Considering Options - Have questions

First off, I want to congratulate everyone who's had the surgery and I hope your lives are better for it. I hope you are hitting your goals and that you are feeling better and enjoying life more. 

I am considering surgery as an option for myself. I'm 5'10" 284lbs and I feel terrible and I hate my body. I've tried exercise programs, sports, and dieting. Nothing seems to really stick. Physical exertion is incredibly painful as my stomach is always in the way for everything. My back, knees, and especially my ankles hurt with anything I try to do. In my younger years I was extremely athletic but I was in a car wreck and developed some bad eating and non exercise habits that have spiraled into a bad situation health wise. Over the coarse of 15 years or so, I haven't been able to break these habits and it's far too painful and embarrassing to go to the gym let alone being tired all day from work.  As I said, I'm considering surgery but I was hoping to get some insight from a few of you on what your lives have been like post-op.

What sort of time table did you have to wait before returning to work?

What physical activities are you able to do now that you weren't able to do before and how long after surgery were you able to begin those?

What's your timetable for physical healing that you would be able to participate in light contact sports such as basketball or baseball/softball?

I want to be able to enjoy my passions again. And now that my kids are hitting the ages where they have these same passions, I would really like to enjoy them with my kids. Thank you for your input and good luck. I hope everyone is working towards and hitting their goals. 

I can only tell you of MY experiences. I had Lap Band in 2003. I took 2 weeks off from work but could have gotten by with one I just didn't want to deal with all the bull**** at work and considered it a vacation.

I can't even begin to count the number of things I can do now that I couldn't (or didn't want to) do before. Walking, for one.  It was like walking with ground glass in my knees. My osteoarthritis is never going to go away, but not having 170+ extra pounds on my body has greatly improved things.

I also have been exercising since a month after my surgery, first at Curves and now at Planet Fitness. I'm doing at least 3 days most weeks, about an hour of weight training and 30 minutes of cardio. Before my surgery, you couldn't have PAID me to go to the gym!

What sort of time table did you have to wait before returning to work?  I took the full 6 weeks offered to me by my surgeon and place of employment.  I had my surgery on May 30, so I had a nice summer vacation recuperating.  I went on a missions trip at 3 weeks out and felt absolutely fine.

What physical activities are you able to do now that you weren't able to do before and how long after surgery were you able to begin those? Today I feel like I can do anything I want.  I can go horseback riding, bike riding, take long walks, do stairs.  Before surgery, putting my socks on was a work out.

What's your timetable for physical healing that you would be able to participate in light contact sports such as basketball or baseball/softball?  I played a softball game at 3 weeks out. 

I had VSG on a Friday and was back to work within 10 days but keep in mind I have a job where I sit at my desk most of the day.   There's SO MUCH I can do now that I couldn't before -- frankly, walking down the stairs in my house was painful and now I can bop down them like nothing.  I walk, I run (when pushed), I'm kickboxing and doing resistance band training.  My doctor cleared me for all exercise, including weights, at 8 weeks.  I could do walking right away and other light exercise after 30 days.  

I would guess that most doctors would want you to wait 6-8 for light contact sports.  

Hello!  I too am seriously thinking about Lap Band Surgery and just started with this forum.  I feel like I'm just stuck with my weight issue and am very uncomfortable with the body I have.  Mostly in my stomach so I understand when you say your belly gets in the way.  I'm going to a seminar next Thurs and am very excited!!!  Hope we can keep track of each other  

-Alisa

I would advise you read posts on the lap band forum because Bette is one of the few very successful bandsters but there are also many, many of us who have suffered life long damage from the band and it is the least effective surgery and only good for 10 years before it has to be removed and another type surgery done. The band has left me with permanent stomach damage even tho it was removed in Feb.

My duodenal switch was done open and I took 8 weeks off of work.  It seems long compared to others, but my job, while not strenuous, is very physical and I have to be "game on" all the time.  It was important for me to not need coddling upon my return.  It took a good 5-6 weeks before I shook off the anesthesia haze, and the rest of the time was getting a good eating and elimination schedule figured out.  When I returned, I hit the ground running, and senior management dubbed me being "tough as nails", just the impression I wanted to make.

You cannot lift/push/pull anything more than 8 lbs for 8 weeks, then you ease into other activities.  Hernias are too easy to get, so don't push yourself too hard.  I popped mine 18 mos post op lifting a soaking wet bag of topsoil.

I was allowed to return to work at 2 weeks (but I don't work, so I don't know when I would have been okay).  

I was only allowed to walk for the first 6 weeks for exercise, so I worked on being able to walk for an hour at a time.  At the two month mark I started doing yoga, pilates, and tai chi.  At the three month mark I started attempting to run.  I also signed up for my first 5k which will happen in October.  I'm super excited.  I've never run before in my life.  

Basketball and baseball would have had to wait until 6 weeks for me.  

But ask your surgeon!