New here! Returning to work

Hi and welcome to the group although I'm sorry you've had the need to find us. It's good to here you have received the all clear, that must be such a relief.  In relation to returning to work, there's no set answer really. Like you say, everyone is different and it depends on people's reactions to treatment and the type of work you do.  I suppose it also depends on whether you would be able to have a period of working from home. One of my main issues after treatment was having to be relatively near a toilet, particularly in a morning. Could you  discuss working reduced hours with your employer (assuming you're not self-employed?) rather than starting straight back into your usual hours?  I started back at work (desk job but with one and half hours round trip travel to work), 3 months after treatment. For the first 3 weeks, I increased my daily hours from a half day up to a full day and only did 2 days in the office and 3 at home. This worked really well. I then stayed working 2 days in the office and 3 at home on a permanent basis. Hope this helps. Bev 

Hi Bev thanks for your reply, it was very helpful. I am already just post 3 months following treatment but the fissure is still giving me problems. I can’t walk any distance, still have to use my Repose cushion for sitting and going to the loo is painful. I am still under the colorectal surgeon for treatment of the fissure (even though I didn’t have surgery)  and I sometimes still need to sleep in the afternoon so generally feel going back to work is not right for me yet. I’m sure my employers will organise a phased return when I do go back, which will be helpful.

I took part in a clinical trial and I had the highest dose of radiotherapy in the trial, which I think may have contributed to my slow recovery. It just made me wonder how other people had got on.

Thanks again 

Hi AnnieJ

Im 6 months post treatment and have not returned to work yet. Mostly due to access to a toilet as I work on public transport. I also struggled mentally until my first scan and then I caught Covid. I was about to return on a phased return but I’ve had a set back with my scan result. If it suits you, return when you’re ready. Everyone is different. Don’t put pressure on yourself. My consultant says it usually takes up to 9 months for proper healing.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Hi Annie J,

Have only just seen your post. My thoughts are it is still early in your recovery. I, like you, had the highest dose of radiotherapy on the PLATO trial and am now seven months after treatment but still with an anal fissure, thankfully both my three and six month scans showed a complete response to treatment, for which I am so grateful, fingers firmly crossed that that continues. I would say it has only been in the last month that I would have considered myself fit enough to return to work if I still worked, I am now retired.

I had a short period of time at about four months post treatment when I felt much better, but then the anal fissure caused considerable pain and discomfort, but thankfully for the last month the pain has certainly subsided, going to the loo is still uncomfortable but manageable, and at last I am feeling much improved and getting back to my "normal Life!" So personally I would say what you're feeling at the moment is where I was at the same stage, we are all different, but keep plodding away it does get easier, just take it at your own pace and don't try to rush things! 

wishing you all the very best, Sue x

Hi , 

Firstly welcome to our little corner of the Macmillan online community.… I see you’ve had a couple of great responses to your question already but with a question such as yours I think lots of different experiences are helpful to show the full range of recovery timescales. 

I was lucky I was able to return to work around 6 weeks post treatment, having said this I only work part time & made it clear with my employer that if I needed the loo at any given moment I would have to literally drop what I was doing & go! Having said this I was also in the PLATO trial for my treatment but mine was slightly reduced strength radiotherapy & very targeted as I’d had my tumour surgically removed prior to the chemoradiotherapy therefore I didn’t suffer the extreme bowel disturbances that some people do. I did though suffer from a suspected fissure post treatment & understand how uncomfortable this can be. 

The most important thing is DO NOT let anyone, employer related or otherwise, make you feel like you should return to work before you feel ready to do so! Peoples reactions to this treatment & our recovery are as individual as we are & there’s no one size fits all here so just take your time, you will know when the time feels right & you can enter into discussions with your employer about a phased return etc. 

Nicola

I do think the mental/emotional stress can hold you back a bit, and I too have just had Covid. I'm sorry to hear that you have had a set back with your scan result, and hope that it is not too serious. It's interesting that your consultant has said it can take up to 9 months to heal properly.

Wishing you well Alyson x

Sue & Nicola, thank you for your responses. I found each one of them helpful in different ways; it's definitely good to get a broader prospective of how people respond and when is your right time to return to work. I am feeling more positive generally, and will try not to feel pressured into going back before I'm ready.

Thank you both again, Alyson x