If you travel, can you go sight seeing right after surgery?

For those of you who traveled out of state or out of the country to have WLS, were you able to go sight seeing right after your surgery?

It seems quite a few doctors recommend you stay in the area for a few days after surgery to make sure all is well, and recommend you spend those days sight seeing.

How realistic is that?  If I were to go to Mexico, could I add a few days in San Diego to go to Sea World, or if I had surgery in S.F. could I go see the sights around San Francisco?  Or would I be laying in bed cursing the day I was born?

I will let you know in 2 1/2 weeks! lol

Have you been able to work it out with your work expectations? Who is your surgeon again?

Not yet, but I plan to talk to my boss this week about it all. I am sure it will be worked out...  I am just trying to figure out WHAT to say to her about it... lol I really dont want her to know I am having weight loss surgery.

My surgeon is Dr. Valenzuela in Tijuana

This is going to be very different for different people.  My surgery was really a piece of cake. :)  I mean I had no pain at all, some tightness around the belly button but that was it.  I went to a state fair with my family on the second day after surgery and walked three miles on the third day.  Now, I really did take it easy and would sit when I was tired.  My husband carried my protein drinks for me and took care of all my needs.  Some people have much harder surgical experiences and are in real pain.  My friend needed three full days to recover.  Others need even more.

You were very lucky.  :)

I am not sure it was really luck.  My doctor told me that being a lightweight made things easier and the fact that I did the two week protein shake diet and lost 13 pounds made my liver smaller and that made it much easier to do the surgery.  He told me that he barely had to move any tissues around.  Since he removes all the gas before he closes up, I didn't have the gas issues that so many people deal with after surgery.  Also, because the surgery was easy, it took less time, this also had an effect.  He also makes sure to position the body in such a way as to relieve all pressure points which also reduces strain.  I guess is was partly luck, partly skill, partly me doing everything possible to make it so.  All of this sprinkled with a very positive attitude.  :)  It can't hurt right?

I think attitude can have a great deal to do with recovery! I've had my share of surgeries and being positive made a difference in how I felt during recovery

Now, I had RNY, so take this for what it is worth.  But, I agree that it is going to be different for everyone.  I say plan your trip, but have an "out" just in case you can't/don't want to do it. 

My surgery was a breeze as well.  My surgeon makes everyone stay 4 (!) whole days in the hospital.  But, I was BORED!!!  So, I started walking laps in the hallway, and walked 1 mile my first afternoon (had surgery at 7:45 am, and had completed 1 mile before bed time).  The other 3 days, I walked 2+ miles each day.  Granted, not all at once, and I could sit when I wanted to, but I had zero pain.  I never even used my pain pump (I thought my surgeon was committing insurance fraud by not actually doing the surgery - until I had no hunger and now 2 ounces fills me up).   But, I also lost 40 pounds prior to surgery, shrunk my liver a ton, and was a relative lightweight.  My surgery lasted less than an hour.  I went to work 7 days after my surgery. 

I could have gone sightseeing, but I would have needed lots of places to sit.  And I wouldn't have been able to carry anything.  (In fact, I spent 3 days at Disneyland with my 5-year old daughter 3 months after surgery, and I was still a bit pooped to stand for a long time).  If you are that nervous (as I was), think about getting a cane that has a seat attached to it.  That way, you always have something to lean on, and you can pop out the seat and sit anywhere, anytime you need to.  (This is what I took to Disneyland and it was heaven-sent!)

I didn't have a particularly painful recovery, and was back to work at my desk job in less than a week, but to answer your question, no way.

I had surgery in Mexicali on a Friday. Saturday was the most painful. By Sunday I was up and walking often, but I was nowhere near comfortable. I traveled home on Monday. The long ride to the airport was uncomfortable, walking around the airport was uncomfortable. Being awake all day, having to walk frequently and pull my suitcase, sitting on a plane half the day...it was all very, very uncomfortable. I found that for the first week after surgery I got winded very easily. I couldn't walk more than 10 minutes or so without having to sit. I can't imagine Seaworld a few days after surgery.

Plus you will have to manage your fluid intake carefully. Some people have a lot of trouble getting their fluids in. Some people get nausea after surgery. If anything, have a back up plan in case you just don't feel like doing anything. You may not feel miserable, but you may not feel like being on vacation either.