A common question from patients is: Can I travel after my bariatric surgery? The answer to this question cannot be answered with a simple YES or NO. At the Obesity Health team, we have formulated certain conditions that allow our patients to travel as safely as possible. These conditions are based on the experience of thousands of patients on whom we have performed bariatric surgery and also, based on the available scientific evidence. It is important to explain under what conditions and times patients are allowed to travel after their bariatric or metabolic surgery, and understand the risks for which these conditions must be met.

What situations should be considered when traveling after bariatric surgery?

There are two main situations. The occurrence of these situations is anecdotal and very rare, but they are the reason why traveling after your surgery must follow certain conditions:

1.- Thrombus formation. Thrombus formation can occur in the legs, arms, abdomen and lungs. It is a rare complication after surgery, and one of the main causes of immobilization. That is why, in certain cases, traveling must be done with certain requirements.

2.- Complications while away. The presence of complications, such as infections or bleeding, are very rare today. These can occur up to the 6th week after surgery (after this time it is almost impossible for them to occur) and, in all cases, they can be treated and cured. Sometimes returning to your city of residence takes you away from the care of your clinic or the team that performed the surgery. But you should not worry, most of these can be treated with telephone instructions or calls from us, in more rare cases, we will ask you to go to a health professional in your area, with whom we will be in contact or return to us .

In any case, traveling after your surgery requires that you do the following:

A.- It is recommended to stretch your legs during the trip, if it is not possible due to space, try to stretch them only every 30 minutes. Do not always keep them shrunken in the same position.

B.- You must continue consuming your liquids. Remember with a tablespoon or 10 ml with a syringe every 2-3 min.

C.- It is not strictly necessary, but the use of compression stockings can be helpful. You can buy compression stockings before your surgery in a store such as Amazon or Mercado Libre.

D.- The person accompanying you must carry the suitcases for you, you cannot make any effort. Let them pamper you.

Traveling by car on the day of discharge or before the first week

If it is possible to travel by car in the first days after discharge, many patients do so without any risk. However, it is necessary to keep in mind that we can only do this if:

1.- The destination is 4 hours or less away.

2.- If you are going to travel by private car, you CANNOT travel by public bus, because the driver will not make the stops you need.

3.- If someone from your family or friend is going to drive for you (you should not drive during that period).

4.- Make stops every 2 hours, where you must get out of the car and take a short walk of 10-15 steps. You can do this while they fill up with gas or while you buy water or belight at a convenience store.

5.- Do ALL recommendations from A to D (see above)

Traveling by car after the first week

1.- You can travel after the first week, even to longer destinations (up to 15 hours maximum).

2.- DO NOT travel by truck, it must be in a private car.

3.- Some family member or friend must drive for you.

4.- Make stops every 2 hours, where you must get out of the car and take a short walk of 10-15 steps. You can do this while they fill up with gas or while you buy water or belight at a convenience store.

5.- If the trip is very long, it is better to drive 5 to 6 hours and rest in a hotel, to continue the trip the next day.

6.- Do ALL recommendations from A to D (see above)

Travel by airplane

1.- It is NOT recommended to travel by plane before the first week of surgery

2.- Between day 7 and day 14 of surgery you can travel by plane, on trips of less than 3 hours. If there are stops, you can travel less than 3 hours, and stopover for another flight. Do not take direct flights of more than 3 hours in this period.

3.- After the 14th, you can take flights longer than 3 hours directly.

4.- Do ALL recommendations from A to D (see above)

Private patients

These recommendations apply ALMOST to all patients, however, there will be cases that have different recommendations, such as not walking and resting more, there will be those who are prescribed anticoagulant for the trip, or there will even be those who are not recommended to travel, until much time after. If you are a particular case, we will let you know in advance.

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