How long back to work after DaVinci?

Hello ladies! I was just hoping to hear from some of you gals who had the DaVinci hysterectomy....how long until you returned to work? Did your Dr.s recommend a certain amount of time? And when you did return to work, how did you feel in the evenings at home? Any regrets for returning too early? I am trying to decide whether to go back part time after two weeks out. I have the ability to stay home longer, I am just feeling kind of guilty. Anyhow, anyone with experience, sure would appreciate you weighing in!! Thanks!

Kerry

Hi there,

I had my da Vinci July 16 and was off 4 weeks. I went back to work August 16.

I was going to try and go back to work after 3 weeks, but I don't think I was ready, plus my surgeon would not release me to go back that soon.

I have had some days where I started having abdominal pain around lunch time, and I am pretty tired during the day and at night when I come home.

I think I lifted too much stuff at work today and my abdomen is really hurting tonight, but I had my 6 week followup last Thursday and he released me with "no restrictions". I don't know...I've heard other patients say their surgeon said not to lift over 5 or 10 lbs for 6 months.

Hope this helps, and I wish you the best of luck with your surgery. I will be glad to answer any other questions you might have -- I know I had 1000 questions and felt so scared before my surgery.

My doc gave me the okay after three weeks, but I didn't go back until almost five weeks. I have a very physically demanding job- my whole shift is spent on my feet lifting patients. I think that 5 weeks was perfect for my type of job. I was never very tired after work. I think a desk job would have been easier to go back to earlier, but listen to your body. If light housework makes you very tired, then work may do the same. Even though you think you may sit all day, you move around way more than you think!! HTH

If you have the ability to stay out longer, take it!

I was cleared to go back at 2 weeks. (I have a desk job.) I normally work 6-7 hours a day, but could only muster 3-4 the first couple of weeks. The third week back, I only made it in one day. I felt like I had hit a brick wall! I really didn't start feeling okay until 6 weeks.

I'm now 8 weeks out, and while I'm almost back to my normal hours, I don't have any energy to do anything outside of work. My weekends have been spent resting.

I'm a contract employ, so if I don't work, I don't get paid. That factored into my decision.

I was given 4 wks, but I went back in 3 wks. I thought about 2 wks, and I felt guilty taking 3 wks. But, in hindsight... If you can take 4 or whatever do, especially if you are not that mobile now. I have a desk job, and it is exhausting sitting all day. At week 3, I went back full-time on a Thur. So I only had to work 2 days before I got a weekend. Then I took Friday off on vacation the next 2 weeks. It has worked out well.

Dump the guilt!! You will feel good and ready to get back to normal...take your time. No one will remember in 6 months whether you came back to work in 6 weeks or 4 or 2.

I am wondering the same thing! It's good to hear your stories. I am 1wk post op DaVinci and suppose to go back to work next week. My doctor initially told me 2 wks, and then the nurse who scheduled my surgery said 4 wks. I go for my doctors appt. today, and I will see what he says. Right now, its hard to imagine going back to work next week.

I went back @ 2 weeks. My doc reccomended 4 weeks but @ my 1 week post op he said I looked great, and I felt good so he released me....actually he signed 2 release forms and told me to put the date I wanted....lol.
I started back with 2 days the first week and only worked 7 hrs, normally I work 10 hrs a day.
@ week 3 I went back full time....3 10 hr days and 1 5 hr day. On my days off I go to school. I have 1 complete day off and on that day I sleep!!
Normally on a work day, by the time I get home I am whooped!! Whew!!
I wish I would have waited @ least another week. But I can't turn back time.
Good luck.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by moving-forward I am wondering the same thing! It's good to hear your stories. I am 1wk post op DaVinci and suppose to go back to work next week. My doctor initially told me 2 wks, and then the nurse who scheduled my surgery said 4 wks. I go for my doctors appt. today, and I will see what he says. Right now, its hard to imagine going back to work next week.

Thats exactly how I felt up until yesterday and today is my 2 weeks. I started feeling a turn around days 9 and 10, overdid it and then was in pain and bed bound for a day. But then, yesterday, I felt fantastic and I am up this morning, feeling no pain again. I am really worried about what to wear to work, since none of my pants fit right now and I don't wear or own dresses. I walked the block last night and started having some pain, but nothing horrible. I haven't been able to handle much walking yet, so I thought I would test myself today....take a short walk this morning and then go see if I can find a couple pair of pants to wear to work. If I can handle that without tons of pain, then I might try to go back half days or something. I am "supposed" to go back tomorrow, but I am the boss and have tons of flexibility, especially because I can work from home quite a bit. For sure, I need to start driving the boys to daycare so my husband can return to his regular hours and since it is one of the Centers that I run, I am worried that staff will perceive that if I am well enough to do that, I should be at work. Have to set the example you know. Guess we will see. It seems that most people wish they would have taken an extra week, at least 3 or 4. My dr. cleared me to return at 2 wks but warned me that I couldn't be at work full time and expect to do home stuff full time too. She said I would have to "give" somewhere. I have 4 very active children, so I will have to strick a balance! Good luck to you and let me know how you are doing!

K

I had my dVH 8/16 and went back this week (3 weeks post op). My plan is to do 2 ahort days this week, Tuesday and Friday - 4 hours each (actually yesterday was 4.5 hours), and get a little more in next week, maybe 5 short days. I am an office manager and sit at a desk most of the day, but can get up and move around as needed. Yesterday went well but by 2 I was ready to go home.

My doctor mentioned that some women with desk jobs go back to work after 2 weeks but I decided to take at least four weeks. My surgery was scheduled for May and since I am a teacher, there were only six weeks left before summer vacation started. I decided to take the six weeks and I am glad I did. After four weeks I was not ready for a full day at work and definitely not a full week. If you decide to go back to work at four weeks, just do half days and see how that goes. Sitting upright is harder than you think. Getting up and sitting down is difficult. Driving and turning around in your seat when backing up really pulls on your incisions in the first four weeks. Once you return to work, everyone will forget that you are still recoveriing from major surgery. Start on a Wednesday or Thursday so you have a short week when you come back to work. Then do half days the first full week and see how that goes. I ended up going back to work after summer vacation, at 14 weeks. I used the last eight weeks to really get back into shape. At six weeks I could not have worn most of my workclothes and the pants with waistbands and zippers would have started hurting after lunch. Take that clothing problem into consideration as well!