Help my surgery is on Nov.3

 Hi there, I feel so lucky to find you guys:-) I am going to have the sleeve surgery on Nov. 3 by God's will and I am so exited to the upcoming change, but I have to mention that I am scared too I am scared of the pain, and the complications after surgery and wanted to ask whoever had the surgery before: - how long did the pain last for? Days or weeks?or more -did you have any complications after the surgery? - is there any foods that you will be restricted from for life? - how is life afterwards? If you get invited for a dinner or something will that be embarrassing? I am 5.2 and I weight 212 my BMI is almost 40. I am going to have the operation here in Dubai before I go back home ( Canada) almost 11 days, so another question is raised here - will 11 days be enough for recovery? I am going to fly for 14 hours after that alone with 2 children ( 5 and 2.5 years old)  I would like to thank anyone who would leave me an answer or an experience in advance.

I did not have the sleeve - had by-pass - recovered really well within about 1 week.  I was alone with my young child the day I came home - I am a single mom.  I was able to care for her and myself immediately. Having said that I tried to get as much rest as possible -  was not able to drive for ten days - but returned to work as a teacher after two weeks.  Be brave! 

Dear  labbylover  you got me in tears when you said you were alone when you got back home with your child, you must be a troupe r  ,thank you for your advice and encouragement and for the time you delicated to reply me :)  

 2 weeks may be fine yet exausting for travel, but when you get home, be very careful with the baby.  You shouldn't lift/push/pull anything more than 8 lbs for a good 8 weeks, so get on the floor and let the baby crawl all over you, but don't pick them up.

 Thanks a lot for the info. I really didn't know about this!  I will try not to take anything with me on board (but my kids of course ;) ) and my youngers is a great runner now and I don't cary him that much as before.
I have a question for you though, did you do the pre-op diet? they didn\t ask me to do it and now that I am reading a lot on this website I am confused  and dont know if i should do it on my own or not? is it that important ? Please advice.

Many surgeons want you to diet to shrink the liver to make it easier to maneuver the tools around it during a lap procedure.  My DS was open, so it was unnecessary.  My surgeon only asked that I eat nothing after midnight.

My BMI was 39-point-something, and my surgeon didn't require a pre-op diet for anyone under 40, so I didn't do it.  If your surgeon doesn't require it you don't have to although you could.

One of the reasons I chose my surgeon was that his program requires a three-night stay in the hospital (in addition to his vast VSG experience and great stats).  I thought that was good, just in case any very early complications came up.  As it turned out, it was a completely trouble-free recovery.  I had pain and discomfort the first couple days, especially the same day of surgery, but by the time I left the hospital I was glad to get out because I was feeling so good and was bored. 

I have had zero complications and zero food intolerances.  There's nothing I can't eat (although a wide range of thing's I DON'T eat).  I lost 110 lbs or thereabouts and have maintained that for a while now.

The surgery didn't change how I interact with people at dinners and parties.  My family and friends know about my surgery (work doesn't), and I have found that no one cares what I'm eating or how much, or at least no one says anything.  I think most people don't even notice - it's a social experience, people are laughing and having a good time.  (I will say this, though, I wasn't much of a drinker before surgery and still am not, so I don't have experience in bars or out dancing where people are doing a lot of drinking - just meals at restaurants and at people's homes that involve a little wine.)  I eat what I eat and that's that.  One time a bunch of us went to a pizza restaurant, and I ate the toppings off probably five or six slices and left the crust.  No one cared or said anything.

Good luck!