Go back to work in two weeks??

My surgery is 6/6/01 and DD says I can go back to work in two weeks if I want to. I have a desk job, he said as long as I get up and move around a lot and pee as soon as I have the urge and not hold it. I told him no way!! He smiled and said well you ask when you could go back. I said yes but I am not in a hurry. I let him know that I only have one chance to heal properly and I wasn't going to risk it.

He said in four weeks most women with desk jobs go back to work. My co-worker thinks because her friend went back at 3 weeks part-time and full-time at 4 weeks that it will apply to me also. She says her friend had more surgery than I will so I should be back to work at two or three weeks? Her friend had TVH, BSO and had a small rectocele and cystocele repair (all vaginal) . I am having TVH, BSO, Burch Suspension and checking out my appendix because of intermittent severe pain. I am having a four inch incision for the Burch. Is she right? I don't think so, what do you think ladies. DD says the burch suspension will take more recovery time than the TVH.

She has to do my job while I am gone and she has realized that my job is not an easy one - at least for her, I find it challenging and love it. I am feeling pressured and uneasy if I don't go back by at least four weeks. Personally I want to take six weeks. I am also the city treasurer and I don't think I can do both jobs this soon after surgery. I can do the treasurers job from my home, with very few trips to city hall to pickup and deliver paperwork. I can work at my own pace. Besides it is only four blocks to city hall. It is 12 miles to work one way.

My surgery is on Wednesday and council is the following Tuesday, will I be able to attend for at least twenty minutes to give my treasurers report? Or am I dreaming!

I know this is a lot, but this is my first post and have a lot of questions and sure I will have more. This is such a great sight. I think I am addicted.

Thanks for being here for me! I have learned so much.

Debbie

Shoot for 4 to 6 weeks at a minimum before you go back to work. It's reasonable to expect that you'll be sore and tire easily, no matter how good you feel. Others may want you back before then, but ask for 6 or 8 weeks off. You can always go back earlier if you feel like it.
As for your treasurer's report, my guess is that it can go undone for a week. Is it worth your health to get it there? What do other city officials do when they have surgery? Do they make it to every single meeting?
The jobs will be there whether you are there or not. You have only one chance to heal properly, so don't blow the opportunity with such high expectations of your healing.
I had my TVH done 3 weeks ago as day surgery. I was doing great. Until yesterday when my stitches started disolving and I started to bleed. It scared the ---- out of me. I am planted in my chair for the weekend. It was the first time I had cried about this since March when I first found out I had fibroids.
So, just when you think it's safe, beware. Your body will play tricks on you and you will be the one to pay the price.
Take your time and let them wait for you to get better.
Good luck to you,

Hi, Debbie!

I just went to my family reunion over Memorial Day weekend. Saw relatives I haven't seen in years. Talked to my cousin, who is a state treasurer I believe, and had her hyst 2 yrs. ago. She went back to work after only 2 wks. because she "likes to be in charge of her life" and says it was not a smart move. She said she had plenty of competent people to cover for her and she now wishes she had stayed out AT LEAST 4 wks. She thinks she healed much slower because of her need to "be in charge". She is now very concerned about me and tells me to take the FULL 6-8 wks. I go in next Mon., 6/4, and do plan to take off at least thru 7/4. Take care! You are in my prayers. Don't rush it, even if you are feeling you can take on the world! I just started a new job at the beginning of this year and am also feeling a need to get back quick! From one LIW to another. Hugs!!!

Dear Deb, As you can see from the replies take the 6 to 8 weeks off. Everyone heals at different rates and has different pain levels. No offense but your doctor sounds like a man and has never gone thru what we have gone thru This is major surgery and if you read some of the posts where ladies overdid and set themselves back for an additional 4 to 8 weeks it sounds like no fun to me. I took 6 weeks off and I work in retail and the first week back was rough although i worked 6 hour shifts. I am in management so we are all over the store and are on our feet most of the day. Once you go back you are in the saddle again and there is no turning back. Take the time to heal properly and trust me you will have no regrets. Best wishes Diane

Wow, I can't believe that your doc suggested 2 weeks.
Did you know that at 6 weeks, you will be only about 40% healed, and full recovery from a hysterectomy takes 6-12 months?!? That's correct, up to a year. There will be some major repair going on inside of your body, and that wound needs to heal properly, that is first and foremost.

Listen to your body, you are going to have only one chance to heal properly. I am 6 months post op, and believe it or not, when I over do it (like I did last week) my tummy still gets sore and swollen.

I hope that you will be able to find other coworkers to take up any slack for you, you need to rest, rest, and when your are done, you will need to rest some more.

Best of luck to you!

Love,
Ami

I started back to work (very part-time) yesterday (one month to the day) and I will "try" for 2 weeks to work 2 - 3 hours/day. I have been exhausted both days!! Not bad, but KNOW i have to come home and rest...............period.............I cannot push it and believe me I am used to pushing myself. I would definitely take 6 - 8 weeks if I could have.......but will not work for me with insurance, etc. If you can take 6 -8 weeks. go for it and don't feel guilty. I already feel that I work with a great bunch, but none of them have been through this so they think I am back and ALL better. Just makes me feel alittle vulnerable. SO, take your time. WE know what you have been through and how you feel! This will be an "easy does it summer" for all of us recent hyster sisters and I think we need to keep telling ourselves daily, THAT IS OK!!

Debs,
I had my surgery on May 15, 18 days ago. I had a TVH with a bladder sling, and cystocele, and rectocele repair, due to prolapse of uterus and fibroids. Well, I have to say I really feel fine, but I don't think I am ready to go back to work yet. I, too, have a desk job and my DD gave me 6 weeks off. Even if I am ready to go back at 4 weeks, I am going to take the full 6 weeks off so I can heal right. Because I feel so good, I forget I had surgery less than 3 weeks ago and tend to try to do too much. But then I become so tired, and start feeling twinges of pain inside. So my body is telling me to slow down I guess. I am really used to doing everything myself, but I am learning to ask my husband and daughter to do some of the heavier things. My Dr. told me, too, that at about 3-4 weeks the stitches inside start to loosen up because they are dissolving and to be careful not to over do it then especially. But it is normal to have some bleeding. So take all the time you need, because you only have this once. And your body will thank you later for it!

Dear Debbie,
Welcome to Hyster Sisters!

I look the full six weeks when I had my TVH/BSO. Could I have gone back to work sooner? Possibly, since I teach 7th grade and could have done so more from my chair than I usually do! But, could I have given the kids my usual energy and positive attitude (which I think is as important for them as the geography)? No...I didn't HAVE the energy! My body was still using it to heal, even though I felt well! I was very fortunate to be able to have the time to heal I needed.

Keep reading, posting and talking everything over with your doctor.

Thanks ladies for the input, I have decided to take a minimum of four weeks, but I really feel that I will take six. I want to really be feeling well when I go back, because there will be major catch up to do and probably nine hour work days and 25 miles roundtrip.
I do have a couch at work though to sleep through my hour lunch, I am sure that I will be using it everyday.
Debbie

You only get one chance to heal properly!

My doctor told me, sit around doing nothing for the first two weeks, and when you get bored, go take a nap.

The third week, you can walk out to get the mail but don't lift any packages.

The fourth week, you can drive for emergency only (which I had to, dh had kidney stones.....)

The fifth week, you will overdo, everyone does, so don't use up all your pain meds and forget to call for a refill.

The sixth week, come back and see me and I will most likely release you to do whatever you want, but you won't want to do it (lol) first time he's ever been wrong, I DID want to.

Then he said, at 12 weeks, you will look back and think, wow, do I ever feel great now.

He was right! The only thing he misjudged was my sex drive. LOL

Mary