August Sisters Back to Work

How are you doing?
This is my second week back to work and I am finding it difficult to get back to the hectic pace of my normal routine. I started last Monday and Tuesday with 8 hour days and was exhausted by Wednesday and feeling all sorts of pulling and burning pain.

Also "swelly belly" by the end of the day. Worked only half day Wednesday and Thursday as I was feeling burning pain in my incision. Friday worked 3/4 day but it was a stretch. Called my doctor to check that I did not hurt or pull anything and he saw me Monday and said averything was OK , he says it just takes time...The places were it burns and I feel the pulling pain might be where they knot the incision with a stronger kind of suture that takes 2 1/2 months to disoolve. He said Advil might help. I was taking tylenol and it did not help me much, the heating pad has been my best friend though...I feel like a cry baby!

Brain fog has been awful, I left the stove on for two hours, left water running in the sink another day...forget what I am supposed to do, etc. I was supposed to renew my drivers license Monday and my husband reminded me several times during the day...guess what? I still forgot! When he asked me that evening I bursted crying.
Am I the only one????

:ribbon:

Hi! I'm 8 weeks post op and am also on my second week back to work. My worst day has been my first. I have a desk job and sitting for long periods makes my back hurt really bad. After the first day of pain, I realized I needed to get up, stretch and walk around every little while so since then I try to get out of my seat often if only for a few minutes. It works. I also took a small pillow to put behind my back which also seems to help. Other than that of course I am exhausted but I was exhausted before I had my hyst. so that really hasn't bothered me too much. It's nice to know I will eventually get a little more energy because I know I am still in the healing process.

Remember to take it easy and listen to your body. It will tell you when its time to rest!

Good luck!

Oops, I forgot to mention my lower stomach stays sore all the time. I'm sure it's because I am up and down all day. I also have I can't seem to remember anything! I'm sure that's just part of it too.

Hang in there!

I have been back to work for three days and I'm miserable!! The teacher I work with totally reorganized the room:hair:. The harder I try to remember the worse it is!!!!!! I know that if I don't to it EXACTLY as I was told to I will get reamed royally! Usually in front of my co-workers and the students.

Even at home the :brainfog: is bad. I forget stupid things like laundry or to take things out for dinner. The other night I was making instant mashed potatoes and my son asked if he could help. That threw me off just enough to destroy the spuds Would you believe I put the flakes in the pan, THEN added the water?!?!? I tried to save them but they were horrible!!!

Ladies you're not alone in the Kingdom of Fog!!

I've been surviving going back to work. I did get a major cold and that makes it difficult. Teaching takes lots of energy. I've been sitting more than I used to and I have students come to me rather than going to them.

I guess we just all need to find new ways to approach our old jobs. I try to put my feet up for a few minutes during lunch and my prep period. It is hard to adapt to my "new" body that doesn't work as well as it used to. I think my energy is about 50% of what it used to be.

Hope everyone is doing okay. I just keep thinking that every week I get a little better.

It will be nine weeks tommorow and this is my second week back. I to have felt the pulling and burning inside. I have been very tired too! I am fortunate because the teacher I assist had a hysterectomy a few years back and knows what it is like. Everyone at work has been very supportive and understanding. The only complaint I have is that I already caught a cold from the little rascals!

My brain fog left as soon as I started HRT. It was horrible before that! So far with it I have been doing great.

I am just glad to have a semi normal life again. I missed my kids and co workers!

I had my TAH/BSO on August 13. I am back at work this week full time. Was lucky enough to go back part-time the first two weeks. I had the same aches, burning pain and inability to really focus that you all described. This week has been better actually. I find that I can concentrate for longer periods of time and that if I put my feet up and rest at lunch time that it helps a lot. I also
find that 2-3 ibuprofen and then the heating pad when I get home really helps. I think that the HRT is finally beginning to take hold of my brain. I only forgot where I was going once today and only forgot was I was saying...mid-sentence... a couple of times.
I can't wait until the fog lifts!!
We shall remember for a while that tomorrow will be a better day and if it isn't then say it again the next day. Eventually it shall be true!!!!
HUGS,

It is so sad to say I never had one day off. Now I think just to stay home for one day and do nothing would be great but alas!! I will be eight weeks tomorrow and in the last few weeks I have really been able to pick up the pace I'm back to 11 and 12 hour days without too much trouble. And I find that I haven't had to put my feet up on the desk to rest anymore. And I notice I am up and down from my desk alot more I have a very active job. I am still exhausted by the time I get home around 8 or 9 at night and the last few nights I was too tired to even fix or eat dinner so a couple of hours watching CNN and a tylenol PM and I can get right up at 6.

I was lucky I only had the "brain fog" one time I couldn't remember my cats name it just blanked. I had to ask my DH that is something he now reminds me of on a daily basis.

Glad to hear everyone else is getting along great also. We will all be so glad when this is a distant memory.

Good Luck

TAH/BSO & appendix
Large fibroids & a surprise case of endo
severe anemia

8-24-01

I am 8 weeks post TAH/BSO. I went back to work part time for 2 weeks at 3 weeks post op and am in my 3rd week full time. Probably should have taken more time off, but that's the way it goes.

I still have the burning pain and a pulling sensation. I already take Vioxx for arthritis so I think that helps some as a general pain killer. I also have a very swollen tummy at the end of the day. Everything else is pretty much back to normal. I am trying to only work from 8:00-5:00 every day, instead of 7:30 to 6:30 or later like I was before surgery.

I didn't have a problem with brain fog because my ovaries weren't functioning before surgery and I was already on HRT. I just continued on the same dose so nothing changed there.

It's good to hear from the August sisters and know that everyone else is having similar symptoms and that I am normal (relatively speaking)

Clynn 2545 tell your boss he better be nice to you!!

no time off - I can't believe you didn't take any time off. How did you manage? And working 11-12 days already. Wow!

I too will be glad when this is just a distant memory and only have this scar on my abdomen to remind me of it. Not that the scar matters much - my bikini days were over long ago

I hope everyone continues to do well.

Hi August Sisters. I think you are all Super Woman! I am a stay at home mum, and I find that totally exhausting. I am lucky that I can organize my day to include frequent rests and still fall asleep some afternoons for a couple of hours. My problem is learning to pace myself `cos when I have a good day and feel energetic I do far too much and then find I can`t do much atall for a couple of days!So , today I have spent alot of time on here and will do some housework tonight before I go to bed. Apart from the tiredness I am feeling really well- each week sees an improvement on the road to "normality". Nice to hear how you all are doing. ,Hugs,Gina.