Can I go back to work if I'm still bleeding?

Hi - Just want to hear from the voices of experience.

TAH on June 2. Been trickling since the end of week 3. Doc repeatedly advises to take it easy, stay off my feet as much as possible (and I have been listening), but I'm still trickling away. On exam last week he said my suture line on my cuff looks "healthy" and there's no infection. I just don't feel comfortable going back to work with this issue unresolved. My six week appt is next Tuesday.

Stairs are still a no no for me and I work on the 23rd floor of a large building.

Do you think he'll send me back to work this way? I still feel that little pulling tug when my bladder gets more than a little full and while it doesn't hurt-hurt, it's uncomfortable sometimes. Also, my lower back goes into painful spasms if I sit or stand too long.

I'm so frustrated that I don't seem to be as better as I want to be by now.

There's a part of me that wants to be back at work yesterday and another part that doesn't want to have complications or problems down the road because I didn't give myself enough time now.

What d'ya think, compadres?

Hi slyragz,
If you can afford it, I would stay off work as long as possible...once you go back...you're back. The longer you can stay home and rest, the better things will be in the long run...and if you are still bleeding, your doctor shouldn't have any problem with this. I was off work for 10 weeks (desk job), but I should have taken another 2 weeks...i just physically was not ready to go back.

Be sure to discuss this with your doctor and express your concerns. Don't feel bad about taking more time off of work...you only have one chance to heal properly. Most doctors will work with you and hopefully your employer will also. By law (FMLA), we can take 12 weeks (I'm sure there are exceptions).

follow your doctor's orders and stay off of your feet!!!


take care!

Well, I went back at 6 weeks post-op and my incision was still open! And in retrospect, I really should have stayed home a couple of weeks because I was still getting awfully tired at 6 weeks post-op. However, I have a desk job, and I'm also the boss so I could do as little as I wished - and I also had a bunch of employees who basically did everything for me at first when I got back to the office.

There's no cut-and-dried measure of when you're ready to go back. Some feel ready to go back in just a few weeks -- other ladies need 3 months or more of rest, depending on the type of job.

The keys are a) whether your doctor says it's OK and b) whether you feel you're ready. In your case, it doesn't sound like you're anywhere near ready. If you discuss the matter with your doctor, I would guess that he's not going to say something like, "No -- you should be ready to go back NOW!" He's likely to say back to work "as able" -- or maybe say something like you can ease back in with partial or half-days for a while. Or he may leave it mostly up to you.

Each case is so very different. Who knows -- in another week you may be feeling much better. Or you may not. But if you're not feeling well enough to return to work, please don't do it. Your recovery is too important.

I never had any bleeding at all, so I can't relate to that.

As to going back to work...take as much time as you can. I went back at 7 1/2 wks, but wish I had taken longer. The only issue was that there was no medical reason to support my staying out any longer, other than just physically not ready. My leave was a little different...I had to use my vac and sick time, then at 30 days, Long Term Disability kicked in. So, rather than not get paid, I decided to go back! If you can afford to be out or have paid time off, by all means take advantage! I highly recommend that!

As someone else said, you have no idea how you will feel next week...take it one day at a time, and discuss your concerns with your dr. Best wishes!

My doctor didn't push me to go back before I was ready. I actually stayed out almost 3 months after my surgery, and when I questioned him at 2 months whether it would be ok to wait until the new year to go back he said that was fine, that 3 months was normal.

Tell your doctor you aren't ready and would like more time and he'll most likely sign you out for a longer period of time.