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Going Back to Work After Surgery?



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Hi Everyone,

I start back to work next Tuesday and am wondering if anyone had any advice or tips they could give about returning to work after surgery? Was it difficult? Were you weak? What foods did you have prepared? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. I'm a little nervous to go back because I'm afraid I'm going to b really weak and nauseas or something.

Thanks!

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WOW, going back to work after just one week, .... hmm.. you know everyone handles things so differently and depending on if your job is physical, you could come home exhausted for a few days. Our bodies are amazing, they tend to bounce back better than we think sometimes...

Good Luck, get your rest and your fluids... that is the best advise I can give...

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I'm going back Tuesday after 4 weeks off and worried about the same thing. More than anything I am worried about my concentration (or lack of) and fluids.

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I went back after one week and was fine (tired but fine). Make sure you try foods at home first. Brought my little containers of Soups to heat up. Also still bring alot of yogurt and string cheese which are easy to pack. Water bottle stays at my side so I remember to drink even now. Be careful with Protein bars - they are easy to eat in the morning or I bring them incase the hospital does not have the "grill" open - make sure you buy the ones with no "sugar alcohol" which makes you VERY GASSY and can give me diarrhea (which you don't want at work). sugar free Hawaiian lemonaid is good and I keep those little packets in my stash at work too. Keep your Protein up...I am 3 months out and have almost....one more lb to go.....lost 60 lbs. I use the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury chicken broth (you have to order it online) for making up those days that I am short on protein. I put some in little containers and take that to work too.

Good luck! We have all been where you are and it does get easier promise!!!!

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Thanks so much SuperMom!! Those are all really good tips!! How many times would you suggest eating throughout the day? Do you need to eat if you don't feel hungry?

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My surgery was on a Tuesday and I came home on Thursday and began working from home that Friday and following week. This was primarily because I really did not know what to expect and was afraid of throwing up. I went back into the office this past Monday and I was fine. My biggest issue was just being extremely tired when I got home, I could have literally gone to bed at 6pm. However, instead I took a walk with my daughter and that usually gave me my second wind. As for food, I got some great 4 oz Glad containers to pre-package my lunch. My biggest issue in the office has been gurling and gas. By the time I leave the office I cannot wait to just let it out...LOL!

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Pace yourself. My main issue wasn't pain, it was fatigue and weakness due inability to take in many calories.

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I am a Nurse and am afraid to go back. I am only a week out. I think I am going to take the 4 weeks off that I planned. Any other nurses out there that work 12 hour shifts? What is the best way to deal with long work days (or nights in my case)????

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I had surgery on a monday, out of the hospital wednesday night and back to work monday morning. I was weak and tired but no really hungry so I sipped. I have a sit down job so it wasnt too bad except sitting in that office chair for 8 hours. Every day got a little better though.I took shakes to work and all my coworkers knew I had the surgery anyway so that helped

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I am a Nurse and am afraid to go back. I am only a week out. I think I am going to take the 4 weeks off that I planned. Any other nurses out there that work 12 hour shifts? What is the best way to deal with long work days (or nights in my case)????

I am a nurse and I too work 12 hour shifts (days and nights). I took 4 weeks off per my surgeons advice. I am only 11 days out now, feeling pretty good, but don't think I could go back to being on my feet for that long just yet.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
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      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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