I'll be having surgery on a Friday and returning home on Monday. Is it too enthusiastic/optimistic to think I can return to work on Tuesday?

I have a desk job, I'm not tied down to it, I can get up and walk around as I need. I will be using most of my PTO for a family gathering earlier in the month so I'm trying to miss as little work as possible.

As far as my employer is concerned they know I'm having "a surgery" but not what is being done as I feel that it's personal and doesn't need to be discussed.

that is what I did. Only told employer off-handedly that while I was off the Wed-Fri & following week on vacation that I was having elective surgery. I wasnt going to tell them anything but dr office wanted FMLA paperwork and that started the questions. I had surgery Wednesday (first in!) and went home Thursday evening. I was sleepy Friday. I didn't get much sleep because of the nurses checking on me Wednesday night so I enjoyed sleeping in Friday morning. I couldve been back at work Monday. I have a desk job where I can get up and walk if needed and my co-worker is awesome and he knew the whole story. he said, "don't lift, I got it!"

I wouldn't have been able to, but I have seen others here do similar things.

I wouldn't have been able to either. Just took me awhile to get with it. I had no pain - just trying to get food in and keep energy up. I was in the hospital for 3 day - so it really depends....which I know that answer doesn't help much:)

You'll want a few more days than that off. If not for pain, definitely for rest.

i was out for 5 working days, and the two weekends sandwiched around that. the problem isnt the incisions, its the fact you wont have any energy and your constanly trying to figure out how to drink etc. remember your diet and etc.

Thank you all for your insight, I think at this point I'm going to play it by ear. If I feel I can't handle work after surgery I'll just let me boss know that I need a few extra days to recover.

I had off 2 weeks. However, I probably could have gone back that quickly. However, I sometimes think I had the easiest recovery from sleeve/hernia surgery in history. I had no gas pains, I had lots of energy and was getting bored, I napped only the first couple of days, my sleeve has never had an issue with anything.

My pain level was initially that of having done WAY, WAY too many sit-ups and quickly faded to did too many sit-ups. Things would stiffen up and initially getting out of bed or chair was tight but the more I moved/walked the quicker the tightness went away.

The big reason I did not go back sooner was I have an hour drive to work. So 2 hour round trip, 1 hour lunch, 8 hour day equals 11 hours. That is a really long day and a long way from home if I do crash. Plus I have 100% pay for disability for like 26 weeks. I pay for it so I figured I would use it.

My doc told me 2 weeks off. I worked from home at the time, so I did work on Monday (after Thursday surgery) but I had severe post-op brain fog and wasn't too productive the first few days. But I was able to lie down and rest when I needed to. Had I had to drive to work, I wouldn't have been able to do it.

I have a less than one mile commute to work. And a nice break room if I need to lay down. I'll take it each day as it comes and do what my body tells me.