Recovery time from hysterectomy before returning to work

Hello friends,
I am trying to figure out how much time I will need to recover from a further Total Vaginal Hysterectomy. Thankfully, I have enough sick and vacation time that will cover up to 6 weeks. I have read other forums and it seems the general consensus is to take my recovery slow and easy. But I also read under one of the Dr.'s responses that I should be pain free in a week. I realize that everyone's circumstance is different and that it takes time to heal. I guess I am just nervous that my doctor is not going to give me a reasonable amount of time off. I am a registered nurse who works full time, 12 hour shifts, and rarely get to take a break. My preop appt is coming up and I am sure he will clarify this for me. I guess my question is...are there any nurses (or others who have a physically demanding job) out there who have had a TVH (with ovaries remaining)? How was your recovery and how much time did your doctor give you before returning to work? Thanks so much!

Pain free in a week, ahh controlled yes, free no!
I would bank on six weeks. I was told up to eight depending on how I feel.
I just started week three. Still napping almost daily. Probably going back to work week six, but half days.

Pain free in a week, if you don't do anything. I went grocery shopping with my husband on day 10, then out for dinner with friends and the next day I was beat. No to mention in some discomfort. I'm on day 13 and I've had 2 naps today.

I'm just a bit over two weeks out from LAVH (17 days), and I feel nearly 100 percent. I spent this past weekend moving, and I probably did a bit more lifting than I should have, but I feel good. According to my FitBit, I've put in 10,000 steps each day since last Thursday, and I haven't had any problems.

All that said, people heal at different rates. You need to take into consideration what kind of shape you are in going into the surgery, how strenuous your job is (yours sounds pretty strenuous!), and so on.

Good luck!

I had the abdominal surgery & I'm going back to work next Thursday which will put me at 9 weeks. I've read some people go back as early as 3 weeks but everybody is different.

Thanks for the input ladies! I appreciate it!

Hi there! I had a TVH with bilateral salpingectomy on April 10th, luckily with no complications. I am a clinical medical assistant and work long, strenuous shifts. My GYN just ok'd my return to work this week, with restrictions of no heavy lifting and no sex. I have very mixed feelings about returning to work now. On one hand I am glad I am progressing so well, but on the other, I'm still recovering and TIRED. My gut feeling is that I need at least one more week (at least!) of recovery. I think if I could, I would take a full six weeks off to maximize healing/recovery time. Good luck to you! See you on the other side!

hi, fellow nurse here, I found I needed 6 weeks off. shift work is stressful in itself (especially 12 hour shifts!) and spending your time busy and on your feet all day with lots of demands in a stressful job certainly takes its toll. Take as much time off as you can, even when they had planned a vag hysterectomy for me (ended up an abdo) my doc still thought I would need 6 weeks off.