Worried about too many days out of work & hair loss

 Good morning everyone, I have read, read, read, and read all about all my options on WLS, and have pretty much decided on the sleeve.  What concerns me the most is the days i'll be missing out of work after surgery.  I know I am really early on to even worry about this, because I haven't even gone for my seminar on July 16th .  I guess thats just my obsessive personality, and always looking ahead..I will try to schedule surgery like on a Friday and hopefully be discharged on Sunday, and I will be anticipating going back to work that following Monday.  See where I work I am the only person in that location as a Phlebotomist (mostly sedentary work) for a lab.  I don't have any back up and Its just me from 7am to 4pm Mon-Fri.  How did most of you all feel by the third day?

Also I am very worried about hair loss..  I have been reading about using Biotin way before surgery just to get it into my system and start on extra protein, which is what I am doing now.  Has anyone already using Biotin / extra protein experience minimal hair loss?  

Oh and one more question, a very important one, What form of protein do you recommend?  I am currently using Whey Protein powder from Walmart, don't know if there's a difference because this one is soo chalky and I really don't like it.

Thank You all who have taken the time to read this, I am a newbie researcher ready to commit to surgery, and I will be on here quite a bit asking all kinds of questions!

I had surgery on the 17th and the 3rd day was not the greatest for me. You are will feel very weak. There is no way that I truthfully could have gone back to work. I have spirts of energy and then I am super tired. Maybe you could have the surgery when you will have a few days off in a row or Christmas break.
I use Designer Whey Protein (Target) and also, Muscle Milk and EAS.
I had a very easy recovery as I was in the hospital for one night. The worst for we were the gas pains.
Good luck,
Gina

I had surgery on a Tuesday and went back to a desk job the following Monday.  On the third day, you are still going to be a little sore.  This biggest issue I see would be fatigue.  You are going to be tired because you are getting so little nourishment at that point.  I never lost any hair, but I did start taking Biotin around month 6 for skin.The only protien I have ever been able to tolerate is GNC's Max Protein Chocolate mixed with water.  Congrats on your decision.

I'm 5 days out. I took off 2 weeks (I own the company so I'm still answering questions and stuff, just not actively doing anything). At this point, I'm wondering if two weeks is enough. I'm really tired. Like narcoleptic. I'll be sitting here talking and when my husband turns around, I've fallen asleep in the chair. The least I've heard of someone taking off is one week though. I'm also having a pretty hard time with abdominal muscle pain. It hurts like the dickens! Getting up and down from a chair or bed is difficult. I think day 3 was probably my worst, to be honest, I was out of the hospital and wondering WHY in the world I thought this was such a good idea I would try to take at least a week, honestly.

I have weird food allergies and I am really weird about smells. For me, the ONLY protein drink I could find that I could tolerate I found at the grocery store. Pure Protein (in the bottles, already mixed) vanilla cream. Now that I'm on clears only, I'm dealing with Isopure, which has a weird after taste, but it's not horrible. So those are the two I recommend, but everyone is different. I found that, for me, they had to be pre-mixed.

First off, congrats on making this decision to change your life for the better.  I had my surgery on a Thursday and honestly, by Monday I could have gone back to work but alot of my work is at a desk.  I don't know how much you walk around of bend or have to pick things up.  I went back to work in a week and felt just fine. I think everyone is different on their recovery and it is really something that you cannot determine until the time comes!  I had my gall bladder taken out a few years ago and this surgery to me was less painful!  Hope you find a solution and we look forward to hearing from you along your journey!

I am a Phleb too, and I wouldnt call the work sedentary by any means.. I am on my feet sticking people all day. So I took 3 weeks off. There is absolutely NO way I could have gone back to work anytime in the first week... Or two for that matter. Everyone is different. Some ppl on here have had smooth, easy recoveries with minimal pain, and others have had a harder time recovering. I understand that you are the only one there, but honestly that is not your problem, its your boss's. If you are going to make this huge life changing decision then you have to be prepared to do what is necessary for YOU. Dont put your recovery and well being in jeopardy because of your job. Your boss will have to figure something out. He/She has plenty of time. This is a major surgery and you need and deserve the proper time to let your body relax and recover. I am sorry if my post seems har****s not meant to be... I just want you to understand that giving yourself time to recover properly is sooo important and vital to your health, and thats why we are doing/have done this surgery, for our health.

I actually DID stay on my feet almost all day on the 3rd and 4th day after surgery with no trouble, but not at work. Still, if it were me I'd take at least a week off. It sure isn't your fault they don't have any backup for you, that is not your problem, unless you own the place; in that case hire a temp!. I get sick of seeing companies understaff and then foster the mindset that makes people feel like the whole place will crash and burn if they miss a few days of work. the hell with them, tell them you need at least a week off--heck tell them you need two, and if/when you feel ok after after days, take yourself some 'me time' and do something fun.

As to protein powder, I ordered samples of Unjury and liked all but the strawberry kind ok, and the GNC chocolate kind is all right. But none are wonderful, they all thave that slightly weird taste--I can't stand it with water and use almond milk, except for the Unjury chicken soup and unflavored ones that you can mercifully cover up with herbs and spices if you add them to a regular soup or sauce. The chocolate or vanilla is much better with a shot of coffee and some almond milk in my opinion.

Hair loss...some get it. some don't. So far I've not had it, do not take biotin. This isn't backed by any research, mind you, but I do not totally eliminate ANY food groups, do not do extremely low carb, low fat or anything, I try to eat a more balanced diet. Personally, I think it's kept me form seeing some of the symptoms I've seen mentiuoned like hair loss, extreme fatigue, etc. But it's only my opinion.

ETA, MrsHelm posted almost my exact thoughts while I was typing! :lol

You need about 2 weeks off and sorry to say - You will lose hair!! An increase in a particualr vitamin will not prevent hair loss nor will an increase in protein. While vitamins and protein both are good for you, the hair is still gonna fall. It is just the change in your diet and the trauma from the surgery. But the good news - it grows back and you will not by any means go bald!

I took a week off and honestly went back about 1 day too soon. It was ok - I just overdid it a little bit. I can't imagine your surgeon will clear you to return Monday, but what the heck do I know...

There is no way in hell I could have gone back to work on the third day after surgery.  My work isn't sedentary, but even if I had a sedentary job I wouldn't have been able to.  It was all I could do to ride for four hours in the car back to my sister's house.  I took almost a month off of work and then when I first started back I only did half days - and those wore me out!

Your job must have some kind of back-up in place.  I mean, you're not expected to work every day for the entire year are you?   You must have vacation and/or sick time, PTO, PAL, etc.  Depending on the town where you live there could be temp services that can fill in for you.  If you live in a small town, maybe you can arrange for a travel phleb (I know there are travel nurses and ultrasound techs so there could be phlebs, too.)  There must be something you can do, but a weekend is probably not going to be enough recovery time.  You need to be able to take it easy and let yourself HEAL!  If you overdo it right off and have complications you're looking at more time off than if you'd just originally planned for it.

As for the protein powder, I didn't like any of them.  I could only drink the Slimfast (or Safeway brand) canned shakes.  All of the powders just made me puke.  The canned shakes didn't have as much protein, but it was better than nothing.

I started taking Biotin every day in early or mid December.  I started my liquid diet on December 16 and my surgery was January 6.  In early May I started noticing my hairbrush was getting full of hair and that there was more hair at the bottom of the shower.  I'm still in that stage now - my hairbrush is full of hair after about three days (I used to go a few weeks without cleaning the hair out of it.)  My hair may or may not "feel" thinner.  Sometimes I think it does, soemtimes I don't.  So far I don't show anymore scalp and my hair doesn't look thinner.  The biggest thing is just the hair mess on the brush, drain and around the sink and on the bathroom floor where I dry my hair.  If I do start to show more scalp I'll just get a funky wig or something.  The veterans on here say the hairloss stage doesn't last forever, 3-6 months.  I'd much rather be wearing a wig for a while than still be weighing 335!!

Good luck with everything, I hope your surgery and recovery go well.