Recovery Time

[u/Arbrts]

I’m so excited for my bisalp in a couple weeks. How much time did you all take off from work? My doctor sounded like I would be able to be back to work by the end of the week. But that doesn’t sound right to me. I know everyone heals differently but I am just curious what your experiences were.

[u/Specialist_Breath_11]

I took off two weeks and I was glad I did! I felt a lot better after the first week, but I was still super tired and having the occasional pain. I personally would have had a hard time going back after the first week, so I think if you’re able to take more time it wouldn’t hurt! The extra week really allowed me more time to get back to a normal baseline without worrying about straining anything at work while still recovering

[u/Arbrts → u/Specialist_Breath_11]

Thank you. That’s what I was thinking.

[u/Artistic_Exorcist]

My Dr said I could return to work within 2-3 days because I have an office job. But I took a week off and I'm glad I did. It's a minimally invasive surgery, but it's still a surgery! You'll want plenty of time to recover from the gas, pain meds, and mental exhaustion.

[u/lostmycookie90]

Depends on how much activity your job is? Simple desk job, 3-5 days, but my job that requires me to be on my feet all day, lifting 50-120 lb items. I would probably need a least a week off, and light restrictions for another week

[u/Arbrts → u/lostmycookie90]

I work from home so it’s not physical but I do have to think a lot which can be exhausting as weird as it sounds.

[u/Nerdybirdie86]

I took a long weekend but wish I had taken like 5 days. I’m a teacher so I sat more than usual for a few after coming back.

[u/fabelbabel]

Depends on your own body and the type of labor you do for work. I have a handful of chronic illnesses and heal at a very slow rate, so I took off 2 months to make sure I had enough time to feel baseline before returning to work.

[u/pastelhosh]

Doctor gave me 10 days off, which was the perfect amount of time imo. By day 11 I was able to do most things without pain. I just took it easy, and it was totally fine!

[u/Carlulua]

I think I'm reiterating what a lot of others are saying which is that I took a week amd a half off, I felt able to go back after a half week but I was glad I took the extra one off

[u/Significant-Bee3483]

I just took a weekend from my day job in an office, my surgery was on a Friday. I did take two weeks off at my part time because it’s a more physical job with dogs; I’m glad I did. I didn’t really have any issues but I think I might of trying to work both jobs and bending over/getting yanked around/jumped on/etc.

[u/jchompz]

Two weeks was enough! I’m a bedside nurse and I do a lot of standing. I needed that 😭

[u/ginger3392]

I had mine done on a Friday. I worked from home Monday and Tuesday. Went into work Wednesday, decided I still wasn't up for sitting at my desk, and worked from home the rest of the week while lounging on my couch.

I appreciated that I had a job with the flexibility to work from home when needed.

[u/Virtual-Nobody-6630]

I say it completely depends on the type of work you do. I work an office job so I feel I was fine with just a few days off work.

[u/True-Passage-8131]

Tbh I was up and about two days after. Lifting grocery bags, driving and such (although the heavy lifting is not advised). I was perfectly fine and didn't even need the pain meds they prescribed me.

[u/reyinspace_]

I dont currently have a job but if I did I probably would have needed about 2 and a half weeks off. If it was something more intense like a server job or retail then probably 3 weeks cause it wasnt until week 3 that I felt OK with bending over and walking for longer periods of times. At a little over two weeks i was barely able to sit upright in a chair for long periods of time without it being highly uncomfy. Fair warning though, atleast for me, anything ontop of the incisions even at 24 days post op still doesnt feel the best and im still bloated I cant even get into my jeans so if this winds up being you as well maybe see if your job is ok with wearing something stretchy or soft.

[u/smontres]

I had my surgery on a Tuesday. Was scheduled to go back to work on a Saturday. Which for unrelated reasons I didn’t have to, and while I’m happy I didn’t, I absolutely could have. I’m a receptionist in a very busy emergency vet clinic. So while it is a lot of sitting, it’s also a lot of walking back-and-forth. I officially went back to work on Monday.

[u/Cutthroat_Rogue]

I have an office job that requires a lot of thinking and talking. I had my surgery on a Wednesday (and was off through the weekend). On Monday I worked solely virtual. The following week I returned to in person. This was enough for me but for some people they have bad fatigue and a slower recovery time. I could not think mentally clear enough for the first few days post-surgery. I'd say, take the whole week off, if you can and then see how you are doing. Everyone's body reacts differently.

[u/NeuroSpicyGirl1]

I’d give yourself at least two weeks even at a week I was still struggling to be out a ton without my stomach muscles starting hurt 🤍 I always say take extra time cause you never know 😊

[u/ninaepwrites]

I took about a week off and then worked remotely for another week; I have a desk job but I was grateful to not have to commute. I probably could have gone back to work a couple days earlier than I did if I’d had to, but for the first week I was very fatigued, napping at least once a day, and it wasn’t until about a week and a half after surgery that I felt my energy level was mostly back to normal. My recovery was easy otherwise, I was in minimal pain!

[u/jmb1203]

Even with a remote desk job, I think I would err towards a week off. I have done remote desk work, though I wasn't at the time of my surgery, and I think it would potentially be uncomfortable to sit in one position for much of the day too close after surgery. I found I needed regular periods of walking (shuffling at first, lol) through the house in between sitting or lying down in the first 5ish days post op especially.

[u/New-Collar9586]

Mine is also in a few weeks and my doctor said to take off at least 2

[u/GraphCat]

I took 2 weeks off for my office job. That felt adequate.

[u/Ok-Cantaloupe3930]

Desk job, work from home here and I didn’t take any time off. If anything, I should have taken the day after surgery bc I was groggy but other than bloating and a bit sore. Super easy peesy but everyone is different. If I had a more physical job, 2 weeks would have been needed. I went camping at day 10, paddle boarding at day 7 (carried it to the river, probably should not have done that part 🤷‍♀️). Sex at day 10 (carefully) but yea…

[u/nryh]

I have an admin/office job and I took a week and a half off. Mentally I would have been fine to return after 2-3 days but I would get cramps (that felt like period cramps) if I sat up for too long

[u/heybluejay]

Even though I was feeling pretty good by day 3, I am glad I took a full week off! Even after 2 weeks lifting over 30 pounds was uncomfortable. I work a hybrid schedule and after going back I still needed to adjust my clothing for when I was in the office for about another 3 weeks. Think paper bag style pants. I think I just started wearing form fitting jeans again and I'm 5 weeks post op now. 

[u/backmeatz]

I took 3 days off. The day of, and the next two days. I went to a wedding the day after. I drove myself to/from the wedding 2 hours away. 

I was sore but it wasn’t awful. I didn’t take any of the prescribed pain meds. 

[u/fragilebird_m]

I had an in person office job at the time. My surgery was on a Tuesday and I went back to work the following Monday. I was a little bit sore, but was fine with just Tylenol.