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How long before back to work??



How many days before going back to work (desk job)?  

10 members have voted

  1. 1. How many days before going back to work (desk job)?

    • Right away (1-2 days)
    • Took a weekend off (2-3 days)
    • Almost a week (4-5 days)
    • A little more than a week (6-10 days)
    • More than 2 weeks


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i went to work after a week, i would've loved 10 days or a bit more, but i couldn't leave work so many days. so if you have the opportunity, go ahead and take 10 days or more.

goodluck.:thumbdown:

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My surgery was on a Thursday and I was at work on Tuesday. I had a desk job and I was fine. I stop taking pain medicine on Sunday. My abdomen was a little sore but I was fine after a couple of days. As long as you are sitting most of the time, you will be fine.

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I had surgery on Tuesday and today is Thursday. I came back to work today, although I was 30 minutes late.

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I had surgery on Tuesday, 2/2/10 and I wanted to go back to work on the following Monday, But I was so weak and tired, so I went back to work for a few hours that Tuesday for 3 hours and than we had a big snow Strom in NY, and my office had closed for 2 days. Than I worked for 4 hours that Friday. I returned to work full time this past Monday just about the 2 weeks mark and what a difference a week makes I felt much better.r

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I had surgery on 12.12.2010, a Friday. Monday was a holiday, so I went back to work on Tuesday. I was tired by the time I got home and went to bed early, but my co-workers don't even know. It was no problem at all. Of course everyone is different.

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Wow. I guess I am a wimp too. I took 4 weeks. I had over 600 hours of sick time banked. I figured why not. I feel great after 3 weeks and could possibly go in, but never again will I be able rest recuperate and feel great. I work nights and for the first time in years I'm not walking around in a sleep deprived haze.

For you Iron men/women my hats off to you. I'm going to just take my time.

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I had surgery on Tuesday, I'm going back to work on the following Wednesday, so 6 days off. Honestly, I wish it was more.

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I took 4 weeks off but could have gone back after 1 week. I wanted to stay out until my 1st fill just to be sure it went ok and my doc agreed so I just used my short term disability coverage and got 100% pay

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This thread was really helpful to me. I haven't been banded yet, but am awaiting my surgery date! I have been trying to plan how much time I need to take off work, and it sounds like I'm just going to have to listen to my body! Thanks for the posts.

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Like some of the people who replied to this thread, I too have a great paid time off policy at work so I took a full four weeks off. For me, I probably could have returned to work sooner but I really wanted to get acclimated with the new way of eating (mushy foods, Protein shakes) without the scrutiny from co-workers. I am returning to work tomorrow and on Wednesday I can start regular foods again. :thumbup:

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my surgery was 7/21/10, I went back to work Aug. 2nd...I could of went back sooner but the days off was much needed...my job doesn't consist of a lot of lifting, bending, or turning so I was fine...

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I think its important that you realize that although you may physically be able to go back to work, are you mentally able to do so? With me, I was physically able to go back within 10 days of my surgery. But I chose to stay out a few weeks longer because I really wanted to make sure I was mentally ready for the challenges that I may face at work, and that is to be around so much food. I work in a department, where we constantly receive cakes, Cookies, pies, etc..as tokens of appreciation. Being banded is a life altering experience and I really feel that you should take as much time as possibly can before you transition back to work.

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I am 4 days out and started back at work today. (Banded Friday, back to work Tuesday). I felt good going into work in the morning, but was really tired (and grumpy) by the end of the day. I didn't take any painkillers all day. My abdomen hurt more and more as the day went on from sitting so much, and it got harder to get up each time. I didn't have the luxury of laying down whenever I wanted like I do at home!

My job is mainly a desk job with some travelling, but I can take it easy at work when I need to, and do everything on my own schedule. I told everyone I had hiatal hernia surgery (which is 1/2 true) so everyone understood when I moved slower and had lower energy today.

I think for people trying to keep everything a "secret" you may need longer to recover, cuz I definately wasn't 100% at work today and everyone noticed.

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I had surgery Friday and went back today. MISTAKE. I would highly suggest people taking off a couple more days if possible just in case.

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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.
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      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • 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.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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      1. This update has no replies.
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