TAH: Is 6 weeks reasonable recovery time for TAH?

I have a desk job ,, and aim to return to work after 6 weeks. Am I kidding myself?

Thanks!

90% of that will depend on you and how you feel. I had a TAH-BSO 10-12-12. At the 6 wk mark I was given the ok to return to work.

I'm having my six week check up in two days. I am still exhausted but I'm managing my pain with just ibuprofen these days. If you have a desk job you will most likely be able to return to work if you don't have any other complications. Good luck,

I'm in my 5th week of recovery from TAH. While the first 7-10 days post op were very hard I have been fortunate to have a relatively easy recovery. I'm single and live alone. I had to do many things on my own. I'm so grateful for all the information on this site. Anytime I had a question it was comforting to know I could find answers. Not just a professional answer but experiences from other women. Do what your doctor says, don't push yourself and be sure to walk. I haven't had to use pain pills in several weeks. I'm so bored and itching to get back to work. I have a desk job but I am on my feet a lot. I think six weeks is a reasonable amount of time. I'm sure I will be exhausted at first as I still have my moments but all in all I feel pretty strong. Again, just follow doctors orders. Get plenty of rest but don't stay in bed all the time. You have to get up and get moving.

I am 6 weeks today from a TAH. I worked ~10 hrs last week and will have close to 20 hrs this week. My goal is to be back full-time by 8 weeks. Actually, sitting at a desk is not that comfortable. Many suggest getting up often for little walks and I totally agree. I sit at my desk a lot, but can vary what I do, which has been helpful. If you are healing well, you can go back at 6 weeks. I would encourage one week of part-time, if you can. I feel really blessed to be able to work back up to full time over a few weeks. It is a slow recovery, and you won't feel perfect adn will probably be really tired at the end of the day - all normal! I worked 3 1/2 hrs today and came home yawning - will probably be in bed by 9!

Thanks Ladies...

I also live alone so will have to be up moving around quicker than those who may have help.

I will aim for 6 weeks but I think that will be cuting it close...

FWIW, here's my experience. I was a banker (and the boss) so I could take off as much time as I wanted. For some unknown reason (in other words, I have no idea why I felt this way) I decided I was taking exactly six weeks off work.

I had a TAH and a panniculeectomy, which meant I had a hip-to-hip incision and surgical drains. My dh was around to help me, but actually after the first week I could have taken care of myself. It's not like you will be bedridden for any length of time -- which was a huge relief to me.

It was amazing to me (and still is, really) just how quickly you get "out of shape" as far as your stamina goes. The first couple of weeks, you really don't do a whole lot beyond shuffling to the bathroom or kitchen to get a drink of water. And then, after those first couple of weeks, you really need to build up gradually. You don't "dive" back into your daily life -- you ease back into it.

So I went back to work at that magical six-week mark. I had my six-week checkup during my fifth week post-op, and I asked if I could go back to work. The doc looked at me and said, "Well, do you feel ready?" Then he told me not to push myself.

I promptly went back to work on schedule, and honestly, I should have taken another two weeks off. I went home each evening with a burning, hot belly and got straight into "my couch" with pain meds. What on earth was I thinking??? ACK.

I did end up with a complication -- a large, unresolved hematoma that ended up requiring an additional surgery. This was something which likely happened early on in my recovery, so it wasn't related to going back to work at six weeks post-op.

I guess what I'm saying is this: You'll know if you're ready to go back. If you're not, ask the for more time off. You might also strongly consider easing back into your work schedule.

This is what I did with an employee who had a hysterectomy after I did and insisted she was coming back after two weeks . I told her that at 4 weeks, she could come back for 2 hours per day if the doc said OK. At 5 weeks, she could increase that to 4-6 hours a day if he said OK, but I didn't want her back full-time until 6 weeks. I know it's probably highly irregular for an employer to tell the employee how long they should take after surgery, but I am now a firm believer in taking that time to heal! For the record, she thanked me later, saying she felt OK but was so very tired that she appreciated the additional time to rest.

to you.

Thanks MJD--- I'm thinking 8 weeks is more realistic, but because i "sit" all day and dont do heavy lifting,,my boss (whos a dude) of course didnt understand why it would be 8 weeks....
Then I felt guilty,,and you know how that all goes from there.....

I had surgery last year and know it took awhile for me to feel normal.

Thanks for the insight....

Has anyone gone back to work at 6 weeks that had a job where they're on their feet all day? My doctor cleared me for 6 weeks with no restrictions! I'm supposed to go back April 15th. He did say I could call him and he would extend it if I needed but the paperwork I turned in to work states April 15 and they're counting on me to be back. Going to talk to HR this Friday and see if I can come back on schedule but part-time.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by booboo773 Has anyone gone back to work at 6 weeks that had a job where they're on their feet all day? My doctor cleared me for 6 weeks with no restrictions! I'm supposed to go back April 15th. He did say I could call him and he would extend it if I needed but the paperwork I turned in to work states April 15 and they're counting on me to be back. Going to talk to HR this Friday and see if I can come back on schedule but part-time.

I'm having reservations about returning after 6wks as well; due to the fact that I'm a warehouse receiving clerk, where 90% of my job duties involve forklift driving, but no heavy lifting. I may just ease into a pt routine @ 4-5wks if cleared by dr to do so. GOSH, I wish I were my own boss!!