than 10 pounds for two weeks. After that it was lift as I was able but be cautious. My doc trusted me to do the right thing. I had been working out prior to surgery, which he knew. But, when I had my second C-Section, I was on a 10 pound restriction, but had a 30 pound toddler that needed to be picked up periodically, so sometimes you just learn to make do and figure a way to make it work. But everyone needs to listen to their team's recommendations.