Stressed - Doc Visit tomorrow - 6 week Checkup

I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow for my 6 week check up. 6 weeks will actually be next Tuesday.

I was supposed to be out of work for 6 weeks but I do NOT feel ready to go back. I definitely feel MUCH better than I did at 3 or 4 weeks but I'm tired and if I do anything SO sore and sometimes in pain.

My boss is a jerk and I know will have NO mercy upon my return so it is SUPER important for me to be as close to 100% when I return as possible. Right now I feel about 70% on a good day.

I'm going to tell my doc how I'm feeling ... but what if he can't do anything? What if I HAVE to go back? I'm so scared... I'm really scared of adhesions... do those form this late?

I'm stressed out, full of anxiety and totally depressed over this. I know ... drama. I'm not normally super dramatic but my boss stresses me out anyway and this just adds to it.

Do you have to have a physical problem to get more time? Or can it just be "I'm not feeling well enough"??? My incision finally closed completely last week. Prior to that it was bleeding every day. I almost wish it was STILL bleeding!

I know how you feel. I'm worried that my doc may make me go back to work before I'm ready.

Wontmissit and luvtoteach,

Definitely talk to your doctors about how you are feeling about work and that your bodies need more time to recover. Make sure they understand what is required of you while you are on the job, also.

As stated so many times on the boards: "you only have one chance to recover" take this time and do so.

Wontmissit, Everyone heals at a diferent pace. I don't know if this will help you but...... When I delivered my twins 29 years ago via C section, my ob gave me the OK to return to work after 8 weeks. I KNEW neither my body or my energy level were close to being ready to go back to work full time. I took it upon myself to stay home an extra two weeks, and the Friday before I was ready to return to work, I called the doctor and said I needed a note to return to work and he had no problem giving me one. Of course I knew I needed the extra time off, even if it meant leave without pay for those two extra weeks. Good Luck!

I am feeling the same way!! I am soooo stressed and worried about returning to work. They have been so mean to me and since I submitted the drs note saying I needed 4 weeks off they changed my email password and not one person has called to check in on me and see if I am even alive. When I think about going back to work I want to cry, I get anxious, tense, and then I start hurting. I doubt my dr will give me anymore time off, but I really feel like I could use at LEAST 2-3 more weeks to be well enough physically and emotionally to deal with the stress. How can anyone determine pain level? I know my dr. told me when she gave me these 4 weeks that "Disability comes sniffing around" -but how can 'they' determine when our bodies heal? I am so terrified of hurting my recovery and having my cuff tear again -I don't want to end up in ER again and my work is sooo stressful I am afraid of how it will effect me.
I just wanted to vent with you - this is something has really been upsetting me and keeping me up at night. What to do?

I don't know what to do SwellyBelly but your stress and pain sound a lot like mine. My work hasn't been AS bad ... I have MANY good friends at work and the big boss has been very gracious and my one good boss has been sweet. It's just my one boss ... the one I have to deal with the most that has been a turd. He HATES me and I don't know why. I have a great relationship with everybody else - it's just him. Anyway ... my commute is hard, walking to the building is hard (uphill and steps). I was not in good shape prior to this surgery AND I'm overweight so that doesn't help. And I know this sounds dumb but SITTING really hurts!

I really hope he takes pity on me and writes me out for 2 more weeks which will give me 8 total weeks. I hope to God I'm feeling much better by then! I'm just so nervous about the appointment tomorrow.

Also - does anybody know ... will he do an (ouch) internal exam??

I will bet your dr will give you the extra time -asking for 8 weeks isn't bad and pretty standard so I think you will be okay with that. I on the other hand have a diff situation b/c like an idiot I went back to work at 3 weeks, then lost it and tooke week 4 off (though I answered every email and did two conference calls from home). Submitted Drs. note at that time but went back week 5 (need the $) to which they told me to get Drs release or had to go home -got a release but then week 6 submitted new Drs. note saying I needed 4 more weeks. Confusing I know -but I should have just taken 8 weeks off and life would have been better. The stress of going back just put me over the edge -I messed it all up by trying to go back too early and thus caused my work to think I am 'hiding behind medical' (exact words said to me) to get out of working. Sooo...not sure what to do next.
I do know about sitting -I have semi perm stitches that don't disolve until Oct. and I still hurt to sit! I told my Dr that I can FEEL my cuff -I feel it if I sit up straight more than 30 mins. It hurts, I get more swollen, then I begin to tense up and then things really start to hurt!
Your 6 weeks they will probably do internal, just check everything out and look to ensure cuff is healing correctly. It shouldn't hurt.

Oh my gosh SwellyBelly! I can't belive how soon you went back! At 3 weeks I was harldy walking upright!

I have SO much anxiety - I'm sure that's not helping. I'll tell him about that too ... I hope and pray he can help me and give me the time I need.

I'll post back tomorrow and let ya'll know how it goes. Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

(((HUGS)))

I will send you good thoughts! Let me know how it goes -but make sure to tell Dr everything your feeling.
Speaking of which -I too have a lot of anxiety and depression after this -should I make appt with psychiatrist or does my PC or OBGYN that did the hysto have to refer me (I have HMO)? I feel like I need something to help with emotional aspect of everything.
Wontmissit -post tomorrow and let me know what Dr says. Good luck and hugs to you!!

I know how you feel. With the sitting. I returned to work yesterday after 6 weeks. I really wish I would have stayed home another week. I was thinking I would be ok after 6 weeks. Boy was I wrong. I am exhausted and I have pains in my belly. Didn't have them until I sat in the chair all day. It's definitely not the same as resting in a recliner. I came home from work and slept for 2 hours. Totally exhausted. Now I'm awake and it's midnight. When does the pain generally go away in the belly, I really didn't expect the pains. I am having a dull ache in my left lower side and my back has started hurting again by my kidneys. Vag Hist July 15. Rectocele and cystocele repair, removal of both ovaries. One cyst on ovary and fibroid in uterus (big one).