Traveling after Fill

[Dreamingof139 3]

Hi there, I need to get my first fill, however, my surgeon recommends not traveling for 2 weeks after surgery. The challenge for me is that I travel frequently for work and the first 5 months of the year have me away 2 or more weeks a month and I just can't figure out how to get a fill and not travel for 2 weeks.

I'm the only one working right now and my husband is not. We're going through massive layoffs and I don't want to be one of them because I can't do my job.

Question: people travel after having the surgery, thinking of those people far away from a center and need to fly, if they can fly after surgery, what IN YOUR OPINION is the risk.

Yes I will talk to my surgeon and his nurses but I really want some bandster input here.

Helpful and uplifting responses only... If I want to be beaten down I'll just read fluffy2fabulous's posts lol

ROFL - love your fluffy comment - I could not agree more.

I flew to Mexico on a Thursday (two segments) had surgery Friday evening and flew home on Saturday (two segments). I was tired, but I was fine. If I wanted my surgeon to do a fill, I would have to fly to see him.

I had surgery a few years ago and wanted to fly to visit family and the doc said absolutely no. I think he was an idiot - I was fine and would have really enjoyed recovering by the pool, but oh well. If a doc told me that now, I would ask a lot of questions as to the why.

You will be fine... take good care and be careful with the peanuts...

[Dreamingof139 3]

I've never traveled after a fill, but I know people who have to get on a plane just to *get* a fill and then fly home. These people sometimes have problems with the flight causing extra tightness/problems, but we're talking flying day of/day after a fill.

Here is a link to a pdf document that I got from the blogger Lap Band Gal for ER docs. I'd take this with me when I travel, just in case you had to get an emergency unfill and couldn't find a bariatric surgeon to do it. PDF for ER Docs.

Ultimately, you have to be able to do your job-- talk frankly with your doc about the impossibility of the 2 week thing and see if he can make a more conservative recommendation that you could live with.

LOVE LOVE LOVE that PDF - thank you so much for posting that - I will put one in my car and also in my purse - great info to have for sure.

[karewpah 173]

I did chat with the surgeon and he's not happy I need to travel after a fill but has said that it' manageable... The guideline was really meant only for the first fill anyways. He just told me to pay very careful attention to the band.

Thanks for everyone's insights and experiences.