Question:
How soon and how much can I walk after LAP Band?

I'm planning to do as much walking as I can before my surgery to get as fit as I can. I hope to be up to 3 miles a day. Two questions (and I'm going to ask the surgeon about these too): 1. How much and how soon is it safe to walk after the surgery? 2. Since you're not eating a lot, do you have the energy for walking? Previously when I dieted I was sometimes sort of weak.    — sjwilde (posted on March 7, 2003)

March 7, 2003
Hi Sandra, I didn't have lap band, I had LAP RNY, but I thought I'd comment on the walking. It's pretty much safe to walk very soon after surgery. Infact, it's required (or suggested strongly) to walk every hour during recovery to prevent clots and pneumonia. But will you have the energy to walk alot so soon? Probably not. It took me a few months to get back to normal, I didn't start exercising until atleast 5 months post-op. I just couldn't get myself to do anything. Many people do have the motivation early on, and once you do start walking, you seem to gain more energy and ambition. Now I go to the gym 5 times a week and feel wonderful and have so much more energy. Way to go about looking ahead on exercising! I think it's an important part to WLS that some don't do. Goodluck to you!
   — Lezlie Y.

March 10, 2003
Sandra, sounds to me like you've got your motivation going strong which is something GREAT! I am pre-op also and have begun changing many things to prepare for post-op. I'm not sure how this surgery is going to be, but following other procedures, I've always walked as much as possible as soon as possible. Now...I'm not saying I wasn't in pain, but it really does help healing. With this surgery, I'm not so sure you'll be able to walk the distance you want right away. That is something that will be up to your dr. I'm getting a pedometer so that I can track things as I progress. Good luck!
   — Diane S.

March 11, 2003
I started walking pre-op to try to get myself used to the routine (and to up my endurance a bit) then, post-op I started back up on our treadmill (manual not motorized) for 20 minutes two times a day at day 10...at what ever pace I could manage for that day. At day 17 I increased to 30 minutes twice a day and am now just working on increasing my pace. I also want to say that there is no part of me that wanted to walk in the beginning...I had to force myself. I kept telling myself that I was not going to have gone through this surgery and then not do everything I possibly could to make this work. Also, for the first week or two I was very tired and even had to get in a nap or early bedtime because of the walking, but by week two or three that went away. I am now 51/2 weeks out and still have to make myself walk about half of the time but I am usually glad I did it. Good luck with your surgery! Lap rny 1/31/03 -30 pounds.
   — eaamc