Going back to work...

[micki91 43]

I am having my surgery september 24th and I was wondering how long everyone took off work...ive was told whenever I feel well enough but I have to give my job a specific time frame. I work with people with disabilities so It can be hard work! Please let me know some of your opinions?!

[davidpelletier 50]

For reference, I work a desk job and was very open that I was having the surgery with most people I work with.

I had the surgery on a Tuesday (took off from work). I worked a half day Wednesday from home and just read through and responded to e-mails and such. I worked Thursday and Friday full days from home and was back in the office on Monday.

I took zero pain meds (not even tylenol or anything) and just pushed through (what little I did have) discomfort.

That said, if I had a more physical job, I definitely would have been off longer.

On the home front, the day of my surgery, I was still tending to my two-and-a-half year old for dinner and bedtime, albeit, much slower than normal.

~David.

[lisacaron 5,075]

I also am a desk jockey. I took about 10 days off from work and in hind site I wished I had taken the full 2 weeks off.

I travel pretty far into and home from work, about 30 miles each way. By the end of the day I was so exhausted I would just crawl into bed and crash. I could have used a few more days just to recover some of my energy.

This is a major surgery and you will still have open wounds that need lots of TLC. If you have a laborious job and need to lift patients or assist them that could compromise your surgical wounds.

My husband is a fire fighter and he had to be home a full month before he could return to work due to the heavy lifting nature of the job.

Check with your surgeon and go by what he advises above all else.

Best of Luck on your surgery and a speedy recovery.

[PrettyThick1 1,860]

If you have a strenuous job, you should take a couple of weeks if you can. I sit at a desk all day and I have to be honest, a week off was still a couple of days too short for me.

[ShastaPants 74]

Had surgery on 9/12 and tried to go back to work on 9/16....too soon. I teach at a college and have been doing half days this week. Feeling better every day. Mostly sore around the port site.

[dsiles 16]

Good advice shared here.... I am just 2 days post surgery, but I am going to telework from home starting again next week. I normally fly every week for work, but I set the expectation with my colleagues that they wouldn't see me outside of a video conference call for a couple of weeks back in the office or flying on a plane.