vacation 2 weeks post op.

Hello everyone,

I am new to this site.  I am scheduled for surgery Aug 6, 2014.  I will be going on vacation for a week from Aug 22-Sept 2.  We will be staying ina condo and I plan on brining my handi Ninja.  What can I expect related to pain level, food choices (if we go out), and traveling by car.  I am currently on a two week liquid diet that is 800cal one day and 1000 cal the next.  It has been easier than I anticipated.

I am about 9 or 10 days post op. I'm not in too much pain anymore, EXCEPT when I'm in the car. And longer rides makeme nauseated. I'd speak with your doctor ahead of time to get an anti nausea medication and possibly additional pain medication. I dont think eating out is really an option either. Bring a cooler with some shakes and yogurt,  and some canned tuna and chicken. Your doctor may be different, but my stage two started one week post op. I don't mind sittinf with my family when they eat though!  I just sip a glass of water.

Thanks for the advise to discuss with doctor related thed nausea and car rides.  I will definalty ask and see if he will give me addtional pain meds as a precaution. 

It might be possible to eat out if you have a cooperative restaurant. We went to a Mexican place and I asked them to blenderize their cooked beans and to grill a piece of white fish for me. I found out they baste the fish with butter, so I asked for lemon juice instead and asked that they keep it moist. Technically I had the 'fish tacos' but they left out the lettuce, cheese and tortillas. It was a great meal! I ate 1/3 and took the rest home. It was at "On the Border" Mexican restaurant.

Just think about what ingredients are allowed and how they must be prepared (i.e. blenderized?) and be ready to ask for what you need. You might want to call ahead.

Thanks for the suggestion. 

Gosh, do you really want to do this?

My recovery was completely uneventful, however I was very listless for a good 6 weeks.  I couldn't imagine trying to go on vacation.  Just the awkward feelings, the way clothes felt, trying to figure out how to eat/drink/vitamins/bathroom that soon would have been a nightmare.  YMMV, but I would consider some rescheduling so you could enjoy your vacation instead of merely existing.

I second Val's suggestion that you might want to reconsider the vacation.  Not only might your energy level be very low, but you may still be experiencing pain, diarrhea and/or gas (both of which can be quite problematic when traveling by car!), or just generally feeling like just being a couch potato.  Some people find that they are extra emotional the first few weeks, or that they go through a period of mourning food or "buyer's remorse" where they wonder "why the hell did I do this?!?"  

Have you asked your surgeon about driving long distance so early out?  You won't be able to walk for 15 minutes every hour or two (which is the typical post-op instruction in order to avoid blood clots).  You might have some kind of minor complication such as in incision that insists on draining or might have a more major complication.  (What is your plan if that happens?  What if you require medical attention?)

Also, if you are still on liquids or purées, eating out will be difficult (although not impossible).  Do you really want to spend your vacation watching other people enjoy wonderful restaurant meals while you only have a protein shake or something puréed, though?  Everyone is different, but I would have found that very difficult.

Even if I had felt physically fine (my RNY was open, so I felt like crap 2 weeks out and was still on pain meds), I would not have enjoyed a vacation.  The post-op adjustment period is difficult and vacation may make it even harder.

Lora