Recovery time...for non-sissies?

[Onelastshot]

I have a phone consultation with Dr Greenbaum today. Has anyone used him?( he does open DS). I am trying to gauge recovery time to see when I can get my surgery if I decide on the DS. When I had my lap band I was told 2 weeks recovery but was back to work 5 days post op. I could have done 4 but had already put in for the day. I'm a teacher and was hoping to do this over Christmas break, so even if I use sick days the most that would be is 2 weeks. Bottom line, what's the recovery time if you have a better than average pain tolerance and are know not to do dumb stuff like lift things post op?

 

[southernlady]

It isn't about being a sissie or not...pain tolerance or not.

I have a pretty high pain tolerance. And I was retired. Good thing cause I needed every bit of 4 weeks to feel human again. I was 3 months out and all of a sudden, got hit with a major energy boost...

This is major surgery just under the complexity of a transplant. And while your outside will most likely heal in about 10 days, your insides will be pissy and swollen and healing for a good 8 - 10 weeks.

Things to consider:
Standing and being "on" all day for your kids.
Sudden bathroom breaks? (and yes they happen)...who will watch your class while you go and may be gone for 10-15 mins. And thinking you can go get someone isn't a solid idea...when it's sudden, it means RIGHT now...do not pass go and do not stop. Also have a change of underwear and other clothing for the first few months while your system decides to like you again.
The draining effect on your energy post-surgery which can last 2-3 months.
Anesthesia brain...similar to brain fog...one min it's there, the next it went into the fog.

Many who go back to work soon, report that being at work takes it out of them and they have to nap when home. And as a teacher, once home you still have homework, preparing classes, grading papers. Do you really want to be still under the effects of the surgery drugs while doing that?

IF you can't get a solid 4-8 weeks off...I would delay this until the start of your summer break so you have a good solid 8-10 weeks to heal. Most teachers I know chose to have WLS during summer break.

While my DS was lap, I had an open hysterectomy back in 1994. I was back in school and working full time. I took three weeks off school and 6 weeks off work...and my work was mostly sitting.

 

[Bagaof4]

I am also a teacher. I took off 5 weeks (2 of which were fall break) and could have benefitted from a sixth. It wasn't the pain at all. It was the 'brain fog' and utter exhaustion. I remember even at weeks 3 and 4 lying in bed thinking I needed to get in the shower, but deciding to take a nap first, then right after the shower taking another nap. I could not read because my concentration and focus was nil. Don't underestimate your need to heal on the inside. My incisions did not hurt at all and my only pain really was muscle pain and soreness. It was hard to get up and into bed for several weeks, but the complete exhaustion and need to nap/sleep frequently was what I needed to heal well. This is a big surgery.

 

[Larra]

Two weeks won't do it. This is not just major surgery, it's also surgery that changes your metabolism - which is a GOOD thing, because there is something wrong with your metabolism now. Your body needs time to adjust to the changes in your intestinal function and in your metabolism. My DS was done lap/hand assisted so I had a 4 inch or so incision as well as the little port sites, and had very little pain. But I was exhausted for much longer than expected, struggled with hydration, and those were the things that made recovery tough. If you happen to be one of the lucky ones who has a quick, easy recovery, that's great, but don't count on it.

 

[Munchkin]

Mine was open and the recovery was better than I expected. I had a desk job and I COULD have gone back to work in 2 weeks. However...the real challenge is what Larra said, getting used to your new GI system. That takes some time and there is nothing you can do to rush it.

 

[KathrynK]

I had a desk job and I didn't want anyone to know I was having surgery. I had lap DS at age 54 and took a 2 week "vacation"-recovery. I returned back for a few days and then took a few work at home days. It was probably 3 weeks of reduced function and 2 weeks dragging. My husband took over household chores and cooking and child monitoring so I could sleep when I wasn't working. I needed that. For me, the pain wasn't as bad as the new bowel function and low energy, as others have said.

 

[-Flo-]

I had surgery with Dr. Greenbaum. I took 2 weeks off, went back to work for 3 days then took another 2 weeks off due to developing a kidney infection which required a week long hospitalization. I felt terrible. It was very painful but the worst part was the bowels. I had basically no control, when I had to go it was urgent. I even wore depends for awhile. I would be more concerned with the bowels than with pain in regards to returning to work.

 

[Ayana1]

I guess it depends on the person. I just had a lap DS on Sept. 21st. It was a Wednesday, I got home on Saturday, was walking the neighborhood by Sunday, and as of today, I drove a bit. I've not had to have any pain or nausea meds and feel like I SHOULD go to work next week. But I'm going to use my entire 6 weeks just to be sure. No problems with hydration either.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Yeah I thought I replied this mornig. I afree with planning g for 6 weeks. I was going to return, well work half days from home after 3 weeks but I had a kidney stone that Saturday. They though it was a leak so I spent 3 days in hospital npo. Figured out after a day that ut was a stone then did a procedure to remove but it actually pushed back in kidney so I got a stent placed in during that procedure. That set me back three weeks and I started working half days at home after 6 weeks.

Plan for the worse and if it goes well and you are able to go back a week or two earlier that is great.

 

[JuliaDS]

I have a phone consultation with Dr Greenbaum today. Has anyone used him?( he does open DS). I am trying to gauge recovery time to see when I can get my surgery if I decide on the DS. When I had my lap band I was told 2 weeks recovery but was back to work 5 days post op. I could have done 4 but had already put in for the day. I'm a teacher and was hoping to do this over Christmas break, so even if I use sick days the most that would be is 2 weeks. Bottom line, what's the recovery time if you have a better than average pain tolerance and are know not to do dumb stuff like lift things post op?

You've already received great advise so I'll just echo that and confirm that for me the brain fog was much more work impacting than anything physical. I'm quite senior in my company and have a desk job (more of a sitting in meetings job) so that would have been fine but I could not have had the focus or mental stamina to make complex decisions. I was very fortunate to have fully paid short term disability so I took a full six weeks totally off of work then a couple more working from home before gradually returning. Grateful to have had that flexibility to fully heal. Different for everyone but definitely consider taking as much time as is feasible for you. Good luck!

 

[Charris]

I have a phone consultation with Dr Greenbaum today. Has anyone used him?( he does open DS). I am trying to gauge recovery time to see when I can get my surgery if I decide on the DS. When I had my lap band I was told 2 weeks recovery but was back to work 5 days post op. I could have done 4 but had already put in for the day. I'm a teacher and was hoping to do this over Christmas break, so even if I use sick days the most that would be is 2 weeks. Bottom line, what's the recovery time if you have a better than average pain tolerance and are know not to do dumb stuff like lift things post op?

Well I don't know about being a sissy but I do know the DS ain't no punk surgery! Dr k says it's a major overhaul. Everyone is different. I know most people need to regroup for a bit afterwards

 

[hilary1617]

Honestly, the DS isn't for sissies. I've had numerous surgeries and a very high tolerance for pain and I felt it. Also, I had an infection 30 days after surgery. So, keep in mind that even if you're the toughest bird on the planet and don't have any nerve endings, there is always the possibility of complications that could take you out for longer than planned... Best to plan as if your experience will be typical versus exceptionally easy.

 

[bearmom]

I'm a tough old goat with a high pain tolerance, and would not have gone back to something like teaching in 2 weeks. I could could have maybe done computer work, for a few hours at a time at the 2 week mark. I had my surgery out of the country, and just going through the airport with my almost non-existent luggage on the trip home was like a marathon. It wasn't the pain, it was the fatigue and fuzzy brained-ness. The recovery is just quite gradual, and you won't feel "normal" for months.

 

[Vikki C.]

Adding my two cents' worth to the good advice everyone has given so far. An open procedure is a big, major deal. When I woke from anesthesia, all I could manage was to feebly croak out one word: "pain." I have lived with chronic pain for 36 years, and I've had 18 surgeries in my lifetime, and I can tolerate a lot -- so believe me when I say it will hurt. At two weeks postop, you will still be sore and have limited stamina. The recovery will be slow and gradual. I could not imagine being on my feet throughout a teaching day just 2 weeks postop. I agree that it may be a good idea to postpone until your summer break.

 

[galaxygrrl]

I think from a pain and endurance background, I could have gone back in 3 to 4 weeks. But, learning your new body is hard and takes trial and error. Once I brought real food back, I needed to figure out what my tummy was not ready for (threw up a lot), how much I could eat (again, threw up some), what made me very gassy - and the gas smell is as bad as everyone says.

My plan was to go back at week 4 and I took another three weeks. I'm just as the beginning of week 7 and yesterday I had major dental work (five hours in the chair, I had to run to the bathroom three or 4 times). I did not expect that. I did not eat much the day before or that day, but still had to go.

So, you should be sure to plan for learning your new body. Week 1 an 2 is very different than week 3 and 4 and what you need to learn.

Now given that, if you need to go back to work, you need to go back to work, but just be very aware of what you are going to have to deal with. If I work to do that, I would manage my diet very, very closely - do mostly shakes. And then, test real food after work and on the weekends.

Good luck.