Am I Unrealistic in Planning a Thanksgiving Road Trip if I'm Sleeved on Nov. 14?

It's possible, but not ideal...and I certainly wouldn't have done it.

Everyone has different recoveries, but it is major surgery, and I think the majority have pain, discomfort, and exhaustion the first couple of weeks.

It was at least 3 weeks before I started to get any bit of energy back and feeling somewhat normal again. I remember being exhausted just taking little walks around my apartment and short car trips to the store were bumpy and uncomfortable on my abdomen...I took my little pillow everywhere and had to hold it to my tummy just to walk upright.

It was difficult for me to even sip water...the tiny sips, the constant nauseau, the liquid diet...it's also very challenging to keep from getting dehydrated in the first couple of weeks...it was like a full time job trying to get in my fluids and protein.

And I was also an emotional wreck at some times....crying for no reason, irritable....the hormone fluctuations were pretty extreme for me in the early months post op.

I think it would be very hard to hide the fact that you just had surgery for the above reasons, and it may make you even more stressed which is not good for your body, so these are just things to think about....

By 5 weeks out, though, I did travel to Cancun for a week, and I had good amount of energy and felt much better overall, although the food intake situation was still difficult.  I think by Christmas, it would be much more realistic time to travel such a distance and you will have your food plan down a little better.

Thanks you all!  If we saw the kid more often, I would not even consider it!  I have my post-op appt. the afternoon before we are schedule to leave, so I'll just play it by ear, see how I feel, and see what he says.

10 days after my surgery we drove 3.5 hours and camped for 5 days.  I did stop every hour and walk around for about 10 minutes...and I did drive part of the time (about an hour of it).  My son drove the rest.  I was a bit uncomfortable but not too bad.  Just so I don't get any wrath, I spoke to my surgeon about it and he was fine with the trips I had planned.  His biggest concern was my fluid intake and my walking to prevent clots.  I followed his orders.  And yes, I said trips...plural.  A month after my surgery, I flew out to Washington state to see my brother, sister-in-law and brand new niece.  Again, that was a good trip and I did my walking at the airport on layovers and on the plane up and down the aisle (the stewardesses thought I was nuts I'm sure).  

My best suggestion is to talk to your surgeon about it ahead of time.  He'll probably want to check your incisions before you go to make sure you don't have any problems....and check to be sure he has an on call number in case of emergency.  Scope out the area where you're going ahead of time to see what bariatric hospitals are around there...just in case.  

When I was in Seattle, I got a small infection in an incision site (not from my bariatric surgery but the tubal ligation I had at the same time).  The on call number was vital.  I phoned and the doc told me what to do.  It cleared up in 2 days and I didn't need antibiotics because I caught it early enough.  

My final disclaimer, just like everyone loses differently, everyone heals differently.  I have a high pain tolerance and a low med tolerance...which made things like this possible.  Be realistic with yourself.  How do you handle pain?  Do YOU think your body will be able to handle it?  Because no one knows you better than you know yourself.  

I hope all works out.  :)

I was told no long travel for 8 weeks. If I HAD to travel long, I was to stop every 1hr to stretch to prevent blood clots.