Will I Be Returning to Work Too Soon?

[gracie78 0]

I am an attorney, and I really cannot afford to be out of the office too long. My surgery is October 29th and my plan is to be back at work the following Monday. I mainly sit at a desk unless I am in court. Is this too soon? Will I be able to do this? People are looking at me like I am nuts when I say when I am returning.....So I just wanted to get some opinions - how much pain will I be in?

[sthoma01 0]

I am an Accountant, so I mainly have a desk job (unless I am running around the building for meetings). I had surgery on a Wednesday and was back at work for part of the day on Friday. I was definitely fine by Monday.

I had been told that this procedure was much easier than having your gallbladder removed. It really was for me, but everyone is different. After surgery I would walk as much as you can to help the gas dissipate. Good Luck with everything!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Honestly? MAYBE. I recovered from anesthesia wonderfully; after my friday morning surgery I felt on top of the world. I took 2 doses of darvocet on Saturday. That's it except for liquid tylenol. I slept fine; felt fine. No gas. No depression. Little to no pain. I am a student and took a simple math test Tuesday afternoon (after Friday surgery) and ... FAILED IT. Totally. I'm very smart. I'm very good at math and this was SIMPLE. Division and multiplication WITH a calculator. I was a bookkeeper 20+ years. This should've been a formality.

My teacher (it was nursing school and drug calculations) told me, after quizzing me later (and me able to do many correctly IN MY HEAD that time!) that often anesthesia lingers....we aren't aware it's impacting our decisions etc. Made a believe out of me.

So if you are THAT important, then no. If you aren't THAT important, then why? Either way, take a week if you can. You may not have my issues; you may have different anesthesia or a different reaction. You may be one of the unlucky ones in pain for 2 weeks. That's the thing; you won't know until you're there.

At a minimum if you feel you MUST go back so soon (aren't you worth a week's down time?) put off important things until later in the week.

As I said, it may not happen to you at all. But if you are such a key employee, and it does happen, well....

[Carly 0]

Hello. I am a CPA/auditor and I had surgery on a Wednesday and went back to work the following Tuesday. (Monday was a holiday, or I may have gone back then.) I was pretty tired by the end of day #1, but was back in full swing by day #2. You'd probably be glad if you made arragements to only work 1/2 day on Monday. Good luck!

[workinamy 0]

I'm in accounting and had my surgery on a Thursday and went back to work on Monday with no problems. Actually, I went into the office on Sunday for a couple of hours so I could see where things were before the craziness of a Monday morning. I only had pain meds on Thursday and Friday then switched to liquid tylenol after that as needed. I was tired, but made it through the day just fine.

[KelinTx 1]

I think you will be fine. You may be a tad uncomfy but as long as you do not do anything rigorous i don't foresee a problem. Personally ive had dental work that ive found more bothersome then the actual lapband operation.

[gracie78 0]

I don't know if I would define myself as a "key employee." I just practice law - sorry if I came across badly.

[pat7go 0]

Hi, I hope you feel well enough to return. Honestly, there was no way I could have. Banded 10-13, planning to return 10-25. I'm even worried about that date! Hopefully I am in the minority...

[Sofia Bell 0]

Hi,

i was banded on a Friday and at work on Monday. I'm the GM of a private engineers club and my biggest issue was the pain from the gas in my back and shoulders.

It helped being around my friends instead of dwelling on the pain by myself at home. i haven't missed a day since.

You should be fine.

Good luck!

[Tamihott 0]

Just to give you the other side of the coin, I was out of work a total of 12 days. I was glad that I took that long off. Maybe could have gone to work a few days sooner. I needed that time off. I was not prepared for how wiped out I would be after surgery. It is surgery, and if you are not up to work, then you should stay home and heal. Good luck! Tamara

[cameron1209 5]

I was a teacher at the time and had my surgery on Thursday and was back at work on monday with no major issues except dumping and being exhausted from the huge difference in caloric intake. Just take it easy and you should be fine, but letting them know that you may need to ease back into full days may be the path to take. Good Luck on your surgery!

[salome000 0]

I sit at my job and was back after 4 days...HOWEVER, the port pain was (and still is) a real trial. The pain seems to shoot around to my back and I was miserable...took my pain meds (which seemed to improve my work-hee hee) but it was rough for a couple of days.

[travelinsnorkel 0]

I had my surgery on Monday and I would not have been able to go back to work until Saturday as it hurt to bad to get up and down and I'm not sure that I would have been able to drive. It sounds like each person is different, though. I would give yourself a week if you can and then you can always go back earlier if things aren't bad.

[skinnymike 0]

hi i was back to work 9 days post op and i have 2 jobs that are more physically demanding i work on pumps and compressors and i manage a pizza shop i went back to both jobs in 9 days i think youll be fine

[longhornmom 0]

I was just banded on the 13 of the Oct and was planning on going back to work tomorrow. I am, however, rethinking that. The reason is because my doctor prescribed that I consume only Water, broth, SF Jello or SF popsicles until my follow up appt (Wed.). I am feeling fine as far as pain goes, even the gas has pretty much dissipated but i am very tired. I think it is because I don't have any Protein in my body. Seriously, just walking up my stairs is exhausting. My physical level isn't usually high but moderate and I can't do near what I could before the surgery. Good luck to you. I am a financial analyst so I am usually at my desk, also (unless meetings, etc.).