"We all recover at different rates" true or false?

I just realised tonight that I finally feel healed. My incision on the RHS which was still making me wince stopped that about three days ago. The incision on the outside, which although scabby, has finally completely closed. I started Wii Fit this week, too. Although I had the same surgeon as Sholley and Kate, I was advised brisk walking at 2 weeks, with jogging and gym work at 4 weeks. No swimming until 6 weeks though (because of the slow healing incision).

Although I started work at 8 days post-op, I really struggled the first week (as a cook, am on my feet 5-6 hours before my first break).

Give yourself a full month at least, and see how you're feeling.

All the best,
W2B :)

Yes l believe its true we all recover at different rates and times, but thats like anything in life some of us have young kids, stress and all sorts of things to manage as well some have family some do not. We all have different pain thresh holds and all cope with things differently l think we as individuals need to listen to our body and DR`s but with ANY major procedures we should be very careful not to over do it we might feel great and ready to take on the world but experience has told me dont.... l had my gallbladder removed two days later l was out shopping, cleaning and had two children under 2 needless to say l felt fine but ended up back in hospital for 10 days with an infection! So wasnt worth it. the fact is we do need time to heal and we might feel fine at the time but who knows whats going on if we stress our body or even if we dont! Well thats my opinion again its just mine from my experiences EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT LOL

I think we all recovery differently.

I woke up from my surgery in absolute agony - so bad that I was moaning and writhing about, so they doped me up with ketamine and I hallucinated (because morphine wasn't working). I then stayed at home for 2 weeks and had my mother "babysit" me (and my daughter for me too). Even after that point, I slacked off... didn't feel "right," just yet. Very tired, still tender (not PAIN as such, just not normal yet).

I feel fine now, but I'm over 3 months out now, so it's to be expected. My dietician believes my actual STOMACH would have probably healed faster than others due to my age, but my body still copped a bit of a beating and didn't feel right for a while. Others seem to be full of beans almost the moment they leave theatre.

I know all surgeons are different, but mine recommends no shoving, pushing, twisting, turning and heavy lifting (including gym work) for a minimum of 6 weeks.

Everyone recovers from surgery and heals differently is most certainly true. Listening to your surgeon and following his/her guidelines is very important as they are the experts and that's why we pay them the big money. Jen - please check with your surgeon about your exercising as it seems a little full on for such a short time post op. As we have said on here so many times before each surgeon has different post op rules to follow but I wasn't allowed to return to full on exercise for 6 weeks. The first 2 weeks was just gentle walking and then increase that until the 6 week mark. I also wasn't allowed to go swimming until 6 weeks either. We have to remember that wether we have pain or not our bodies have been through serious major surgery and it needs time to recover.

I am constantly amazed at the different results. My doctor said that self-help sites are self selecting, and so there should be more folks who are doing worse than normal, and I think I see that to a degree and that's fine. That said, there are still heaps of amazing folks who have done really well and are still here months after their surgery.

Jen - are you sure you're okay to do 25-30 mins of walking and lunges? I"ve had a couple of overdone moments doing less than that, and I've had to take some Panadol Extra to being the pain into line like last night. I'm glad you're pain free, but it's not really the site pain that is the problem.

Personally, to get the gas out and to start my exercise journey, I am going to do five minutes light balance work on the Wii per day, and if I can convince Tanya to come for a walk, I'll walk all three of us to the nearby park five mins away, and be glad I did just that until I get cleared by the doc in a few weeks.

Kell - I reckon most of the danger would have passed once your sleeve has returned most of the way back to its new normal size as in your case three weeks post op. I know there's a small chance of a leak in the first 12 weeks, but honestly, from reading this place, if it is going to happen at all, it seems to be in the first few days or the really rare case a few weeks out, or not at all. Obviously, I'm not your doctor, I know nothing about medical things and hate the sight of blood and needles, so take whatever I say with a grain of salt. :)

Hi Kell,
3 weeks in the scope of things is a really short amount of time, we have all had major surgery. Just like you know when your kids are truely sick and need a doctor, not just a blankie and couch. You too will know that you are ok and just healing or hang on it is about time i had this checked out.
Take things slowly do as little as possible for a bit longer and just let your self heal, you will know if something is not right, and YES everyone takes different amounts of time to heal and we have had different surgeons do our operations. The other thing i was thinking is that we all have different pain thresh holds. All the best.

Sleeved Monday 6 Dec at about 3ish.
Home Thursday.

Very little pain in hosp. Waking up the only thing I remember was the entire time I couldn't keep my eyes open.
Had morphine and then panadol the subsequent days.
Had a drain in - was uncomfortable but once out - ohh man. Felt completely different.
Slightly tender tummy but I'm 1.5 wks post op and I'm all good.

I went to the gym on Monday, Wednesday and today (one week post-op) I just walked for 25-30mins.
Did some squats and lunges on Wednesday and Friday.
I would want to do more (its my obsessive, controlling nature) but I know not to push myself.

I feel FINE!

I have to constantly remind myself I am a week or so post-op..from a SURGERY and not to push myself.
The days that I didn't gym I went to the shops - did some shopping.

I'm trying to watch myself but I feel a little bit better each day.

I personally believe its my surgeon. He is friggan amazing.
He's had one leak his whole sleeve career and changed the way he did things from then on.
BOOM!

I hope when I see him (23rd) he tells me its safe to hop on my beloved step machine and cross trainer.

I agree that everyone does heal differently and I think I am one of the lucky ones.

I am still convinced that my surgeon did not do my surgery. If I was not getting full so quickly, I would be asking him for proof.

I had no pain whatsoever, no gas pain, no wound pain, nothing. I was clearly drowsy immediately after the surgery and on meds the first 2 days, but did not experience anything like what I have read on the forums. I got up the same day, helped myself in the bathroom and walked the hall of the ward I was in.

Since being discharged last Friday, I have not overdone it, but feel 100%.

Yes, it is true. Read a few diaries from the very beginning and you will see that. I needed the full three weeks before I returned to work, and the first week back was a bit hard in any case. I had no pain per se, but I did have headaches because I found it hard to get fluids in!

We are all individual. I think age may affect recovery too. I am an old chook, so perhaps that is why I took it easy those first few weeks?

So I have heard that phrase a few times, but at the same time I have also heard "woah I didn't feel sore at that point..."

I am 3 weeks post op. I am doing okay, but I still have moments of tummy tenderness (I actually blame my big boobs, they kinda rest on the tum area, cant be helpful). Anyway, I read how other people are doing 3 weeks out and I think god what if something IS wrong with me??? Because I am not in jeans or at the gym or sleeping in my side or front yet. I am still paranoid. I don't have pain pain, certainly no need for painkillers at all, I just get tender on occasion. I am trying to take it easy still as best I can with 2 active kids... I worry myself insane about stuff going wrong.

My surgeon only saw me briefly, he had to get to surgery, but he seemed happy with where I am at. I don't know. I guess I want reassurance, but only if its genuine. That's helpful isn't it?!