Did you need someone to take care of you after surgery?

[crazygoose 190]

Hi so the person I was making arrangements with to help me right after the surgery won't be able to as it turns out. I'm afraid that I will have no family members or friends that would be able to. So I am wondering just how much help does one require after the WLS? How long will it take until you can drive after surgery? Can you drive yourself home from the hospital? (I know its probably a dumb question but I'm serious.) Or do you have to have someone take you home from the hospital and if so do you need extra care and assistance getting into the car and getting out and walking to your home? Would a cab or something like Uber be okay to pick you up from the hospital? When you're home do you need someone to fix your meals for you? Help you with medications? Assist you when you get up and have to walk around and such? Do you need someone to check on you? If so how often? How long will it be before you can do something like go grocery shopping? What are other things you would need help with?

[DaisyAmy 561]

Hi, so sorry your help fell through.

You absolutely need someone to drive you home , but beyond that, I didn't need help from anyone. Granted, it would be nice for someone to bring you Water to sip, but you're supposed to be walking anyways!

I could drive as long as I was t in pain meds after, so I drove on day three with no problem. I was doing light errands in days 4 and 5.

[SassyNanny 311]

Yep. Daisy is correct. My center wouldn't let me take an Uber home. My neighbors dropped me off and picked me up. If you can't find a friend for that hire a caregiver at $9 an hour to deliver you to and from. I ended up with a blood pressure spike after surgery and o have apnea do the dr wasn't keen on me being home alone. Neighbors called and checked on me. Even if I had paid someone to spend the night they wouldn't have been in my room staring at me to see if I was breathing. I used the narcotic sparingly and slept in my reclining chair for a couple of nights because it was easy to get up from it then the bed. I also drove in day 3 with no pain meds. It was surprisingly easy. Having someone call to check on you a couple times a day is probably s good idea just for safety sake.

Best Wishes.

Four months out 56.5 pounds down since 11-18. Loving my decision to do this.

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[M!@ 320]

I traveled to have my procedure. Drove my own car to the airport, and back home on 3 days post op. Of course, I did this carefully, and had a pillow in the car to lay between myself and the seat belt. I did not take any medications after the IV was removed so driving on pain medication was not an issue.

I was on my own post op, and did fine. I was up walking every chance I got, including going up and down the stairs in my home (slowly). My good friend and neighbor also checked on me, but she does anyway even without the procedure :>

[Bufflehead 6,358]

How long will it take until you can drive after surgery?

For most people, they can drive as soon as they've been off narcotic pain meds for 24 hours. At least short trips, no long haul trucking.

Can you drive yourself home from the hospital?

No.

Or do you have to have someone take you home from the hospital and if so do you need extra care and assistance getting into the car and getting out and walking to your home? Would a cab or something like Uber be okay to pick you up from the hospital?

Yes, someone needs to take you home; no, it cannot be a cab or Uber (for most hospitals), no, you don't need extra care and assistance other than making sure you have a pillow in the car to put between your abdomen and the seat belt.

When you're home do you need someone to fix your meals for you?

What meals? The vast majority of people won't be eating meals for at least a couple of weeks. And anyway, no, you don't need someone to fix your liquids for you, or your "meals" if you get permission to eat purees or soft foods earlier than most.

Help you with medications?

No

Assist you when you get up and have to walk around and such?

No -- and you should be up and walking around the vast majority of the time anyway. Most people will need to nap a time or two each day, but other than that you should be on your feet. You won't be languishing in bed like the sad heroine of a Victorian novel with a mysterious illness

Do you need someone to check on you?

I don't think so, unless you had complications with surgery or pre-conditions that limited your mobility.

How long will it be before you can do something like go grocery shopping?

If you are driving yourself to the store, you need to be off narcotic pain meds for 24 hours.

What are other things you would need help with?

Anything involving lifting heavy objects. I have two cats and I use non-clumping litter, so I had to have someone change the kitty litter a couple of times as the bags of litter were above the weight limit my doctor imposed for lifting for the first 8 weeks.

Good luck!

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

You need someone to drive you home. Most hospitals are not going to let you go home in a cab or an Uber. It is kind of a stupid rule because just because you have someone you "know" drive you home it doesn't mean they are actually going to take care of you.

I moved everything in my apartment so I would have to reach high for anything or bend over. I put all the food I would need (broth, Protein powders), on the counter. The ready made shakes were in the fridge on the top shelf.

My friend took me to the hospital and drove me home. After dropping me off at home, my friend went and picked up my prescriptions. There was a hassle with the narcotic because the Dr wasn't in the FDA database and she had to sit there for an hour while they worked it all out. I would have never had the energy to do that myself 28 hours after surgery. Not because I was in pain but just flat out I wouldn't have had the energy to argue with them and make them do it, let alone sit on a hard chair or bench in the store while they got it right. My friend left the next day and I was alone and I was fine. I drove on my 3rd day home and went to get a pedicure.

I'm single, I live alone and I do everything by myself and I thoroughly enjoy it. However for surgery, you need someone with you. My friend flew in from the coast to help me and it is something I will be eternally grateful for. Even independent people need help some time. You might have a friend from out of town that will be willing to help.

[crazygoose 190]

Thanks to everyone who replied to this thread! Your responses were all very helpful and I'm glad I won't need as much help as I initially thought. I guess I just need to prepare my liquid "meals" and what not ahead of time if I can and make sure everything I need is all within reach. I'll need to arrange for someone to drop me off and pick me up from the hospital and have someone call me twice day to check on me 2-3 days after surgery and as long as I don't need anything heavy to be lifted I should be good to go.It's going to be hectic before surgery, I will be moving into a new apartment April 4 same day as my pre-op appointment and then two days after that will be the day of my surgery. Not to mention I need to do some shopping for for my surgery and my new place around that time. I could really use a clone.

[PurpleIJC 36]

Good luck and speedy recovery. Take care or yourself. My center won't allow me to drive home either. Hope someone comes to your assistance.

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