I am nuts or what?

I has my TAH/BSO on February 12th and I am doing okay. Some swelling, problems having bowel movements and passing gas.

I have noticed that alot of post-ops' are going back to work 6-8 weeks post-op. Honestly, I have always been anticipating 2 weeks post-op before returning to work.

I have a history of rapid recoveries. At my request, I was walking around the hospital floor I was staying a few times the next afternoon. What was rough is that they kept me on Demorol or something like that right after surgery, I finally woke up around 9pm wanting to have some water and something to eat.

I am do not exercise or watch my diet, I think this surgery is changing my perspective on caring for myself both in body and mind.

My housemate had the same procedure done a few years ago at my age. She is amazed at my recovery. She is making sure that I am not overdoing it or lifting anything. I am making sure that I am resting (when L&O isn't on.)

Can anyone relate to what I am experiencing? Am I pushing returning to work in 2 weeks? Please be honest. Thank you

Hi,

I am glad to hear that you are doing so well but in my opinion 2 weeks is very soon. I had a LAVH/BSO and thought I would be back to work in a couple of weeks well my gyn thought different he said even without the big inscision I had a lot of internal work and stitches. I got really tired around my 3rd week it seems to be a rough week for a lot of women. What does your gyn say?? I know mine wouldn't even discuss my returning to work until my 5th week post-op appt. Granted I have had problems but he said I needed to be very careful I listened to all the wonderful advice I got here about having only one chance to heal and was glad I took it. I went back to work after my 5th week post-op appt and got very tired and ended up doing some half days. I hope you continue to do as well as you are but rest it's very important.
Take care

Hi --

I had a TAH/BSO just over 3 years ago. I was healthy and in good shape physically before my surgery, and had an uneventful recovery with no problems. I was walking in the hospital the next afternoon, and my surgery was on a Friday afternoon and I was released from the hospital on Sunday morning.

Even so, I could not have returned to work at 2 weeks post-op. My doc told me to do pretty much NOTHING for the first week, at two weeks post-op she gave me the ok to start walking for exercise (I had been taking short walks around the house during those first 2 weeks of recovery, to help relieve the gas and just get moving again). At 6 weeks she told me I could return to my gym and normal activities but to still take it easy and rest if I felt I needed to.

In my opinion going back to work too soon is just taking too much of a chance of doing harm to yourself. I know it's hard to sit and do nothing when you're used to being active (my first question to my doc, when we scheduled the surgery, was "when can I go back to my gym?") but you only have one chance to heal well and if you do any damage to yourself during the healing process, you could regret it for a long time!! I don't know what type of work you do, but even sitting at a desk for several hours a day at two weeks post-op can be too much.

So yes........my honest opinion, since you asked, is that you're pushing it by thinking of returning to work at 2 weeks after a TAH/BSO............give yourself the time your body needs to heal, you'll be glad you did, later on.

Take care and good luck to you!

Ann
TAH/BSO 1/5/01

I think you are planning to go back too soon. I am glad you feel so well, but give yourself time to heal. Don't push it!

Hi there !

It is great that you are feeling good but I would listen to the terrific advice everyone is giving here.

I am 2 weeks post op(TAH) tomorrow too and my boss wanted me to drive 2 hours (one way) for an overnight meeting excursion tomorrow! I am lucky I can sit for 10 minutes let alone 2 hours. Let your body rest.....I am finally listening to my body after all these years. Like Peachybabe said....you have one chance to heal.

Best wishes to you on your continued recovery.

Hugs
Heather

I had a tah/bso and returned to work at 3 weeks and 4 days, and trust me, that was too early. Your body will let you know it, but only after doing too much, then it is too late!
Be careful, take care of yourself, take the time if you can!

hello i know what ya mean i went back to work 2 weeks post op after haveing a c/section and i was ok but now with this hysterectomy i just had 5 weeks ago i thought i would be ready for work at 2 weeks post op well no way lol i move around alot moving my legs arms to try to get into shape but i find my self tired alot more then befor but im also alot older then i was when i had the children i say 2 weeks is to earlie and you need to relax and heal first then work about 5 to 6 weeks post op but if you still fell tired and i would take more time then that
hugs karlene

I don't know if I dare say this, I will probably be booted off the board or something.
I am really pleased that you feel good - honest!
I am 4 weeks post TAH/BSO and recovering slowly, no big complications, but still quite weak and tired.
I am fed up of people saying, 'oh I know so and so and they were running half marathons at 4 weeks' or' my mum knew someone who did such and such at three weeks'. My own Mother is one who believes you just grit your teeth and get on with things.
On this board there are many posts from people whose bosses and colleagues are putting unbelievable pressure on them to return to work early.
Can I please ask you to consider us lesser mortals who just COULDNT return after only two weeks, the more people that do, the higher other peoples expectations of the rest of us are. Please don't - leave it 3 or 4 weeks instead.
I really don't want to sound mean, I really am glad for you I wish I had your excellant healing powers. A Hyst is a major op and I feel we owe it to our bodies to let it heal before we go back into the world and pick up our work commitments again.
I hope your rapid recovery continues
Heather

Fantastic that you are feeling so great. I was also walking around hospital floor day after surgery, joining all these other poor souls as we wandered slowly bent over with our nudie bootie's hanging out of our gowns (not actually, but you know what I mean).

Two weeks is too soon. The hundreds of stitches inside of you still need time to heal and NOT for your body to be active at work. Use this time off to do some things around your house that you've been wanting to get done. Clean our some drawers, go to the show, shop, etc.

Perhaps I am alone in thinking this, but you will find that a full day of picking up your house, going to the store (not lifting), etc will absolutely exhaust you.

Do not discount the idea, too, that once you go back to work there's no sitting down for a thirty minute rest, you'll also need to be dressed professionally (which by the end of the day you'll be a bit swollen to begin with).

Listen to your doctor. They usually set a six week limit so that you can recover to the best of your body's ability. Please don't go back at two weeks, nor at four, but at six.

Please listen to everyone. You asked for honest answers and you are getting them. Two weeks is too soon to return to work. My doctor told me from the onset I would be out of work at least 6 weeks. He said that with some TVH patients he sometimes allows them to return at 4 weeks but he really prefers all of us to stay out at least 6. I did return on 6 weeks to the day and it would have been too early if it wasn't for my administrators and colleagues and the way they all took care of me even after I returned.

Please don't push it. Others before me have said it better but your body needs this time to heal and if you overdo it now you may have to suffer the consequences. Please put your healing ahead of your job.