What you use for surgery and recovery?

I have not be banded yet but possibly in Sept after planning time off.

Any info would be helpful.

I have the luxury of being able to work from home. My surgery is on Wednesday. So I only took 3 vacation days and then I'll be working from home 'til I feel well enough to go into the office. My company doesn't really distinguish between sick & vacation time, though. It' just all called PTO. I've read about people (in these forums) that were back to work after a week or so, though. So I'm hoping the recovery won't take too long.

I used short-term disability. It paid 70% of my normal pay rate, and there was no waiting period (like having to use 5 days of PTO (same thing aclubb described) time before disability kicked in) if I was hospitalized overnight.

I am using vacation time. My short term disability takes over after two weeks and after all my pto and sick time is gone. Hope that helps.

I used vacation days because I didn't tell my employer about the type of surgery I was having. Plus I knew I wouldn't need to be off that long. I had my surgery on a Wed and went back the following Wed so I only has to use five days since it ran into the weekend. But you could use sick time since it's surgery.

I am planning to use short term disability. One girl at my job had it and she was off two weeks. I am hoping to have to be off only a week.

My band will be placed on 7/23 by Dr. Woodman in Memphis. I was told that by me working in customer service I could be back at work in about three days. While at my last doc visit, there was a young lady who walked into the office after having her band for two weeks. She was walking a if she was still in pain. After seeing her I decided that it would be better for me to get the correct paperwork so I can stay off as long as I need to instead of using my vacation days, in which could be now saved.

Fortunately, my work distinguishes between sick and vacation leave. My company considers this as a non-elective surgery since it is covered by insurance. This means that I will not need to use vacation time and can use sick leave instead. Sick leave can be used for any appointments too: doctor, dentist, shrink, etc. I'm pretty lucky.

I am using short-term disability. Unfortunately it doesn't kick in until 5 days after going out. Until that time, I will be using sick time. I had my surgury on Wednesday, the 9th, and will not be going back until the 28th. That was the earliest I could get in to see my doctor to be released, and my company will not let me come back until after I see the doctor.

I asked my HR lady a few days ago about that. I didn't want to tell her what I was doing either, but I told her that I was going to be having surgery and if I could use my extended illness bank or my paid time off. I would rather use my EIB, since I have tons of hours built up and it's never really used unless you are out sick for a while. Anyway, she said as long as I am an inpatient as opposed to being an OUTpatient, admitted overnight, then my EIB would pay after 5 days. Honestly, if I take 5 days off, I'm still confused as to where the days would come from. And is it up to the doctor to tell you how long to take off? I guess I will find out on Tuesday when I go for my surgeon consultation and find out my surgery date. By the way, I am self pay.

I am using some sick hours, but I am lucky to work from home most of the week anyway, so I won't be giving up many sick hours. They don't expect me physically back in office till a week post-op if I am able.

I used vacation days because I didn't tell my employer about the type of surgery I was having.

So far as I am aware, most employers have a 3rd party company that handles disability administration (like at my job, we have a company called Prudential that handles ours), and they are the ones you should contact for disability (contact your HR or benefits department for the disability company's phone number if you don't know who to call).

This third party company should do all the contact with your doctors, review any medical files they need to and approve or deny your disability claim. They will not pass on any info to your employeer except to tell them whether your claim was approved or denied, so that your employer can pay you appropriately. This is so that you can claim disability without your employer knowing the details of anything going on.

I point this out just so people know they don't have to be afraid to apply for disability. Your employer will never know the details of your medical history if you go this route.

I contacted my HR department and they told me I get 40 days at 100% pay of short term illness. So I plan to take at least 3 weeks off and fully recover and get over all the various food stages - I figure the closer I am to eating solid food then the easier to function at work. Luckily I have flexibility at work with the STI program therefore I'm using as much time as I feel necessary, which I will find out after my two week follow Dr. appointment whether I am ready to go back. HR told me that my Dr. give all the paperwork directly to HR for processing and all I'm telling my employer is that I'm scheduled for surgery and require 3 weeks off - the reasons are personal and I do not have to tell them any details.

I have 184 hours of sick time saved up. My dtrs office said they usually only fill out paperwork for 3 weeks.(I work in a warehouse doing heavy lifting and lots of bending) but I persuaded them to go for 4 weeks. I can't think of a better time to have surgery when its 100+ degrees in the warehouse and I'm home recovering in the air. I figure if I want more I can always use some vacaton time or earned time off.

I hope all goes well with your surgery..and I just have to say I love your comment about chewing bubble gum and kicking ass...I laughed so hard when I read it... I can't wait to use it. Good luck and take care.

I had already put in for vacation time off in August long before we decided to have Lap-Band done. I was fortunate enough to be able to schedule the surgery on the first day of my vacation (the 7th) and won't be returning to work until the 18th.