how soon back to work after LSH

Hi my doctor said that she is going to try to do my surgery through the laparoscope. It's hard to believe that they can get a large uterus out that way, but I'll be thrilled if they can go that route. How long is recover typically like this? I'm wondering how long I'll need to miss work. I have a very physically demanding job.

Hi. I had a laparoscopic surgery on 10/26 (2-1/2 weeks ago) and I am nowhere near being ready to return to work. I am having serious issues with sitting too long in front of the computer and getting up and down from the chair.

I've also been dealing with a swollen belly and if I twist to quickly one way or the other my body reminds me that surgery was 2-1/2 weeks ago.

My doctor told me that I could be out 4 to 6 weeks as I am a legal secretary and I wouldn't be able to handle the sitting and typing. I have to agree with him.

Good luck with your surgery.

Jahee
I had a LSH and my doctor told me most women return to work in 10-14 days. Yes they got that grapefruit sized fibroid (and uterus) out through a tiny tube. I returned to work after two weeks and was easily ready but my job is NOT physically demanding.

I would plan on 4-6 weeks if your job is physical. I know some women went back to work after 1-2 weeks, but it may have been for short periods of time and I think those were mostly desk jobs. I am a stay at home mom and I wasn't fully ready to do that alone until week 3 and even then I had to be careful to not overdo it. Good luck!

I went back on day 12, but my job is not physically demanding. I teach, so am on my feet most of the day, but I can sit and teach when I need to. I teach high school, so there's not the bending and chasing that's involved with younger kids.

That being said, I couldn't have done a physically demanding job at two weeks, and am not sure I could do one now, at four weeks. I still can't lift much, and there are times I get very tired. If I were you, I would wait at least four weeks, but everyone is different.

Good luck with this! You'll be fine, and you'll know soon enough how you feel. Just listen to your body.

My doctor said I could return to work after 2 weeks if I wanted, but there was no way! I was too sore and could not stand very long or sit very long. I started back on week 5, but only for 3 hours at a time each day. Plan for 4-6 weeks, and then if you feel better, than you can decide when to go back. I would not tell your job that some people can come back at 2 weeks because they will expect that out of you. I ran into that with some of my friends. When I wasn't well after 2 weeks they thought something was wrong with me. Give yourself plenty of time and do only what you think you can do. I am at a little over 6 weeks and I am just now feeling normal again, but I am still having twinges, soreness, fatigue and some swelly belly. Your outside will heal quickly, but the inside takes time. Good luck.

I agree with missippibelle. Something else to think about when going back to work is that if you are back, everyone will assume you are 100%. In some ways it's fair of them to assume that if you're at work you're fine, but that's not realistic. It's even harder for them to understand that some days you are fine and other days you are not. Take your time!