After Surgery, when can I go back to work? what were your experiences?

[Rovobay 920]

Hey All,

Many different factors in deciding my best route. One concern/question I have is the time it takes to recover from surgery and get back to work. Please tell me what surgery you had and how long it took for you to get "back to normal" in regards to work. Also your level of activity at work.

My job is about 50% desk 50% active movement/standing. I guess I could always get a note from Dr. putting me on light duty for a few weeks.

thanks for the info.

[pink dahlia 2,513]

Im in retail, standing all day. I went back to work 8 days after being banded with no problems. I just made sure I didnt lift anything heavier than 10 lbs for the first few weeks as I healed. Remember to drink your liquids and pack yourself a healthy meal per your Dr. s orders. I always brought too much food, still sometimes cant wrap my mind around how little healthy food I have to eat to get full ! ( my head still sometimes thinks " but im going to be starving!! Ummmm , no . you.wont.starve..........trust. me. ) good luck !

[McButterpants 2,846]

I telecommute full time - I had my surgery on Thursday and worked 1/2 days starting the following Monday working a full day on that Tuesday. I got tired easily and it was nice to be able to only be expected to be on line for 4 hours. It gave me an opportunity to walk and take care of myself. I wouldn't have rushed back to work as quickly if I had to get up and go into an office - I wasn't ready. I was surprised at how quickly I got tired those first couple of weeks - this is major surgery, so your body will react that way.

Best of luck to you!

[kll724 3,055]

It so all depends on you and your healing. My surgeon(who had his surgery done in Mexico) said he had surgery on Friday and was operating on Monday. I am not sure that i could do that. But it all depends on your healing and your surgeon. best wishes.

[chasingadream 1,311]

I am a teacher and went back 7 days after surgery.

It's doable….I was a little tired but each day got better and better and right back to my old self.

[bb8487 2]

I am also a teacher, I had lap rny gastric bypass on Monday, 4/14/14, and was back to work on Monday, 4/21/14. I even chaperoned my own sons PreK field trip to the zoo on Friday, after surgery Monday. You will be tired, but you can push through. I only took like 2 doses of pain meds once leaving the hospital.

[Rovobay 920]

Sounds like a week or a little more. that is great. wanted to make sure that I wouldn't be out for a month or so!!!

[CTJohn 109]

I had surgery on Saturday and worked Monday afternoon. Kinda crashed Tuesday, but resumed Wednesday. I only took pain meds day after, at docs suggestion - don't think I needed it

Good luck!!

[greensleeve 457]

I had sleeve. I was off for a month and I needed every day of it.

[NothingUpMySleeve 244]

I was sleeved on a Thursday, a second surgery on a Friday due to a blood clot, and back at work on a Tuesday--and I am a big wuss. I was doing a mix of desk/walking work, though; someone who does physical work would want longer.

[Teachamy 1,042]

I had almost 3 weeks to recover and needed it. I was not in pain, but very, very fatigued. It was a full month before I started feeling like me again.

[terry1118 1,274]

I took two weeks but could've gone back after one. The second week felt more like vacation to me. I cut my grass only eight days after surgery. I had no complications, very little pain, no drains, no stitches (my surgeon used glue). My children are grown and my husband capable of caring for himself so I could rest as much as I needed to that first week. When I went back to work I had a 10 pound lifting restriction. I work in a bank, which my doc considers a 'light duty' job. For more physical jobs they prefer people to take up to four weeks off.

There really are many different factors to consider when deciding how much time you need to recover. Your general health at time of surgery, pain tolerance, complications, how much help or support you have if needed, how long you are on pain meds, your doctor's requirements for recovery (I needed my doctor's release before returning to work), and so many other things.

Everyone is different and it's hard to guess what your own experience will be like. The best advice would be to hope for the best but plan for the the unexpected. I was only out for two weeks but before I left I applied for FMLA so if something I unexpected happened I would be covered. Good luck to you! :-)