When did you get your brain back? (Working after surgery)

[Seastars 175]

was there a period after surgery when you felt fuzzy-headed and had difficulty focusing (on anything that wasn't related to your surgery and recovery)?

I've read that many people feel tired for a few weeks, and had difficulty working full days for a while (going to bed right after work). But how was your concentration after surgery? How long did it take until you were able to give 100% mentally?

I anticipate surgery for late June/early July. I can work from home some, and I'm definitely planning not to work at all the first week after surgery. But then I need to focus on a big project with an August deadline. It's a desk job, not physical, but does demand a lot of written analysis and focus.

If it matters for recovery time, I'm pretty fit (daily cardio) and have a low-ish BMI.

Thank you for all your insight and tips!

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Fortunately, I wasn't working because I was fuzzy and had a hard time focusing after surgery.

I don't remember how long it lasted but at least a month (or so).

I THINK it may have cleared once I was able to get in a few healthy carbs. Or, it just may have been related to the healing process.

This is one reason I recommend people not rush right back to work or school. You may be able to be physically present more quickly than you may be able to be mentally present.

If you have the option to take some time to recover and adjust, then I recommend you take it.

[Barry W 336]

Yes, I noticed confusion as well as straight up malfunction. The latter was most obvious. I was trying to speak, and the wrong word came out of my mouth to express a concept, and I couldn't stop that from happening in the same discussion - same wrong word kept coming out. My colleagues were even laughing. It was really odd. That had never happened in my life before, but it was happening now. Fortunately, that has passed, but I'd say it took at least 8 weeks after surgery for me to feel cognitively strong, and I am now 10 weeks out, and I am still not sure if I am 100% as sharp as I was going in.

[NewAngela 60]

The first month was the worst. It improved once my calories went higher. I am at about 8-9 weeks now and I feel cognitively normal, mostly anyways.

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[Kindle 8,667]

I really don't recall being mentally off. I was doing paperwork from home at 6 days post and physically back to work at 7. Besides the physical aspect of my job I do a lot of mental multitasking...client communication, scheduling, medication calculations and dosing, accounts receivable, writing in medical records, ordering supplies, etc. I was consuming more carbs than most people do immediately postop (adding pureed fruit to my Protein Drinks, using drinkable yogurt, a lot of dairy milk, 100% juice and regular sports drinks rather than low cal drinks with artificial sweeteners) so maybe that helped.

[Seastars 175]

Thank you, thank you! It makes sense that more calories = better mental function (we all remember some crazy lo-cal diets and fasts). But I will be prepared for the worst. Agin, thank you!

[sleevergirl2015 51]

I was really light-headed and fuzzy there for a long time and my personal experience is that you're not getting enough Protein at least that was my thing I needed extra Protein through my day so I needed 60 milligrams of Protein shakes so to 30 milligram Protein Shakes plus my two small meals that I eat during the day and as long as I have that my head is not all over the place

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[Seastars 175]

Update from OP:

I'm writing this from work on post-op day 8. I needn't have worried at all! I was sleeved on a Wednesday afternoon and discharged late the next day. I easily could have gone to work Friday - post-op day 2 - and almost did. I ended up taking it easy for a week and working from home, until today when I started back full-time. No difficulties at all. Brain was a little impaired for say 18 hours post-surgery (from aneasthesia; I didn't use the painkillers but they would have extended brain fuzziness if I had). As long as you have a desk job, and no complications, you can probably go back to work right away. But it was fun taking off a week and getting stuff done around the house.

Hope that helps other pre-sleevers in their planning.