College bandsters- how long until back in class?

[janesays 2]

I'm trying to find the right date to set for my surgery. I won't be able to get the band until mid-September, but I don't want to wait until winter break to have surgery. I'm wondering if I had the surgery at the end of the week (like a Thursday afternoon or Friday), when do you think I would be ready to go back to classes? I only have one Friday class and I can easily miss it... it's the other days of the week I'm worried about.

As far as what my daily activities would entail-- walking 5-10 minutes at a time to classes/my apartment, and carrying my laptop around with me for note-taking.

So what do you think? Could I be back in classes by Monday or Tuesday?

Thanks for the advice!

[Ariel 1]

I would say no. I was in the same situation as you. I waited for winter break and I was soo thankful that I did. I ended getting a stomach virus a day after banding so I needed to be hospitalized for a week. If this was during the semester I would have been screwed. So leave extra room for possible complications and you also have to keep in mind that you will be on major pain killers, a liquid diet, and will generally feel like crap for a little while. Maybe if you have a fluff major you could get away with it, but I would not risk it.

[marineliebe 2]

i would say the minimum would be if you got banded on a thurs and went back to class on a tesday or even wednesday. i took a week off and was glad i did. i was banded on a tuesday and the first day i felt ok was that saterday. the fist day i left the house was sunday. some ppl say they have no gas pains and that they are ok to go back to work after a few days...but i would be worried about walking with a laptop, but in the end you have to judge how you normally handle being "sick like". hope this helps!

[LMarie_MD2b 0]

I agree with both replies above. I'm 13 days post-op now, and I know I'd have had a tough time going to class, studying, going to work... all that stuff I did while I was an undergraduate. I know the feeling of wanting the Band RIGHT NOW, and I know that Christmas/New Year's is a time when most of us do our most impressive binge eating, but I would say wait until at least your Winter Break to have the surgery...if not summer.

You don't want to risk a situation where you're forced to take incompletes or withdraw from courses due to complications, being too weak, missing for follow-up appts, etc. I would say talk to your surgeon and ask how long he normally tells people to take off from work--and apply the same rule to yourself for class. College is stressful, and there is a lot more to it than just being in class. Your goal is to get healthy; you should start on the right foot by making sure you're not stressed out immediately post-op!

[Cate18 0]

I'm a graduate research assistant. I'm kind of wondering about the timing as well. I'm sure I will need to have plenty of time to recuperate, etc. On top of needing to plan around classes I'll have to plan my research around this too. So what are anyone's thoughts on Thanksgiving break if it's approximately a week long ? I just want to get the ball rolling before I have to even start thinking about defending my thesis. Is a week around Thanksgiving good for someone that is young/resilient/in as good health as could be expected ?

I know there are a million threads of "how long until I can go back to work" but from a student perspective would a week long Thanksgiving break be good ?

[janesays 2]

I think I knew deep down that I need to wait for a longer break, like all of you have said, I just hate to keep pushing it back-- I was originally going to have the surgery 2 years ago. But what's a few more months, right? :smile2:

I was also considering doing it over thanksgiving break. Since I have a week off, what about the friday before? I would have about 10 days to recover before going to classes again. Does that sound doable? Only problem I see-- Thanksgiving dinner is now soup! haha but I guess that's the price I have to pay for binge eating at all the past Thanksgivings...

[LMarie_MD2b 0]

I think you could make Thanksgiving break, or any other week-long break, work. I know I was sleeping ~14 hours a day for the first 4 days after surgery (thanks, Vicodin!!), but after I got off the opiates and was able to shower and move around more, I felt okay, but wasn't 100% in terms of energy. A week to 10 days would be the minimum cushion I'd give myself--I couldn't even drive until my first follow-up, 10 days post-op. Lots of stuff to think about, and to ask your doctor--but those are my thoughts based on experience.

Cate18, what are you studying?

[woo pig sooie 0]

i would def. not have the surgery during the semester. i was miserable (and so out of it thanks to the liquid pain meds) for the first week after that i could have never imagined trying to walk the hills on my campus. some people say "it's not that bad," but i will be the first to admit that i am a major whimp. still, at the age of 21, if i am sick i curl up in my mom's lap and make her scratch my back, rub my ears, and do all those things moms do when we are younger (or now, since we live in different towns, i just call her and cry).

if you insist on having it before christmas, i would say thanksgiving would be best. but you also must think that as soon as you get back from thanksgiving break you will have finals to worry about. a new band packed on top of all the stress of studying (and you won't have tons of energy, for awhile atleast, to study b/c of the liquid diet) might cause problems for you grades and health.

i had my surgery the day after christmas. it sucked having to watch everyone eat christmas dinner while i retreated to my room with my slim fast, but after it was over, i was so happy i waited. since i had my surgery in my hometown (which is 200 miles away from where i go to school), and the fact that i had so many dr. appts leading up to the surgery, my boss just gave me the whole month off. by time i got back to school i had lost a bit of weight, gained tons of energy (thanks to the lost weight & massive amounts of sleep), and was ready to face a new semester.

[Allison 2]

I'm a full time student a Bridgewater State in Bridgewater, Mass, a small town near Cape Cod, but I'm taking a summer course in Fall River, Mass, at the community college. My surgery was on Thursday, May 29th, and class started on Tuesday, June 2nd. I was miserable the first couple days, and ended up missing the first class but I made it there on Thursday, the 4th. I was a little uncomfortable sitting in a desk with only one break for 4 hours, (yeah... a 4 hour class... :ohmy: ) but I made it and now am pretty much back to normal, so yeah I waited a week. I think its just up to whenever you feel comfortable, because everyone is different. My class is tues. and thurs. but I could have made it to class on Wednesday if I had one.

[dld512 0]

I am a nursing student. . . during my clinical days. . .I am on my feet all day and have to lift patients etc. In all the guidelines it says 6 wks before returning to physical activities. I have 4wks during winter break. If I got out of the heavy lifting portion . . . do you think I could be ok with the "on my feet all day?".

[dramahqueen06 0]

I went back to work four weeks after having my surgery because I was sooooo bored. I also stand on my feet for up to 8 hours at a time and I didn't have a problem with going back to work. Actually...it was easier to stand so long because I had lost some weight. I think it just depends on you. You know your body and how much you can handle!!

[tifferoni326 0]

I had my band put in on thursday..went to class on friday. My teacher was a complete you know what and said that since I wasnt having surgery on Friday I shoud be well enough to attend...I was so mad, I clipped my lil pain medication bag to the outside of my shirt and refused to sit in a desk because it put pressure on my stomach..I did get pity from class mates though