Well, THIS is going to slow down my diving for a while

[scubaaaronh]

I had to have the same thing done last year at this time. I also had a belly button hurnia fixed at the same time. Just six short weeks before going to bonaire for two weeks. TS&M is right about six weeks and i was up and going. I was off work for four because of the work i do and after five weeks the surgeon said i should have no problem diving on vacation. We got to the Island exactly 6 weeks and 1 day later. I averaged three to four dives a day and only had one day where one incision hurt a little. a couple ibuprophin and relaxing for the rest of the day and i was back in the water the next morning.

theres kind of a funny story that goes with the surgery. The surgeon said if he had to do a full incison that i would be restricted longer and not be able to dive on vacation. If it was done with the scope i would have no problem. We were supposed to be leaving in seven weeks at the time for two weekson bonaire. I told the surgeon about our trip and he said he would sign the trip insurance if he had to do a full incision. Great i thought, waiting for a year for this trip and now it might be cancelled. So i go into surgery hoping for the best. as i was coming around and still pretty much out of it the nurse said oh good your coming round, all i asked was, was the doc able to do it with the scope. she said yes and i replied, im going to bonaire and out i went again. when i finally cam around she asked what is bonaire and i was stumped, how did she know about our trip to boniare. she explained and told me she was going to get my wife. when she walked out to tell my wife i was awake my wife asked if they were able to do it with the scope and the nurse replied, you will be going to bonaire. So six weeks if all goes well and you should be back in the water. No worries.


Good luck and get feeling better soon, I felt great after i had mine done. just watch the real greasy food afterwards as it will give a reminder that you no longer have a gall bladder.

 

[redacted]

If you don't already own a really comfortable recliner, get one before you go in. That will be the most comfortable sleeping for the first week.

I don't believe I even waited 6 weeks but I'll let you know if my wife can remember when I had it done. I can't find the jar of stones I ended up with right now which should have the date.

 

[Dion]

I just had surgery in February which required an incision from my belly button down. My doctor is also a diver and he said that I could dive after six weeks, as long as I didn't have to carry my gear or walk in it a long distance. I am leaving for Roatan on Saturday, so I hope he is right.

Good luck on your surgery and I second the suggestion for sleeping in a recliner, I slept in one for almost a month after my surgery.

 

[CFDAlden]

I had this done last June. Here's a hint they failed to mention to me (assuming your outpatient):

Don't attempt to lay down to sleep the night you had your surgury!

Some of the air they inflated my abdomen with seemed to have risen to shoulder level during the afternoon while I watched TV. When I laid down to sleep that night, it was the worst pain I had ever had in my life! I couldn't sit up due to the pain, I made my wife push me out of bed to get to a position to stand up from. That wasn't fun.

4 Weeks later, my incisions had healed, and I was in the pool swimming. Two weeks after that, I took my OW class.

 

[miketsp]

..snip..
Some of the air they inflated my abdomen with seemed to have risen to shoulder level during the afternoon while I watched TV. When I laid down to sleep that night, it was the worst pain I had ever had in my life! I couldn't sit up due to the pain, I made my wife push me out of bed to get to a position to stand up from. That wasn't fun.

4 Weeks later, my incisions had healed, and I was in the pool swimming. Two weeks after that, I took my OW class.

I can vouch for the shoulder pain.
The doctor got most upset when I asked if they'd let me fall off the operating table onto the floor during surgery. The pain was really bad. But he just explained it was from the compressed air they pump in.
Probably as near to DCS as I ever want to get.

Anyway, I was back at work on the 4th day (desk job) and diving in 8 weeks.

 

[Guba]

Hi, Ya'll I'm home!
I want to thank everyone for the prayers, great words of encouragement, advice and experiences. Sounds like the concensus is about six weeks before diving, and that fit's in with my schedule. I can postpone some of the lake and quarry dives, but I sure didn't want to have to miss the Caymans in June!
Everything went well, I'm up and about (sore in the core, naturally), but I'm taking it easy. Once again, thanks to everyone and I'll talk to ya'll soon. Right now, I think I'll go nitey nitey for a whlile...even though it's about noon here.
Much obliged, folks!
Bill

 

[scubaaaronh]

Hi, Ya'll I'm home!
I want to thank everyone for the prayers, great words of encouragement, advice and experiences. Sounds like the concensus is about six weeks before diving, and that fit's in with my schedule. I can postpone some of the lake and quarry dives, but I sure didn't want to have to miss the Caymans in June!
Everything went well, I'm up and about (sore in the core, naturally), but I'm taking it easy. Once again, thanks to everyone and I'll talk to ya'll soon. Right now, I think I'll go nitey nitey for a whlile...even though it's about noon here.
Much obliged, folks!
Bill

Good to hear your ok. Sleep was the easiest way for me that first week. I would get up eat. take a pain pill and right back out. I don't know if the Docs told you but use a stool softner. It will make going to the bathroom a whole lot less painfull in those lower incisions. I never new until then just how many different muscles you use for different things.

 

[Buoyant1]

Enjoy the rest period! Glad to hear you're alright!

(and don't get hooked on any soaps!)

 

[mobster75]

Hi, Ya'll I'm home!
I want to thank everyone for the prayers, great words of encouragement, advice and experiences. Sounds like the concensus is about six weeks before diving, and that fit's in with my schedule. I can postpone some of the lake and quarry dives, but I sure didn't want to have to miss the Caymans in June!
Everything went well, I'm up and about (sore in the core, naturally), but I'm taking it easy. Once again, thanks to everyone and I'll talk to ya'll soon. Right now, I think I'll go nitey nitey for a whlile...even though it's about noon here.
Much obliged, folks!
Bill

Hey Guba,

Glad to see all went well!!

I had an emergency gall bladder removal last May and they were barely able to get it out laproscopically as it had tripled in size due to the infection. However, I went diving 12 days after the surgery and I felt 100% fine the whole time. When I mentioend this to the surgeon at my follow-up he was quite surprised but said usually physical activity is discouraged due to feeling the incisions.

You should be good to dive whenever you feel comfortable.