a few questions??? surgery in 7 days..

I get the band 11-24   at 1:00 im th afternoon. omg...next Tuesday....two days before THANKSGIVING....I  am  not really nervous yet..but im sure it will come...My Dr. didn't put me on any special diet.. just nothing after midnight the night before...so..its all downhill from here..I hope...How soon can I start walking on the treadmill after surgery?  I have about a 2 hour drive on thanksgiving to get to the family dinner..I wonder if the drive will get me.....at two days out are you still kinda taking it easy and napping alot? Or is the main issues with eating? Do you have to eat at certain intervals the first few days or just when you feel hungary..I know I gotta sip.sip..sip.. MY pre op app. is the day before surgery..so I will ask question then..but..any answers would be great....OK..My brain is kinda wondering alot and at a fast pace..so maybe I am nervous

First Congratulations on you up coming surgery.  I'm 3 weeks post op.
The first couple of days I was so sore I wouldn't get up on my own.  Had to have DH help me up.  I did rest but I didn't sleep to much I walk a lot and sip, sip sip,  I was on full liquids for 2 week after surgery.  A 2 hour car ride would have killed me at that point.  But everyone is different.
Good Luck.

Congrats for taking this great step! Everyone is different but they want you to walk as much as you can as soon as you can to avoid blood clots. I really couldn't do any walking until about 3 days out, and even then it was for very short periods. I would suggest stopping at least once during your car ride to get out and stretch and walk a bit. My doc told me to walk at least once an hour during waking hours.

Some people are hungry the frist week but most aren't. Follow your doc's advice to the letter since there are so many different schools of thought on this. You may also want to post this question on the Lap-band board - it is much more active than this board.

Good luck to you and keep us posted on your progress!!!

I am on my second week post-op and I went back to work (light duty). The first couple of days I ws sore and needed pain meds but made sure to walk around some to move the CO2 gas and to prevent blood clots. By the third day my abdominal muscles weren't as tender but I did feel weaker from decrease calorie intake. I didn't feel too hungry but I knew it was important to stay hydrated and keep the protein going in. When I started drinking there was a definite pressure that I could feel but it loosened up by 4-5 days. Take your time - being in a car might be hard on your body and also being around everyone eating Thanksgiving meal. Good luck!

In my opinion only, do not go two hours away for Thankgiving after having surgery two days before.  That is a long car ride to be sitting for and then your more that likely to be sitting again for a long time a the meal and family time after that.  The risk of blood clots are there at that time and all that inactively and sitting for that long is not worth the risk.  Plus you will have to put a lot of fluids in you and you may not like being around all that food at that time. It's O.K. to be nervous but keep in mind you just had surgery and your body needs time to adjust to this change.  Good Luck on your surgery and your success.

thanks for the input..thats kinda what I was thinking..but wasnt sure...we will be driving right at two hours to get there and then sitting with family several hours then.....driving two hours back home..Just hate to tell my hubby cause they are planning a surprise belated..birthday party for me (NOV 10) why ???? I'm 39 and dont want one....and cant eat cake...and....they know Im having surgery...so....I just dont know...but..I thought the car ride and entertaining might get to me!!!!

Both my husband I had surgery on Sept. 15. Neither of us took pain meds once we came home. We walked a lot in the hospital, I think that helped. A  two hour car ride might be a bit much so soon. You don't want to get blood clots! You should walk as soon as you can but just for short periods at first and work yourself up to longer walks.

I think you CAN do it but I think I agree that this might just be too much and maybe not worth your healthy and trip to just sit at a table sipping water.  I also found myself emotional about 2-3 days out as I was dealing with the surgery and the liquids.  I struggled for the first 2-3 days just taking sips of water.  My liquid pain med was like 1 tablespoon or something and would take me 5 minutes to sip down.  Now I can drink just fine, but it was hard and I felt so naseous from the pain med and I stopped that as soon as I felt ok and then liquid tylenol.  That helped a lot.  I did also walk the day after surgery, a little bit at a time.  If it's nice out, or nice enough,  go outside and walk around for 5-10 minutes, just a little stroll.  It was refreshing to get some fresh air.  So, back to the car ride.  I wouldn't do it.  I just wouldn't it.  The car ride will probably suck, especially if you have to ride back 2 hours in the same day. Thats 4 hours in the car.  Sitting at a Thanksgiving table when your sore, possibly emotional and eveyrthing is sinking in might be a little much.   Obviously you know yourself best, so I wish you good luck if you go and hope it's easy and uneventful.  I'd also ask your Dr. for his opinion, he might have some better insight. 

Good luck and congrats on your upcoming surgery!  Keep us posted.

Boo

Man i wish i could tell u to go for it.. but 4hrs  2 going and 2 coming is not good.  i would say for me day 3 and was way better first 2 where a bit hard. I had to sleep on downstairs couch cuz my md did not want me going up stairs for 2 to 3 days. And both days i needed help getting off couch i could not do it on my own. So i can only imagin the car ride. The food thing might not be so hard cuz i doubt u will be in mood to eat. i had mine june 30 and had a full house for july 4th. bbq and everything. Now that i think about it  that was not very coniciderate of them lol but family had visited from out of state. And i was so worried about all the food. But u just not up to the eating. I am more concerned with the ride and the getting in and out of car and just your over all well being.  so if u do go take care and congratualtions on surgery..  will love ur band

I also add my CONGRATS to you. I am polishing a spot for you on the Loser's bench in the Winners Circle.

As stated, everyone is different. For me I was back to normal in less then 24 hours. Slight discomfort (I equate it to doing 500 sit-ups - or in my case 1). I was back exercising in 3 weeks (after speaking to my Doctor). Long drives did no bother me (the hospital was an hour drive for me). But if it gets too much, stop - pull over - relax.

Some people are groggy days/weeks after the operation. I wasn't. For me, I had no issues with the eating regiment.

If you want, PM me and I will give you my contact number in case the day gets too overwhelming for you.

Good luck - and think .. This Thanksgiving takes on a whole new meaning of what to be Thankful for.