How long were you out of work after a laproscopic resectioning?

[vanilla_chai]

Hi all, I thought I'd save the questions until I was more sure I was moving forwards with surgery but now I'm sitting here really wondering how long it takes people to get back to work after a laproscopic resectioning?

I'm waiting to get an MRI for my dr to decide if its the best path for me, but now I'm worried about the impact it will have on work... I have the most sedentary job ever and can work from home when needed. I tend to be a nut, I worked the first day of the blockage pain from home and then half days from the hospital about 3 days into recovering from a blockage. I met with the dr and the surgeon last week but me and my slow brain didn't think to ask that...

I'm pretty well decided to go down the surgery path if it looks medically good, I'm just sitting here wondering what that will all entail...

thanks

 

[bigtruck]

Everyone is different,will you need temp ileo? Are you in good shape now? All these things need to be taken into account, but at the end of the day it'll take as long as it takes your health is more important than any job and there is no point going back before you're ready as you will only set yourself back. Hope this helps.


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[vanilla_chai]

thanks

Thanks for the reply! as far as I know I would be reconnected, I think I'd cry if they suggested otherwise, just bc surgery is scary enough at this point.

I have been reading through as many stories as I can, I am having a bit of trouble finding a good search string, but I'm sure that's bc there are so many types. I did find I reference to someone going back after 2 weeks, but the rest are looking like 4-8? yikes.

I'll have about 4 weeks of PTO saved and I'd really love to use some of that for mat leave or a vacation but if I have to use it I'll do that. Working for me is the last bit of normal I have in my life. My hobbies were all active and even cleaning the house, cooking, and shopping are exhausting, whereas working I sit for hours and get stuff done and feel like I'm accomplishing stuff. So as much as its a desire to keep up with my work, it also makes me feel good. I lay around trying to get rested so much now I go stir crazy. So, in the hospital, the working was because I wanted to, not because I had to. Now, the day before going to the hospital, that was pure denial and stubbornness

I know I'll know better later, I haven't even been scheduled for the MRI yet. I guess at this point I'm trying to figure out how much of my project, which I have worked on alone for 3 years, I need to get into shape so someone else can take over. Oh, and also start dropping hints so no one passes out when I say I'll be gone for a month? (ok, I'm still nearly passing out from that one...)

as far as what shape I'm in, I'm not in horrible shape, I'm not under weight but I have little appetite, good amount of nausea, no energy, spend all my time working or sleeping trying to recover, and I've lost 12 lbs over the past 6 weeks. That said, I still have another 10 before I'm underweight and have little pain, mainly just the nausea and exhaustion...

 

[sararay]

Give yourself at least 6 weeks. You might consider 4 if you have a sedentary job, but it also depends on how long you need pain medicine and whether you can tolerate it while you are working, etc. Consider going back part-time for a couple of weeks before you go back full-time.

 

[Feather]

I moved back to college 2 weeks after surgery, but I think it was too soon. I'd recommend at least 3 weeks, then see how you're feeling and make a decision from there.

 

[vanilla_chai]

thanks sararay and Feather. I guess I'm still hoping it could be sooner but I'll do what I have to...
I would certainly go back part time, I can work from home, and I'm thinking I could borrow a second monitor and get one of those desk things that slide over your bed in the hospital and work when I can and sleep or watch movies otherwise... I can do a few things while on pain meds but nothing substantial, in the hospital last time I would take 1mg of dilaudid around 11pm and not feel clear enough in the head to work in till 9am the next morning so I won't be attempting any real work until after I'm off pain meds during the day

I have my MRE scheduled Wednesday morning so hopefully I'll know something sooner rather than later. Considering the extreme nausea every time I eat (or even drink kefir) I'm thinking he's going to say surgery is a good idea, but you never know

thanks for the input, I really appreciate it

 

[Zuzu]

I just had an emergency resection (not Lapro) on Dec 31st. So my recovery time may be longer than Lapro with the larger incision, but it is now 3 weeks and I too have the ability to work from home if needed. I am ready to work this week from home. So I would say anytime from 3 to 4 weeks is a fair assessment provided there are no complications.

To ensure you recover quickly, I would recommend after the procedure to start moving and walking often... at least as soon as you are able to. It definitely speeds up recovery. For me the worst part was getting my strength back and getting out of the fog from the pain meds. The walking helped with strength, but clearing my head meant laying off the pain meds as soon as I could bare it.... that just takes time.

Good luck!

 

[vanilla_chai]

Thanks Zuzu, I hope next week goes well for you!
and, I'm with you, I can't think with pain killers.

 

[bkbigfish]

I had open ressection and I was back to my job as a Supervisor, within 6 weeks, but I had no complications and I am in very good shape. Nurse had me up 8 hrs after surgery, I had an epidural so I had zero pain. I think that if you prepare yourself mentally, you are better off! also being a Mtn biker and a regular at the gym really helped with recovery. What is your age? I was 39 when I had it done, by far it is the best thing I have ever done and regret waiting for so long to go under the knife. Good luck Billy.

 

[vanilla_chai]

Thanks Billy. I'm 34 and naturally athletic but I'm pretty drained right now. I did 100 jumping jacks yesterday and then had to take a nap, how sad is that?
I've completed a handful of sprint triathlons in the past, so I know how to push myself and train. I've been walking as much as possible, doing sets of stairs (I'm up to 1000 steps according to my pedometer) along with some squats, stair (tricep) dips and pushups to try to get some of my fitness back. Any other things you can think of strength wise that would be a good idea?

my MRE is on Wednesday, I'll be so glad to get more information as to where I stand

 

[vanilla_chai]

Well, Just to answer my own question. I finally got surgery in July and ended up taking 80 hrs of pto over 3 weeks (I have a 40 hr work week). I had surgery on Tuesday but took off the Monday before and was in the hospital till Saturday so I was out totally out that week, then I did some work from home the week after I got out and started going back to the office the following week (2 weeks exactly from surgery). By the end of the 2nd week at home (2.5 weeks post surgery) a full 8 hours in the office was comfortable.

This is, of course doing an extremely sedentary and flexible job. The worst part was being mocked for leaving halfway during the day bc I was tired but I was free to do so.

just in case anyone was wondering