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How much time off before returning back to work?



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Was curious how long you were out post-op recovering before going back to work. I have heard days to 6 weeks! Hard to gauge what is realistic.

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I took the full six weeks. I wanted to not only heal but adjust to everything. I ended up having an extremely easy recovery, with the exception of exhaustion. I was taking daily naps right up until I returned to work.

In the end I was very grateful to have had the extended time, but if I had been forced to, I could have gone back in two weeks, maybe even one.

I was lucky though that I had zero complications, not even nausea. Everyone is different. Good luck!

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I could have taken as long as I wanted and planned to do so. But, after about eight days I was going stir crazy and went back with no issues.

Everyone is different and some people still months after surgery feel weak, sick and not ready.

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I recovered pretty quickly... in fact, within 4-5 days post surgery I was feeling better than I had in months. It's amazing what getting your glucose and blood pressure under control can do to your overall well being. I had surgery on a Thursday, had my first post-op appointment on the following Tuesday and went back to work on Wednesday (post-op day 6.)

However, everyone is different, and your recovery might take longer. Furthermore, if I had more time off available, I would have taken it just to give my body and mind more time to get used to the diet.

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Next week I have to go back to work @ 6 weeks. I had a pretty easy recovery, no pain or complications. I have had some trouble getting Water in and advancing my diet. I stopped advancing per my surgeon and I am sticking with the soft foods that work right now. ( I will advance further at 3 months and see if it goes better!)

I am a Nurse on a busy acute care floor so I am worried about returning to work. I did work night shift which I thought would be really hard coming back from surgery.

I will be returning on Day shift (with a few night shifts) and have tried to pick my days spaced out so no 3 12 hour shifts in a row. I also will have no weekends until I can get on the day shift completely when a few new nurses are off orientation and on night shift. Yeah!

They day shift is stressful, but at least I will be well rested so i think that will help! I know I will have trouble staying hydraed when I am on the floor. We can't have Water on our mobile carts or in our hall cubbies. I can have in the break room or in the charge nurses office, but I don't have a lot of time to walk over to those areas. I will just have to make time to do it at least 2 times per hour in order keep my water intake at a decent level.

If I worked a desk job I would have been go back probably by week 3? I do think the full 6 weeks is helpful to work on changing your drinking and eating habits at home!

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I was scheduled to be off for three weeks (ended up being 5 because I had to go back in to the hospital), but with the exception of being very tired, I probably could have went back after two. Good luck, when is your surgery?

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The answer to that question really needs to take into account what people do for a living.

At the time of my surgery I was working 13 hour shifts as a programmer. I took a month off and glad that I did because sitting in a desk chair for that long gets painful.

A lot of people here say they were ready to go back to work in a week. I still had drains and was actively vomiting a few times a day a week later.

I would suggest expecting to be out 4 weeks, longer if you work on your feet or lift. If you feel better then go back early and save your time for the plastic surgery. That surgery was WAY WORSE.

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@@WildGrits, I am just starting to think about plastic surgery, are you willing share your experience with that and what you had done?

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@@Spiceyfrog Yeah no problem. Just PM me and I'll get back to you.

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I plan to go back next week. I will be 2 weeks post op. I think I am gonna ask the surgeon if I can take a couple extra days. These drains are still hitting me. Having one today.

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@@BamaNurse My friends who have had the sleeve are up and about much quicker than the Roux en y folks. I don't think its as invasive.

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@@WildGrits Most folks are back within a week according to my surgeon. I had a hernia repair at the same time as my sleeve so I had to take 2 weeks. Still not quite sure I'm ready to go back. I'm a nurse but I don't work on a crazy, hectic floor. I work 3 on, one off and 3 on. Not sure I will be ready to do that stretch quite yet.

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I did 4 weeks. I still have a lot of trouble with exhaustion.

I was RNY

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I took off five weeks and worked from home for one week before returning to work full time last week. My bariatric program recommends five to six weeks as standard for all bypass patients.

For me, it turned out to be just the right amount of time. Even at four weeks I had a lot of fatigue and nausea. I feel worlds better now.

I'm really glad I took that time to let my body heal and to adjust to things post-surgery. And working from home really helped me ease back into my job.

My advice: plan for taking a long time off. That way, if you need all the time, you'll have all your ducks in a row with short term disability and whatever. If you feel better faster, you can always go back earlier. That's easier than having to request more time if you're not ready to go back.

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I had my rny on Wednesday and was back at work on Monday. I work in an office and sit at a computer 75% of the time and the rest is walking to the printer or someone else's office. I have been fine energy wise except for going up and down stairs. That takes my energy level down fast but just takes about 15 mins to get it back.

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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
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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.
      · 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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      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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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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