When did you go back to work?

[A_ReNUDE_me 148]

I went to work the same day I discharged from the hospital. I was able to work 3rd shift the first 2 days and resumed my regular 2nd shift at 5 days post op. If I could have, I would have taken 2 weeks off but I couldn't. Luckily everything turned out good, great recovery. I was very exhausted though. I was sleeved on 12/12/13 and discharged and back to work on 12/14/13.

Wow. Your amazing! I pray my body responds like yours & I have a fast recovery. Your surgery obviously went very well. Kudos to your MD! Keep rocking that Sleeve! Best wishes

[A_ReNUDE_me 148]

I took 4 weeks off. The doctors stressed that I shouldn't rush back. I had the PS time, so why not? Not only am I focusing on healing physically, but I'm growing with my sleeve emotionally and mentally. I'm also adjusting to eating and drinking differently.

You are blessed to have that much time! Glad to hear all is going well for you! It's wonderful to not feel rushed & to have time to learn your new body

[tkrn 9]

I am taking two and a half weeks off. I probably could have gone back sooner but I can't have any lifting restrictions where I work. So when I go back I will be free from all restrictions. I still nap a little bit each day too. I think my body is healing yet.

[Jaime Kissinger 130]

I was sleeved on 12/2 and went back to my 60 hour work weeks on 12/16. I work at a grocery store with a lot of walking, standing, reaching, and bending over. Luckily for me in my job now,

I don't have to lift. If I'm being honest, I needed another week off. I barely made it through my shifts and I was going to bed before 7pm. Once discharged from the hospital, I did not take any pain medication. That first week back to work, I took it everyday. I needed to go back to work for financial reasons and because my employers were less than thrilled with my surgery and recovery being so close to the busy season ( my surgery should have been in early November but I had insurance issues.)

[Jaime Kissinger 130]

I am just wonder how long after being sleeved most people went back to work?

I went to work the same day I discharged from the hospital. I was able to work 3rd shift the first 2 days and resumed my regular 2nd shift at 5 days post op. If I could have, I would have taken 2 weeks off but I couldn't. Luckily everything turned out good, great recovery. I was very exhausted though. I was sleeved on 12/12/13 and discharged and back to work on 12/14/13.

honey love, you are amazing! I give you a lot of credit!

[michelle68 46]

I work at a private school so we were out for Christmas break anyway....so I got 2.5 weeks off. This past week I did 2 days and this next week I will he back to my regular schedule. For me the 2- 2 weeks I felt like I could do it. I do get tired towards the end of my day but I think that is going to he normal anyway until I can work foods into my diet....what body wouldn't be tired when living off of only 400- 500 calories of liquids and purees a day?

[Shells_Almost_There 357]

I took 3 full weeks off, then worked from home 1/2 days the 4th week. I needed it, because I found that I couldn't sit up in my office chair for very long that 4th week - I always needed to stretch out (I sit all day at work). So, the 5th week I went back to the office full time and never had a problem. I was lucky to have so much sick leave saved up!

[Gettingsexyback 128]

I had my surgery on the 18th and went back on January 6...worked that day and thought I was going to pass out in my desk. I found out next morning at doc that I had a raging bladder/yeast infection so took off the rest of the week...still feeling yuck, three antibiotics later and have no energy to speak of.

[SparkleCat 521]

I hope to have the surgery at the end of April on a Monday and have asked off for that entire week...so basically Surgery on Monday and back to work on Monday. I have only had one other surgery (breast reduction) and recovery was pretty speedy...so I assumed this would be the same.

After reading some of the replies here I am a little worried...I can't imagine being down more than 5-6 days...I don't know what I'd do with myself!

My job is pretty sedentary...at a desk and on the phone most of the day, I have to make a point to get up and take a walk around the office so I have *some* movement each day.

[Shells_Almost_There 357]

SparkleCat - people have really different experiences, so it can be tough to use our stories as a measurement. Of note, though: One week after surgery, you're still going to be on liquids only and will barely get in any calories in the day - so a lot of people feel weak and can't make it through the work day. Your body is in shock and trying to heal, and the motion of standing/sitting gets to be too much after about the 3rd time in a row. So, I think that's why people end up taking more time when they can - you might feel really yucky and be in pain. It can also depend on your surgery - maybe single incision is less invasive and doesn't cause as much pain? I had 5 incisions and the big one really hurt for a good 3 weeks and it was the source of almost all the pain, although the one above my belly button was touchy as well. Finally, my surgeon requires all her patients to be written out/off work for a month, and you can only go back with limited release, then finally full release, so that also dictated my timing of the 3 weeks off plus 1 week telecommuting.

Good luck to you!

[Teachamy 1,042]

It was 19 days from my date of surgery to the time I returned to work. I am a teacher and I timed it so I would only miss 4 days of the school, and then we had 2 weeks of vacation. I needed all the time I got and still find i get pretty tired around 12:00 every day. I spent most of those 19 days napping and doing my walks around the house. It was biting cold here at the time, so I rarely changed out of my fuzzy jammies or left the house!

[back2barb78 890]

I took one month off work- and it was wonderful! I worked like a dog preop to save money to actually "enjoy" recovering, not worry about going back, and to allow myself to heal. I had no swollen ankles, no aching feet, no bags under my eyes- I could go on and on. I hadn't seen my ankles in years (I'm not kidding). I'm an obstetrical nurse (from 20 weeks into the pregnancy to delivery to rolling you and your baby out the door), and have a very strenuous job- sometimes 12+ hours with no real break. When I went back, I had some issues with nausea/vomiting which hadn't happened ONCE the whole time I was out. I guess it was just adjusting to being back in the hospital.

My thought is work will always be there when you get back, but you only have one shot postop to get recovered properly to prevent complications. My parents wanted me to take another month off I believe for selfish reasons that would've been a bit much. One month was perfect for me.

[joatsaint 2,814]

I was back at work in 10 days, but I've read several posts about being back at work after only 3 or 4 days.

I am just wonder how long after being sleeved most people went back to work?

[wendym22 34]

I went back 9 days after surgery and felt great. I actually went in 2 job interviews 5 days after surgery. Everyone is different, I have heard some people need 3 weeks and some people need 5 days. I filled out my FMLA paper work in case I needed to be out longer.

[ladyd728 106]

I will be going back to work this Tuesday. I was sleeved on the 17 of Dec, so it will be 4 weeks exactly from my surgery date. I'm happy I used my FMLA and I had a lot of PLB that I was able to use. I think everyone, if you can you should give your body time to heal. There were days that I would get short of breath just talking, I was tired a lot. I really did need the 4 weeks off. I work at a busy well known lab where I'm on my feet moving from opening until closing that evening. If you have the time, let your body heal, without returning back to work to soon.

Just my opinion