Should I postpone my surgery until after my Jamaica trip?

[spartylaw]

Ok, I've finally have my date set for 11-5-12. Initially it was supposed to happend in early October. I had a pre-planned trip with my family to Jamica for the Thanksgiving week. That will be exactly 19 days after my surgery. I won't to enjoy and realize i won't be able to eat a traditional dinner but Jamica for thanksgiving isnt traditional but I'm wondering if I still should postpone my date to after the trip?

[KennetteW]

That depends. If you are ok with everyone around you eating while you are on liquids, I would go ahead and keep it. 19 days out I felt great, I just wanted something to chew. If you feel it's something you will struggle with, and you will want to join the different varieties of food sampling, you may want to wait. That way you can get on your game mentally and won't feel like you are missing out in Jamaica. I personally would want to be a little stronger in my new way of eating and have my food choices mastered now before going to on a family trip. It can definitely be done physically. But mentally it may be a challenge. However, on the other hand I didn't want to wait to get my sleeve, I wanted it now too. So I probably would have done it anyway and plowed through.

[Geefy43]

I would definitely postpone it. I am from the Caribbean and if this is your first time there will be some many things that you will want to try that I think you will feel deprived. I would go for the last hooray!

[pjmash]

If you plan to go in the water at anytime, I think I would wait. I am a month out and still have an open incision. There is nothing wrong with it, it's not infected, but for some reason just hasn't closed yet. The rest are healed and doing great. Also, you can't really plan for the unexpected. You may have complications that might keep you grounded. Anyway, if I had the opportunity to go to Jamaica, I would want the full experience, with nothing holding me back.

[Truffles]

My only concern about postponement would be that there would always be "something else" right around the corner, like Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day, etc.

I would just stick with the surgery date, and then take the trip and have fun. Going on a vacation doesn't have to centre around food. Be positive and look at the things you can do, not the things you can't.

[Thoneytt]

I would suggest postponing the surgery. Jamaica is a big trip/vacation. You are going to want to experience the Jamaican foods and culture. You may also want to get in the water. Both of those are a no no 19 days after surgery. You will just be in the middle of pureed and soft foods, so you really won't get the true Jamaican experience.

My suggestion is to reschedule for the first of the year. Good luck!!

[clintjames77]

pjmash makes a great point about enjoying the water & other festivities. The food issue will be tough, but it won't be the only thing you would have to potenially miss out on. It would really be difficult to have to postpone too though. I know I wanted my surgery as quickly as possible, so waiting longer would have been tough. I'm sure you'll make the decision that's best for you. Either way, by this time next year, you'll be a different person! Congrats on your surgery (whenever you have it)!

[Msvetrn]

I would postpone for sure. You cannot plan on how you will feel after surgery and there is a possibilty you could end up missing the whole trip. As far as there "always being something else around the corner" as an excuse to postpine-no-I disagree because a holiday isnt such a big deal like a trip. Go and have fun and enjoy the cuisine. Next year, you will still be able to enjoy the cuisine- just on a smaller basis. I think you would be physicalky and emotionally miserable if you got sleevedc19 days prior to your trip. Why set yourself up for such a negative event?

[cowgirljane]

I did not feel great 19 days out. I was tired, I was still on soft type foods, I was still working hard to get enough water and protein in. Forget about the "meal" - I would not have enjoyed a family vacation at that stage. Oh, i and I didn't really find it too hard to avoid food (I did christmas 2 weeks post op) but I found the food to be little sickening.

I was a revision from a band so maybe my recovery was longer then some - but I was just very tired and didn't feel very good at that stage. Like, I took a nap everyday after work kinda thing.

For me, the first 4-8 weeks or so post op was a fairly tough time physically but also just adjusting and I would not have done well doing some big trip or vacation. I realize others have different experiences, but that was me.

[krwashi75]

I'd wait!

[patch640]

I know myself would be to have the surgery and get on the other side of it. With that said I think you have to look at it this way having this surgery and getting my weight under control has been better than any vacation that I ever have been on and guess what I've been to Jamaica. Get er done.

[spartylaw]

Thanks again for all of the replies I got. You guys really gave me allot to think about when no one else in my family could really feel what I was going through. I did decide to go ahead with the surgery and everything went great (minus the day of excruciating pain after surgery) and I even was able to leave the hospital a day early b/c I was taking down the necessary fluids and was able to do 3 laps around the floor, which was the challenge by my doctor. That day I came home I thought I had made a big mistake b/c I hit a bad spell of allot of pain and gas, but I pushed through it and today I haven't taken a pain pill and getting down my required 30 ounces of water and protein. I got the ok to fly to Jamaica and I decided to focus the trip on family instead of food.