For those of you that had the gastric sleeve, how soon were you able to return to work? Also did your doctor in MX give you a written excuse for work?

I am seriously considering just taking a week of vacation and not telling anyone at work that I had any surgery at all. I really don't want to have to explain anything to anyone except immediate family.

Of course I am hoping one week will be enough, but I want to be prepared. I am an entomologist and I work in a lab. My duties are highly variable, but I do have some control over heavy lifting and other strenuous work. I can decide to do lab, computer work for a few weeks until I am cleared to do more.

I am struggling with how much I want to share with other people about my surgery. I am a private person and I can't imagine having to explain this over and over.

Thank you for sharing everyone.

I went back to work the Monday after my return from Mexico (on Sunday at 11 pm).

I have had no issues at all. I only took a week's vacation and didn't tell anyone at work until the day before I left.

OMG, I had no idea I would need to take that much time off from work. There is no way my employer will let me take more than a week off! This is an unexpected problem. When I had a consultation with a local bariatric surgeon, he told me I would be able to go back to work in a few days (with restrictions). UGH

There are many people who go back in less than a week. Each person and surgeon is different.

15 minutes ago, Bill Yanez said:

Apple1

If you need a leave of absence from work just let me know and I will take care of it for you.

Thank you Bill!! I guess I will just see how I feel when it is time to come home. The next two months can't go fast enough for me.

For number 2s??..
I didn't have any issues

I was referring to more frequent urination due to increased liquids (60 oz Week 2). I would imagine one would have less BMs weeks 2&3? [emoji372]

I was off tuesday for travel, surgery wednesday, discharged friday. I went back to work for 4 hours the following monday. I worked 4 hours on mon, tues and weds. Thurs and fri it was six hours. The next week i was full time. I work a desk job though. My husband went back full time after a week off.

I went back to work after 2weeks

I only took a week well a week and 2 days since my surgery was on a Thursday. I honestly felt good exactly one week post op. My big incision still twinges but it's certainly not a reason to stay home. I take Tylenol and keep moving. I guess it's up to you. My step father took 6 weeks but he also wasn't doing what he was supposed to so. I guess it all depends on how well you are able to get your fluids and protein in. Definitely your protein

hi Apple1
i have a desk job and was only out a week and i was ok , however i had a little discomfort on my left side but i would get up and walk around the office every so often, just be careful we all heal differently and remember even though u might not feel it but our bodies are under a lot of stress after any major surgery , good luck [emoji4]

Thank you for all of the replies to my question. I guess it is hard to know ahead of time how well we will feel after surgery. I am hopeful that I will be able to return to work after a week, two at the most.

@Apple1 I'm a desk jockey - I'm in the office two days a week and work from home the rest. I had surgery on Tuesday and did a full day on the following Monday. I packed a lunch box with my shakes and had water with me and just sipped all day.

I only told work I needed to have a procedure and would miss one of my regularly scheduled office days. (I was able to work at home once I was discharged from the hospital.) My mother and my sister didn't know I had surgery, let alone VSG. My husband, my two teen daughters and one or two very close friends knew.

When people ask about my weight loss, I say I'm on a physician prescribed plan, high protein, low carb and I weigh and measure everything along with working out. All of which is true. When I was asked how I could be back to work so soon after my "procedure", I just thanked the person for their concern. If people inquired about what I was (or wasn't) eating, I said I was having some stomach issues and my doctor had recommended what I was eating. Again - all of which was true.

Best of luck.

I went back after a week and a day, aside from my main incision pain I've been fine, no issues! I wear spandex and place towel on it

I'm a nurse on a med surg unit. I was told to anticipate 4 weeks. They said it's easier to get a note to come back early than request through hr to extend my time off unless of course there are complications. They said they usually don't have anyone go over 4wks off.

I have two full time jobs, they're both desk jobs. I took off two weeks just to be safe but from my research one week would have probably sufficed. I had PTO though so may as well.

It really depends on your job and what you do. I have a desk job and I took the maximum of what my doctor would give me which was 3 weeks.
Although I didn't Need three weeks I took it. There was another lady in our office with the same surgery she only took a week.
Every job offers FMLA where you can receive up to 12 weeks of leave per year, if you don't want your job to know you medical reason of your leave have your doctor to write the diagnosis codes only on your FMLA paperwork and not write it out (gastric sleeve).


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