any suggestions for sitting at desk for 8 hours?

I will be returning to work (office job) in a little over a week, and am worried about my ability to sit at a desk for 8 hours. Right now, I am not able to sit on the wooden stools at my kitchen counter. Pretty much anything other than the couch with a pillow behind my back is uncomfortable. Anyone here ever try a donut or other type of cushion?

Also, my discharge instructions said to stop taking supplements. Anyone know if it's OK for me to start taking my daily women's vitamins and antioxidants again? Thanks.

Lisa. I am also 6 weeks today. I have been taking my vitamins for a few weeks. I also have desk job. I have gone into the office the past 3 weeks just one day a week and only for about 3 hrs. I would leave swollen and sore. I still am sore and the swelling is driving me nuts. I have used the cushion donuts for sitting when I had Hemmroid problems. They work great and take pressure off. I think it's hard to sit in a comfortable position at a desk even at 6 weeks

We had different surgeries, but I tried to go back at about 31/2 weeks, ended up in a lot of pain and back on bed rest for a week. I am now on half days this week. There is NO WAY I would be able to do it otherwise. Just a suggestion, try half days the first week back. I also have a memory foam pillow I sit on and one behind my back. Good luck and TAKE IT EASY!

PS. Check with your doctor, but I have been taking my vitamin supplements the day after surgery.

My first advice would be don't do it yet if you don't have to, or like other said, maybe go back part time. I went back at 4 weeks part time to my desk job after my DVH. That went fine. I felt good, I got to come home in the afternoons and lay down and rest if needed before we picked the 2 year old up from daycare.

I went back full time at 5 weeks and by the end of that week I was feeling a lot more pelvic and rectal pressure than I'd felt since about week 1. I also started lightly spotting when I wiped which is still happening on and off. My gyn can't find anything wrong with my vaginal cuff other than a tiny not-quite-healed spot (no granulation). Now I'm having some "sitting on a bottle" feelings that make me wonder about scary things like rectal prolapse but also more benign but annoying issues like internal hemorrhoids since the issue seems to flare most when I sit the longest.

In short, I think sitting for any great length of time is one of the most difficult positions to be in after my surgery. The doctors may think its easy on you. I don't think it is. I felt a lot better before I was sitting at a desk 9+ hours a day and I wonder if going back when I did set me back some in terms of healing. I know DVH is supposed to be so much easier in terms of initial healing and doctors push for returning to work earlier, but once you get past those first few weeks for the abdominal incision, if we had our cervix removed we still had all the same internal work done and have the same internal healing needs.

Tjc. I agree I seem to be fine if I am home but the last 3 weeks sitting at office only half day is what I think set me back. I have bad burning pelvic pain but dr did sonogram and all is ok. Now I am at 6 weeks ready to get back to normal and still have pain and don't feel good. I had a TAH

Hi, I had a LAVH - i returned to work fulltime after 4 weeks - i wanted to go back earlier but since i was getting short term - i took it. I did however sat at home like i was at work. I got my christmas cards done and other organizational things done. I also used a pillow to sit on while working. Me i had no pain after surgery I am 9 weeks post op. I had to keep reminding mysel that i had surgery. Pace yourself and you will get there. I am also a nurse too.

I would delay your return to work if at all possible. I had DVH done and I went back to my desk job at 5 weeks. I sat on a pillow for the first two weeks and left early a couple of days the first week. It was painful to sit upright for that long of a time. I do get up and down a lot during the course of the day, but sitting was difficult. You are still very early in the healing process. Even though the scars are minimal, the trauma internally takes a lot of time to heal. Please don't rush back to work if you don't absolutely have to. If you have to go back try half days for a while. I would hate for you to damage your healing process. Hugs to you.

For me walking and standing were easier than sitting upright. Still not very comfy for long.

I have all of these concerns. I am due back to work on Monday. I find sitting in a chair for more than two hours my vaginal area starts to burn. I had a talk with my boss, female fortunately, about what I felt my limitations would be. Fortunately she has agreed that I can take breaks as needed throughout the day. We also have a commons area that has big comfy sofas and chairs with ottomans that I can take my much needed breaks. I have also been searching for the perfect cushion. WalMart has one with a gel middle. That sounds perfect but they didn't have it in the local store. I am having it shipped to the store.

Lisa N,

Cushion or pillow on work chair sounds like a good idea.

As I read through all the different return to work dates in this post they seem very quick!

Does every surgeon give different time frame?

If you don't feel ready, I hope you can delay!