Return to work

Hi Emma - I am not back at a retail part time job yet as post treatment week 8 - but everyone is different - just be gentle with your body as the treatment keeps doing its stuff!  I also have a home business to support people losing weight so have continued that from hone all along,

Listen to you and have the option of leaving if you feel rough x I don’t leave the house before 11 really due to tummy/ toilet changes. 

take care and choose what’s right for you x 

Angie 

Hi Emma, I’m almost 4 months post treatment and am starting back to work on 1st Oct. I work in retail so am starting back very slowly just a couple of hours a day n building it up to my full hours. Hoping I’ll be ok as looking forward to getting back to some sort of normal now. 4 weeks does seem quite quick, if you need more time speak to your employers, mine have been amazing. Good luck x

 when I return it wil be phased so a few hours a day to begin , Im also a home worker since covid so that makes it easier. Im definitely not ready yet and work haven’t even asked how long I need Im just trying to think positive and into the future 

thanks for your response and wish you loads of luck for your work return Emma x

Also forgot to say my radiotherapy nurse said stay off until the end of October as the retail job is heavy lifting and stock handling -

Cages are heavy and return will be staged too x 

Hi 

I am also week 4/5 post treatment and was supposed to be back at work this week. However I have terrible fatigue as I don’t sleep well through all the treatments and I have a very sore bottom right now that’s seems to be my last and lasting side effect. 

I am a nurse and work for the NHS, they have been really good and said they only want me to come back when I’m . 
so taking it week by week at the moment. I am craving my normal life back though but also very anxious about going back to work in case I get more side effects. xx

Hi Emma,

I was very ill for quite a long time after treatment ended (actually, much sicker after treatment than before I started), and didn't return to work until about 14 months after I completed treatment.

Even then, it was on a very gradual return to work basis for a few months.

But, everyone is different and you may feel better much sooner than that.

I can't imagine how long I would have been off if they had proceeded with the Plan A treatment program initially planned. That was scrapped the day I was to start.  I was 5 minutes from the hospital door when I got the call that they'd decided that plan was too harsh and they were going to re-work it.

Hi Emz1976 ,

Everyone is different regarding recovery times, personally I returned to work on a phased return 5 1/2 weeks post treatment but having said that I didn’t suffer with the frequent bowel movements that some do, I had to be very careful around what I was eating though. I made sure that my manager knew that if I needed the loo then I had to go regardless & that was fine. It’s great to hear that your employer is being understanding as that’s not always the case. It would be worth asking if a phased return would be a possibility. 

Nicola 

I have a wonderful team leader and I am able to be very open and honest about my “undercarriage “ issues she also had cancer a few years ago and had a very quick return to work and ended up with shingles so she keeps saying to me no rush 

That’s great to hear that your team leader is understanding & that you can be open with her & nobody understands the implications of a cancer diagnosis & the long term effects of subsequent treatments like a fellow warrior so play it by ear & go back in your own time.

N️icola