Recovery period?

[prettyandbrwn 40]

Hello people!

I am so excited, today my procedure was approved by my health insurance, my only question now is, how long is the recovery time? My doctor's office said four days, but there is a girl here that had her surgery on Thursday came back to work on Sunday and she she is soooooo much pain. I cannot do that. As it is now, I am a light weight when it comes to drinking and pain medicine makes me loopy. With that said, how do they expect you to drive to work in pain?

Tomika

[delove32 91]

I think it all varies with each individual. I am pre-op but I will have 12 days at home before I return to work. I am only using 3 of my days then we are out for spring break anyway. Most people say they can return in a few days. I've read a few posts where they have had major pain and need some extra time at home. I myself wanted time to "bond" with my band before having to around others. I teach k-2 special ed and once I get to work I have zero time to babysit my band. I need have this Water and Protein drinking thing together before I return.

[chasingadream 1,311]

Definitely varies by person and job description.

I teach small reading groups so no stress or strain physically. I had surgery on a Thursday and was going to go back on Monday....I decided to give myself a few extra days and went back the following Thursday....was very glad I did. It is not only physically tiring but mentally as well. If you can use an extra day or two to get yourself feeling better I say go for it...but sometimes you just dont have that time.

Hope my experience helps in some way...good luck! And as for pain....the strongest pain meds I took was liquid tylenol....and I am no super-woman when it comes to pain tolerance. You know yourself best and will have to be the "pre-judger" of what you may experience pain level wise.

[TLL 105]

Yup, definitely varies! My surgery and post-op was a complete breeze for me. I truly believe if I had a office job sitting at a desk all day, I could have went back to work within 48 hours. However, having a physically demanding job with a lot of heavy lifting, I took the remainder of my PTO off and was off a week and a half. 11 days, I believe. Thursday and Friday, weekend, following week, weekend, back to work. I was soooo bored and ready to get back out into the world by then!

[BandedBrunette481 310]

I work as a teacher's aide (not a very physically demanding job at all) and I only took a week off work. I had surgery on a tuesday and went back to work the following tuesday. Those first few days post op are quite painful, both from the gas and the incisions, but I finally started feeling better around day 4 post op. By the time I went back to work, I was just sore and a little uncomfortable from a bit of lingering indigestion. It was nothing major that interfered with my job, but I was able to sit as needed. If you have a job where you are extremely active or have to do heavy lifting, you'll want to take more time off.

I think I was able to go back to work so soon because I was committed to weaning off my pain medication a few days after surgery. Those meds they give you are pretty heavy duty so you definitely have to be off them before you go back to work! I was loopy on them and slept all the time. My doctor said you can get a DUI if you drive while taking them. What I did was I gradually cut my dose back and then switched over to liquid Tylenol so that I would be ok for work. I stopped taking the liquid Tylenol a few days after I returned to work because I just didn't feel like I needed it anymore. I'm almost 2 weeks post op now and I feel back to normal! Best of luck to you!

[jamilyne 102668 1,207]

I had my surgery on a Friday and went back to work on Tuesday. I have a desk job, but I have an hour and half commute to work. I was exhausted the first week. I wasn't in a lot of pain, I was just so tired.

Just definitely take it easy, it is surgery and it does take a little time to heal.

[Chickie D 76]

Pain was tolerable, but I was sooooo very tired. Probably from the surgery and the change in diet.

I work from home and was off for a week. Probably didn't need that much time, but had it available.

Age is another factor. Younger people are more likely to bounce back more quickly.

[prettyandbrwn 40]

Ok. I'd like to believe my pain tolerance is high, but after watching my coworker, I am not sure I can come to work in the same state she did. I have a desk job but it's micromanaged, I work in a call center. Not only that but the environment is stressful.

Edited March 4, 2014 by prettyandbrwn

[MassGal 1]

I had it done on a Friday and took just a week off. I ended up staying in the hospital over night because It took me so long to wake up from the anesthesia. I was originally scheduled at 8am and got bumped to 2pm but didn't actually go into the OR until 4:30pm and I didn't wake up until 7pm and even then I was still out of it. Apparently I was the "worst case possible". I should have taken at least 2 weeks off. I have 2 jobs, my main job is a desk job and my second one I'm on my feet. I attempted to go to work but I was very uncomfortable sitting and I was fortunate enough that I was able to work partial shifts at my main job. My second job my boss wasn't so understanding ????.. The pain meds they gave me didn't touch my pain both in the hospital (IV morphine every 2 hours) and at home (liquid Percocet which I only took twice to try to help me sleep) but I knew this was going to happen due to having a broken arm and my wisdom teeth removed when I was younger (I was given OxyContin at that time and it didn't work). Everyone's body recovers differently, apparently I'm not so fortunate. Just take your recovery day by day and don't over do it. Just because some people are up and running after a couple days don't be discouraged if that doesn't happen to you. Best of luck. ????

[prettyandbrwn 40]

I actually took 9 days off I only work 4 days a week, so....I am only using 50 hours vacation. I hope it goes smooth. I can't wait.

[Lady VS 1,147]

Because I'm an educator, I make sure I plan my procedures around our breaks either during spring break, summer, or in the case with my band, at Christmas break so I had two weeks of recovery. I wasn't trying to rush into things. It took me every bit of a week or so to recover.

[Bandista 7,466]

I had one night in the hospital (my first ever!) and was a little sore at home for a few days after but just so elated. I think the positive attitude helps a lot. And I elected not to take prescription pain medication. Walking cannot be overstated. I think all the walking -- up and down those hospital corridors and then round and round our driving circle at home -- helped me shake off the a anesthesia and kicked my body into healing mode. I got some left shoulder pain at about four days and managed that with a heating pad and Tylenol (liquid). Loved my Popsicles. I was glad to have about a week off from real life. Now I have a new real life! Good luck to you and congratulations on choosing yourself now and your healthy future.