SAH Concerns about returning to work too soon

I am a registered nurse who is required to lift up to 50 lbs and push up to 200 lbs (in reality much more!) on a daily basis. I work 10 hour days and must stand for 95% of that time. I care for patients after anesthesia and surgery who are often not able to move themselves or help much with that. I had an abdominal supracervical hysterectomy 4 1/2 weeks ago for second degree uterine prolapse which recurred after a previous uterine suspension years ago. I also went to surgery with a stage II recurrent cystocele and mild recurrent rectocele. The surgeon did not repair the cystocele or rectocele this time. She said that the cystocele mostly resolved although I still have some anterior wall weakness and the rectocele wasn't severe enough to repair. I am very anxious about returning to work. She is refusing to give me more than 8 weeks off because she said I don't need it and she can't justify it. After all the problems I've had with prolapse (I previously had an enterocele repair,too), I am afraid I will have problems again. Any advice or experience with this? Anyone else do a lot of heavy lifting after? What has been your experience?
I forgot to mention: my employer states that I may have NO RESTRICTIONS when I return to work.

Sounds like you are stuck. I am a nurse also and know the demands but luckily I work in an office now.
Odd your employer doesn't have "restricted" duties or light duty if it is a
large facility.
Would your doctor write for you to have pelvic physical therapy? Sounds odd but they specialize in such areas with people who have had problems like yours.
Just a thought.

I understand how you feel. I am an RN on a busy inpatient unit and work 12 hour shifts. I go back to work next Monday at almost six weeks post-op. I don't think the lifting will be a problem for me because I will have help. My main concern is fatigue. Under FMLA employers have to grant 12 weeks off per year for personal illness. I believe the surgery alone is the justification your doctor needs. The doctor just has to be willing to allow you the time off to properly heal. Given the amount of lifting,pushing and pulling that you have to do at work it does not seem unreasonable. You may have to talk to your doctor again. I had a similar experience, originally my doctor wanted to give three weeks off. Honey I was in so much pain and walked like a turtle at two weeks post-op and I knew it was not possible from the beginning. I hope everything works out for you.

I am sorry to hear what you are going through Missourigal56...I'm a nurse also & I understand! I too think you should talk to your Dr. again....your job requires a lot of physical labor & on top of that, you will probably tire easily!! Good luck!

Hi there, if your employer says no restrictions, then you should still be off work getting paid leave until all restrictions are lifted, your Dr should definately send you back to work with when you are ready with restrictions even and your employer has to comply legally

I was sent back 5 weeks post op afterTLH with restrictions of no lifting over 20 lbs and no long periods of sitting
Otherwise if you don't get cleared by your Dr legally you are not supposed to be working

I see thi s all the time at my employers, which is government, and people show up with no dr note, they get sent home

missourigal, Wow, that's a tough one! I'm really surprised at your employers lack of cooperation. As others have said, if your employer says that you can have no restrictions when returning to work, then your doctor would have to release you for everything which is kind of unusual especially after all of the repair work that you had. I would suggest talking to your doctor again. If she refuses to give you more time, do you have a GP you could see? I'm not sure, but I would imagine that an order from any doctor would have to be honored by your employer. Good luck and I hope you can get this resolved.

Thanks to everyone who replied! Saw my surgeon again and she said that I am "healed" and should be ok to do all that lifting at work. Since she didn't "repair" anything this time, she says she can't justify it. My short term disability company is also being difficult. Not wanting to approve me for even the 8 weeks that surgeon is allowing, even though she gave specific lifting restrictions until that time to them. Having minimal pain now, although I can tell if I start lifting, vacuuming,etc. Now my problem is severe fatigue. I may have to suck it up and go to work anyway! My brain isn't working too great yet either and I am scared of being unable to concentrate and make decisions in the fast-paced unit that I work in. I never call in sick but worried that will happen if I have to go back in another 1-2 weeks. And my surgeon said that most of her patients are feeling great and eager to return to work by 6 weeks!!!
But thanks for everyone's encouragement! Helps mentally to know I'm not alone!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by missourigal56 Thanks to everyone who replied! Saw my surgeon again and she said that I am "healed" and should be ok to do all that lifting at work. Since she didn't "repair" anything this time, she says she can't justify it. My short term disability company is also being difficult. Not wanting to approve me for even the 8 weeks that surgeon is allowing, even though she gave specific lifting restrictions until that time to them. Having minimal pain now, although I can tell if I start lifting, vacuuming,etc. Now my problem is severe fatigue. I may have to suck it up and go to work anyway! My brain isn't working too great yet either and I am scared of being unable to concentrate and make decisions in the fast-paced unit that I work in. I never call in sick but worried that will happen if I have to go back in another 1-2 weeks. And my surgeon said that most of her patients are feeling great and eager to return to work by 6 weeks!!! But thanks for everyone's encouragement! Helps mentally to know I'm not alone!

Missourigal56 you will be fine. The fatigue is something we have to push through. I survived my first two 12 hour shifts back at work and did better then I expected. I'm sure because my focus was on my patients and not on me. May God bless and protect you as you return to work.