Post OP Recovery Question

[mark9765]

I work in an office with a very relaxed work atmosphere. I sit at a desk but I can get up and move around any time I need to. I have a 30 min commute to work. What would be a realistic guess as to when I might be able to return to work. I usually go stir crazy sitting at home. My surgery is scheduled for mid June.

 

[Judles]

Hey Mark! Welcome! You should give yourself 8 weeks before you go back to work! +r even a few more if you can swing it! It's MAJOR surgery!

 

[TBONE]

Mark--This is an issue I have given a lot of thought to. I am a bilat and work in a similar, maybe less relaxed work environment and I was back at work at day 12. That's pretty fast, but doable if you are in a pure office environment and if you are relatively fit to begin with.
But here is the catch. When I went back to work, I changed my focus from rehab to work and there was nothing I could do about that as it was natural. I also slept a lot less. I am progressing very well; however, I am convinced that I would be recovering much faster if I had taken more time off, slept more, and spent more time thinking about getting better. In hindsight, I am convinced that your body just needs time to heal itself and will take care of most things if you just allow it to. I really think that, for me, I require about 1-2 extra hours of sleep per night just for healing. I also think that this is necessary for about 8 weeks or so.
This is just my opinion and as I said, at nearly 6 weeks, I am recovering very well. But for me, I didn't have the ability to take 4-8 weeks off. I wish I had.

 

[Troweltalk]

I have read accounts of people returning to work as early as 4 weeks, I could NOT have.

I returned at 6 weeks on a "part-time" basis and then full time at 8 weeks. The part-time basis let me get out of the house but able to leave whenever I felt like it from work; it was perfect for me.

 

[Josephine]

Yes, it's doable at 2 weeks but here's the thing - as Judles said, this is MAJOR surgery and you will have a lot of healing to do. Don't just base it on how quickly the skin incision takes to heal as that is by far the lesser portion. Don't forget all those bones and muscles deep down inside your body.

Now healing takes energy and you have one pot of energy it for everything you want or need to do. If you use it all on going to work and getting there and back, you'll not have enough for your body to recover from the assault of the surgery.

So I would go with Judles' suggestion of 8 weeks - as an absolute minimum! And Mud's return was perfect. But in the end, the choice is yours.

 

[PRGal]

I returned to an office job at just over 5 weeks with no ill effects (and I was ready to go back at least a couple before that, both physically & mentally), BUT I had direct anterior approach, with a typically quick recovery.

Your OS is your best advisor (and will have to be the one to release you back to work if your employer/insurance requires it). Most do your first post-op check at 6 weeks and won't let you go back earlier; range generally seems to be 6 to 12 weeks.

If easing back by working from home is an option, you may want to consider it--lets you engage your brain without dealing with the usual "get out the door" routine, commuting, etc.

 

[YoungM]

Mark, at my 6 week appointment, my OS said I can return to work if I felt up to it. I wanted to focus on therapy for a bit longer before getting back into stressful work, so I requested a full 8 weeks out. I just started back today actually!

 

[Texas]

Dont jump back into work to soon and set youself back.........try to recover first.........Kim

 

[mvo]

Hi Mark,

I could work from home for a few hours a day about three weeks after my THR, really just keeping up with emails and doing a few small tasks. That helped alieviate any "stir-crazy" tendencies Perhaps you could do something similar?

I went back to work fulltime at 6 weeks (to an office job, but with a reasonable amount of walking about). My "commute" is only 10 minutes driving each way. The first week at work wore me out completely and it probably took about a month after that before I felt I could do a normal day’s work, plus the usual stuff you do when you get home etc.

A "phased in plan" that I think Jo has posted elsewhere is very sensible - for my next hip replacement I will try to do that.

All the best,
Monica

 

[mark9765]

Thanks for the information. I have talked to my boss and I can work when I can and feel up to it. Great company. Also my short term disability will kick in and pay 2/3 of my salary after 2 weeks and continue until I am able to resume at least a 32 hour work week.

 

[hurtingbuthopeful]

Mark~

Like Monica I was allowed to do some work at home after 3 weeks so I didn't go stir crazy. Unfortunately, I had to physically return to work after 6 weeks, but only worked 1/2 days for the first two weeks. Those first few full days were a killer. It's better now (it's my 3rd week of regular time) but I still get very tired. If possible, take at least 8 weeks, and work from home if you must keep the "crazy" at bay.

Good Luck!