Recover Time..

[klerose 14]

Hey yall,

I'm meeting with the doctor next Wednesday and i am so beyond excited!!! My curiosity is killing me and i was just wondering how long you're out for after having the surgery? I've read '2 weeks' quite a bit but then I hear ab some people going back to work after 1 week! Any info would be appreciated

Thanks so much in advance!

[PdxMan 4,292]

Surgery on Friday, back to work Wed, Thurs, Fri for 3/4 days. Full time the following Monday.

Everyone is different, for sure, so, if you know your surgical history and recovery, I found it no different from my previous recovery times.

[Bigdogkc 53]

I think the condition you are in, your overall size, age and what you do on the job are factors, as is how good your surgeon is. I am a male, and was 338 the day of surgery, 35 years old, and in good health otherwise. My surgeon is reportedly the best in the mid west, and I was off one week and one day.

I am a Network Admnistrator and sit at my desk for most of the day. That said, i did not make it through the first four days of work. I worked almost three full days, but then had to take Friday off, because I was too tired. i would have made it if i was able to just sit at my desk, but I got pretty busy and was having to go up and down stairs, which ruined me.

I think two weeks is plenty for recovery, but if you need to do it sooner, you can as long as you have a job where you can sit and stay in one place.

[klerose 14]

Surgery on Friday' date=' back to work Wed, Thurs, Fri for 3/4 days. Full time the following Monday.

Everyone is different, for sure, so, if you know your surgical history and recovery, I found it no different from my previous recovery times.[/quote']

I've never had surgery before, ever. Lol I'm so nervous!!! And worried being I've never had surgery it will take longer to recover. But I'm young, 23, it should be easier, right?

[klerose 14]

I think the condition you are in' date=' your overall size, age and what you do on the job are factors, as is how good your surgeon is. I am a male, and was 338 the day of surgery, 35 years old, and in good health otherwise. My surgeon is reportedly the best in the mid west, and I was off one week and one day.

I am a Network Admnistrator and sit at my desk for most of the day. That said, i did not make it through the first four days of work. I worked almost three full days, but then had to take Friday off, because I was too tired. i would have made it if i was able to just sit at my desk, but I got pretty busy and was having to go up and down stairs, which ruined me.

I think two weeks is plenty for recovery, but if you need to do it sooner, you can as long as you have a job where you can sit and stay in one place.[/quote']

Ahh thank you yes I'm a receiving coordinator so I basically have a desk job so hopefully ill be good to go after a week or so. I have yet to talk to my company about it yet hopefully if all else fails I can use short term disability for like 2 weeks Haha! Thank you for your help!

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

Everyone is different. The best advice I've seen is to arrange for 2 weeks then see how you feel after a few days. You can't measure your progress based on someone else's.

[klerose 14]

Everyone is different. The best advice I've seen is to arrange for 2 weeks then see how you feel after a few days. You can't measure your progress based on someone else's.

True, thanks

[PdxMan 4,292]

Yes, I agree with OTR. if you have never had any procedures and don't know how you respond, then plan for at least 2 weeks.

[Bigdogkc 53]

Ahh thank you yes I'm a receiving coordinator so I basically have a desk job so hopefully ill be good to go after a week or so. I have yet to talk to my company about it yet hopefully if all else fails I can use short term disability for like 2 weeks Haha! Thank you for your help!

If you have been a full time employee at your comapny for a year you will qualify for FMLA. You still have to use your vacation and sick time (there are a few exceptions to this, but most companies make you) but you are guarenteed to still have a job when you return. If you are out of paid time off, you can still take unpaid leave under FMLA and you will still have a job whne you get back. FMLA will cover 12 weeks of time off in a year, but you should not need that. If you are confident that you can make it back in two weeks or less, and can schedule that much time off with PTO then go for it. But if not you should cover yourself by asking your HR dpartment about FMLA.

[notime 340]

If you have been a full time employee at your comapny for a year you will qualify for FMLA. You still have to use your vacation and sick time (there are a few exceptions to this, but most companies make you) but you are guarenteed to still have a job when you return. If you are out of paid time off, you can still take unpaid leave under FMLA and you will still have a job whne you get back. FMLA will cover 12 weeks of time off in a year, but you should not need that. If you are confident that you can make it back in two weeks or less, and can schedule that much time off with PTO then go for it. But if not you should cover yourself by asking your HR dpartment about FMLA.

The courts recently ruled that FMLA covers leave to take care of family members, but does not cover leave for illness for the employee him/herself. Talk about crazy.

[Bigdogkc 53]

The courts recently ruled that FMLA covers leave to take care of family members, but does not cover leave for illness for the employee him/herself. Talk about crazy.

That is incorrect. I just took a class on HR issues and there was a big chunk of it spent on FMLA, it does cover yourself, and WLS is covered as well. Also I myself just took FMLA leave when I had my Sleeve done on July 2nd.

[klerose 14]

Actually short term disability (my company offers that) covers surgeries and what not. One of the guys that's under me had to have surgery recently to remove and tumor and he's been out on short term disability for almost 3 months. I'm meeting with HR soon to hear my options. I had 3 weeks vacay with my company and have already used up 2 so I'm hoping maybe I can just use my last week and any left over sick time and then just take it from there!!!

[bonbon916 15]

Recovery time also depends on the type of job that you do...it IS surgery, and those internal stitches need time to heal. My surgeon says that 4-6 weeks is average. 6+ weeks if your job involves heavy lifting, i.e. fire fighters, nurses, etc. I work in a busy cardiac surgery ICU, and he told me I can expect to be off at least 6 weeks.

Can't wait to be on the losers' bench!! :-) Hope to meet you there!

Bonnie...finishing my 6-month insurance-required class next week!! :-) Hoping for October sleeve

[NDN_RN 527]

The courts recently ruled that FMLA covers leave to take care of family members' date=' but does not cover leave for illness for the employee him/herself. Talk about crazy.[/quote']

There may have been some confusion in the ruling. This is the latest from the US dept of Labor wage and hour division. It does cover the empoyees illness for 12 weeks per calendar year.

http://www.dol.gov/whd/fmla/

[notime 340]

I was mistaken about the scope of the Supreme Court ruling. The Supreme Court did rule that FMLA does not cover time off for illness of the employee, but the decision only applies to states and their employees. It does not cover employees in the private sector. It may well be that a private sector case will make it to the Supreme Court at some point and they may rule that FMLA does not cover any employee who needs time off to take care of their own medical issues, but that does not mean companies will choose to change their policies, because the interpretation, while supported by flaws in the law, does not pass the common sense test. So, I apologize. Anyone needing FMLA for their own care is safe for at least some years and, in the meantime, perhaps Congress will change the law to make it clearer.