First Airplane Trip Post-Op

Sounds like you have it all sorted now Opus.

Just enjoy your holiday and as Deb says choose the best food and eat what you can. A snap lock bag is a necessity these days. I don't leave home without one.

Have a great time.

Hugs,

Hey Opus- no reason not to enjoy your food while you are overseas. Can't miss the opportunity to sample food from some of the best chefs in the world can we? Just buy the absolute best quality and savour every mouthful. Take a zip-lock bag or tupperware container with you for leftovers if you want and discretely squirrel some away for later and you can enjoy it all over again.

I'm absolutely sure you will lose weight Opus!

The thing I find helps is to slow right down when eating. It is so easy to forget when you're dining with friends - back to learned habits. I now remind myself, and cut small pieces of food, put my knife and/or fork down, and chew carefully. It is amazing how one small lamb chop, a baby potato and a scoop of peas can last when you do that. I find I'm taking longer to eat than my hubby who is eating much more (but should eat less).

And being more active will make a huge difference. Think of the money you will save on food!

Fantastic
Caz

Thanks for the replies all. I guess there's more tribulation from soda than flying, judging by the responses. I'm fine with soda.

I'm actually leaving Orlando and going to Quebec city. When you live here it's easy to get tired of the touristy stuff. Btw I had my sleeve done here also. Is it possible we have the same doctor? The Bariatric center here is one of the best in the world. I know I had no complications and was home within a day. I hope you have a similar experience!

Caz. I relate with vacation being a time to overeat. That used to be the norm. I know when I went on a cruise pre-op I could easily put on 15 pounds over a long weekend. Now I'm gonna spend my ime seeing sites and walking and enjoying in another way. It's too bad though that I'll be in a french city with the greatest chefs and I'll not be eating. But I've lost 100 pounds so far and don't miss the food.

Last time I was on a road trip I ate with some friends. I found myself eating too much just to be in the moment. I caught myself - and couldn't really eat too much anyway. I felt like I didn't lose any weight that trip. Even though the scales said I did, I felt bloated for a week after. I'll keep my guard up this trip and try to maximize the calories lost from walking. Maybe this time I'll lose weight on vacation. That'll be a first.

as for keeping the water cold, sometimes its better at room temp, just depends on how it feels for you! Each person is different, and I know I couldn't drink cold water because it was uncomfy for a few weeks, so I drank warm and room tep... now three months out Im fine!

I would get one of those insulated bottles - or just keep lots of money handy to buy water. It is available everywhere of course. Also accept the fact that some of the time you will not have water than is totally cold!

Don't worry about going out for meals. Maybe find someone who is also a smallish eater and share a meal with them. Or just accept the fact that you'll throw stuff away!

I'm jealous - you'll have heaps of fun.

Caz

Orlando it is Caz!
I am due to see my surgeon before I go so will check out with him just how much fun I will be able to have. For the first time ever the plane food will be more than enough! and I will take the advice to keep hydrated. I am a bit unsure how I am going to handle going out for meals and not drinking till 1/2 hour afterwards. There is a group of us and we will have a van but nowhere to keep water cold all day. Any ideas?

Moolie
x

I can handle sodas now, but they do take forever to drink. I'd much rather drink water. I don't drink fruit juice or coffee - so water or green tea is my beverage of choice. I can only get through half a hot chocolate these days and I used to be addicted to them.

The main thing is water - and making sure you get enough of that in while on the plane. I find I'm find during the week when at work - water/tea nearby at all times - but on the weekends I keep forgetting.

In 10 weeks you'll find you're fine with normal airline food. You'll just be selective about which bits of it you eat (and how much). The portions tend to be quite small anyway which is good for us.

I made sure I ate lots of protein and less other stuff - and avoided the bread. That worked for me.

Florida? Off to Orlando for some fun?

Cheers for asking and answering this question. I am off to Florida in 10 weeks and wondered not so much about the staples but more about what to eat/drink on the flight. I was told that I wouldnt manage soda drinks until 4 months post op?

I was sleeved on February 23 and went to the USA two months later. Absolutely no problems with the flight, and apart from the food over there being in gargantuan proportions, no problems with eating/drinking either.

You will be absolutely fine! I didn't set any alarms off, nothing exploded in my tummy, and all-in-all (except for the normal over-eating I would have done) everything was as per previous visits.

Enjoy!
Caz

I believe our staples are titanium which is non magnetic. I've staples in my jaw that I didn't find out about until 10 years after I'd had them put in (they were spotted in a chiropractic x-ray). I've had a couple of MRIs since then.

Vik and I also have a lot of body jewelery. Vik's is especially chunky. Neither of us have ever had issues with airport security.

Hello all. I'm two and a half months post op. All is well. I am going on an international flight next week. I can't imagine any problems, but I thought I'd ask. Is there anything I should know in advance of travelling by plane post op?

I know that might sound like a silly question, but I have been surprised more than once by unexpected changes in my body. Post op even the most mundane happening may require a new adjustment. Is there anything I should expect regarding airplane flight?

---

As a recent example of an unexpected Vsg side effect, I relate this story. I accompanied my spouse to have an MRI. While waiting I read warnings about MRI. In fact people with staples and other metal in the body can DIE when the magnet rips the metal out of the body. That was sobering and something I didn't think to ask before VSG. I asked the technician about the staples in my stomach and she didn't know. So once again I posit to you, it's better to ask a dumb question than be surprised later.

In the case of flying, the worst might be a metal staple setting off an alarm. Or the cabin pressure causing a carbonated soda to adversely affect my new tiny tummy. But I really don't know. Any advice or thoughts?