travel after surgery?

Hey there!  I am new to this message board.  I am scheduled to have a LBL June 18th and I was wondering how soon after did you feel like traveling?  I have a family vacation (with my side of the family) scheduled to Florida the last week in July.  It is a 12 hour car ride, but my husband will be driving.  I would be exactly 4 weeks out.  Now my husband is wanting me to take our boys to visit his mom and dad before our family trip to Florida.  That would be a 15 hour car trip with me driving the whole way by myself with my three children.  He wants me to try to go at 2 weeks out and stay two weeks and come back just in time for the trip to Florida.   I am thinking this is going to be impossible for me to do, but I wanted to see from anybody that has had this done if they think they could have done it at 2 weeks out.  Once I get to my MIL's house all I would do is lay around and she would baby me, it is just the drive I am worried about.

Thanks for your responses!
Tiffany

The best person to ask is going to be your surgeon.  I travel for work (mostly via air) and my surgeon doesn't want me on a plane until four weeks out past the second procedure.  It has more to do with comfort than safety.

Travel by car is different, expecially if the entire driving time is going to be done by you.

ask your surgeon , that is to long of a drive for you to do post-op by yourself, you should be stopping evey 2 hrs to walk around & getthe blood circulating, I was able to drive 10 days after mty TT & Hysterectomy but I dont think I could drive that many hrs and be itting up that long it is a bit much 2 weeks post-op.
I am very strong I bounce right back and I never take pain medication post-op and I dont hink I would be able to do it. How old r your children? there is no lifting for about 6 to 8 weeks. do u think u could have made this trip 2 weeks after giving birth by yourself, I doubt it think of it that way how u felt after childbirth only a lot worse
good luck
Susan

omg that is CRAZY! I had an LBL in mid-April and my doctor said absolutely NO driving for at least a month. It's been a month and a half and I honestly don't feel comfortable driving even now. It's not that I physically can't- it's just REALLY uncomfortable. And sitting for that long in a tight, constricted space really can't be good. I think talk to your surgeon but for safety and comfort's sake- there is NO way.

Also, 2 weeks after my LBL I was still healing and all that.. I was on bed rest for 3 weeks and I still find myself just needed to lay down and now move a lot of the time. LBL is one of the more serious surgeries, I think.. I mean, lifting all that skin from your legs and your legs are something that you MUST use pretty much every day (hey, a girl's gotta go to the bathroom, right?) is NOT comfortable. Trust me- I doubt you'll even be that happy about the 4-weeks post op vacation.

Oh, and PLEASE be careful if you even THINK about going to the beach. I doubt it's a good idea to be around sand so soon after post-op... I don't know about you, but I still have sutures that are healing and a bit well. All of my stitches are out but there are just a couple of spots that are still recovering and vacation/traveling is not someting I would recommend AT ALL.

I know family obligations can change your plans, but I really really suggest you be extremely careful and don't expect too much- this surgery will take a lot out of you. You might FEEL fine soon after, but recovery takes a long time and getting up too quickly can actually hurt your stitches also.

Don't mean to scare you- just want you to be careful. And, granted, this is all based on my experience and I'm sure its very very different for everyone. But I've also had a tummy tuck, breast lift/augment and arm lift done... and the LBL is what took the longest to recover. In fact, I'm still in recovery! 

Um, No.

I could barely stand to drive back and forth to the grocery store at 2 weeks out!

Now as  a passenger at 4 weeks? Maybe doable....but did you know that prolonged sitting can make swelling WORSE? You may need to stetch out with legs up; can you do that in your car?

I'm leaving for a 20 hour plane ride in two weeks (I'll be 9 weeks out) and my hubby is worried about how I'll tolerate it....

I had my LBL 6 weeks ago. At the two week mark I was still shuffling from the bed to the recliner and then back to the bed. I didn't want to go anywhere, nor did I want to deal with any company. Tell your hubby that the best thing he can do for you is to take the kids himself to his mother's and give you a two week break.

At 4 weeks we had to drive 4 hours to SC to see our daughter graduate college. The trip was horrible! I was miserable for the whole ride and was terribly swollen by the time we got there. Coming back was better because our other daughter stayed with her sister and I could get in the back seat and lay down with my legs up.

You need to have a long talk with your hubby. THis is a MAJOR surgery and you are NOT going to be up to doing anything for a couple of months, and that's if you don't have any complications! He needs to understand that you are actually going to need him to take care of you as well as the kids. My DH did my drains every time (BTW you may still have drians beyond 2 weeks, how can you travel with those still in?) helped me into and out of bed, plumped my pillows, cooked for me and brought it to me in bed, helped me to shower and wash my hair. Think HELPLESS, weak as a kitten. That's how you will probably be for the first two weeks at least. Driving int hat condition is putting yourself and your children at grave risk.

Just my two cents, LOL.

I read your post earlier but was working and couldn't reply. I agree with the others who posted. I did very well after surgery which was May 20th. I only had TT with muscle repair and last day of pain med was May 22nd. I get up and walk around atleast every two hours and feel I am doing rather well but, to travel yesterday back to the dr was very uncomfortable and then today I went to the bank and to pick up my daughter and I have to say that at two weeks which I will be tomorrow I sure don't think I could travel 15 hrs especially driving myself. I dread that at 5.5 weeks out I will have to travel 18hrs to WV to my son's wedding which I know at this point I could not do it.
At this stage you do not have the mobility you have prior to surgery. I think you would be putting yourself and children in harms way.
Best wishes and keep us posted on your decision.
Jenn

I had an LBL out of country and had to travel for 4 hours 10 days after surgery. It was miserable and honestly I should have used a wheelchair at the airport. I was pretty much useless until 4 weeks out and not even close to being back to my normal self until about 8 weeks. The LBL really messes with your system because they cut you all the way around.

In contrast, 2 months ago I had a full thigh lift, breast lift with aug, full arm revision, and anchor cut added to the tummy and after 2 weeks I was feeling good and after 4 weeks I was back to my normal self.

I would definitely ixnay the trip to the in laws. Rest up and heal. Hopefully by end of July you'll be ready for the Sunshine state.

Just my 2 pennies. Best of luck!
Robin