Recovery time

Hi so I had the procedure done robotically. I returned to work at 9-10 weeks post op. 
im not sure I would have been ready at 3 weeks but we are all different. 
are you desk based? 

Hi Jet1

I worked until the day of my preop on a Friday and had my surgery on the following Monday. 

My doctor signed me off work for 6 weeks initially and explained that I needed that time to recover. I was told no lifting, twisting or doing anything too strenuous before 6 weeks as that was the time it takes to heal inside. I was encouraged to go for gentle walks and did these. Even though the hysterectomy is done via keyhole, actually once inside it is the same surgery. 

Emotionally there is also the actual diagnosis and surgery- especially when it is your first one- to also deal with. My post op results did not come back until around 3 1/2 weeks post surgery. They are the results which they use to determine whether you need to have any follow up treatment. 

Even though you feel well at the moment, it is big surgery and although routine for the surgeon- it is not routine for us. 

At 3 weeks post op I would have found it uncomfortable to sit at a desk for any length of time. I noticed the difference in core strength and if I sat at the table, then after 10-15 minutes I would want to move. 

My suggestion would be to ask your GP to give a fit note now, and they would likely do 6 weeks initially and then review. By then you will know for definite whether you need any follow up treatment and also how the surgery went and how you are recovering. If you then felt well enough to return before then- then you could go to the GP to check you are recovered enough.

In my previous work, it was far better to know someone was off for say 6 weeks and then you could plan around the absence. Better that than not being sure or someone coming in when they were not fit enough and having to go back to being off, perhaps for longer. I understand that it is hard when you have just started a new job and I did also worry about the impact of me being off sick, however sometimes it is necessary to put ourselves first and take the time we need to recover properly. 

If you need any advice regarding this, then do give the Support Line a call and speak with one of the advisors who will be able to go through your rights with you. I think, even with a desk job, that at 3 weeks, I would not have been fit for work. 

Jane

Hi Runner 54,

Yes I am desk based, working on a laptop on a 8 hour shift, with half hour at desk break for lunch.

I would have felt very uncomfortable sat for 8 hours and tired. As jane has said it is a major op and you do need to look after your health. 
I also agree with jane as to core strength not being the same. I started going for walks, but was told no lifting etc

Hi Jet1, to me, expecting someone to return to work 3 weeks after such a major op would be unreasonable. Even 6 weeks could be pushing it. I’d suggest 6 weeks minimum, 8 weeks better. Also, realistically speaking, your surgeon won’t be 100% sure that the op will be laparoscopic until the op starts and he/she “gets in there”. Mine told me that he’d be aiming for laparoscopic, but that it’s impossible to predict exactly until they start. Depending on your hospital’s policy, you may still be wearing elastic stockings at 3 weeks post op and may still be giving yourself daily injections to help prevent thrombosis. It’s intended to be a recovery period where you can recover from the anaesthetic, heal inside, get your bowels back to normal, get walking, and to rest (feet up) if needed. I went for a walk as soon as I came home from hospital, then walked twice a day after that and gradually increased. Started going shopping, going out for lunch, going for Forest walks with my dog, to church - in other words I was active, not languishing - yet I wouldn’t have been ready to return to work after 3 weeks. I often needed a rest in the afternoon. I’d encourage you to seek to stay off longer. 

The NHS website says if work is not manual/involves lifting, then you could return to work within 6 to 8 weeks, which ties in with your thoughts. 

I had “open surgery” and ended up staying in hospital for over a week as I caught C-Diff. I told work I would be back after 3 weeks as my sick pay benefits are very limited. I actually took the last week as holiday to try to save some sick days for Chemo/radiation therapy. I managed to get back to work okay BUT I work from home, can spread my hours flexibly and despite a bad start have recovered physically better than I expected. I wouldn’t have been able to sit at a desk non-stop for that time; in fact, the lingering issue for me is still feeling uncomfortable if I sit for too long in every chair/bed/position. Bowels/bladder still not 100% and so take this into consideration. If you NEED to return for financial purposes, I would request they are flexible in expectations, such as allowing you to work from home. There is the travelling to consider to. If sick pay covers you take it, any doctor will sign you off for at least 6 weeks I am sure. Wishing you all the best for the op, recovery and long term health. 

Hello, I’m sorry that you find yourself in this situation and as we all know here the diagnosis comes as a huge shock. I was 58 when I was diagnosed and had keyhole surgery a few weeks later. I had no underlying health issues and had never had surgery before. I can safely say you will not be ready to go back to work after 3 weeks. I never went back to work although I fully intended to. I had radiotherapy after the surgery and developed lymphoedema in my legs due to having lymph nodes removed. The length of time I was in surgery and the recovery ward was about 6 hours. It’s a big operation. The emotional impact didn’t hit me until much later. I tried to go back to work after about 3 months but didn’t last very long and eventually left my job after 6 months off sick. The nurse assigned to me was great and I was able to discuss things with her. I also attended some group sessions at Maggies. I sincerely hope you recover well. The whole experience made me completely reevaluate a lot of things. Take care and let us know how you get on.

Hi Jet,

I had exactly the same surgery as you, two years ago. I was 62, fit, healthy (that was a huge shock as I had never had surgery, been in hospital, or had anything worse than chicken pox, in my whole life!) and it was like a bereavement - I was grieving the loss of my decades of perfect health!!

On a practical level: I was told I should be off work for 6 weeks. The doctor on discharge gave me a sick note for 3 weeks??!! - so I later contacted my GP who gave me a further 4 weeks! I took the full 7 weeks and didn't go back early.

I work a very physical job: in a village shop, serving, lifting, reaching, on my feet the whole time. Even after I got back, I still had to be really careful not to lift too much. So I would bring the milks up from the chiller one 4-pints at a time, instead of a whole outer of 4 x 4 pints. I got a colleague to carry the post office cash till through to the safe for me. I split the newspapers into small piles of about ten to do the evening Returns - so I had about ten piles of papers instead of two large piles. I did this kind of thing for around 6 weeks after returning and was still being very careful for a few weeks after that. 

The other thing is that you will probably have a vaginal cuff. My surgeon told me to not sit for more than about 20 mins at a time, especially if on a hard chair. So my first few weeks of recovery at home was: an hour on the bed; half an hour walking or doing chores; 20-30 mins max sitting at my laptop at the table. I continued this regime for about 4 weeks, extending the walking time weekly, but I was still very careful to not sit for more than half an hour at any time without standing, moving, walking etc.for a while. Your vaginal cuff needs 4-6 weeks to heal fully before putting any stress on it.

Even a seated job - indeed, especially a seated job, due to the vaginal cuff - shouldn't be returned to for at least 4-6 weeks. Even if you feel well and healed. It's the bits you cannot see, that are still healing.

I was driving after two weeks but only every few days and only a very short distance. By 4 weeks I was driving to the shops - twenty minutes at a time in the car. By 5 weeks I took the plunge and drove an hour to the beach with the dogs. I found that I didn't want to walk excessively far, and I parked in town and paid, rather than at the free spot which is about twenty mins walk to the town and beach. By 6 weeks, I drove 2 hours to a dog show, but booked myself into a hotel for a couple of nights before driving back home. By 7 weeks I was back at work, on the "light duties" as above. But I healed well enough to follow this regime of increasing driving etc, mainly because I was ultra-careful for the first 2-4 weeks and under-did it rather than over-did it.

If your employer gets funny about you having more than 3 weeks off, make sure they know that this is major surgery. Your sick note should indicate that 6 weeks is recommended, even for a desk job, and why. 

Once your employer sees what the surgery is for, they should reasonably accept that six weeks will more likely guarantee them a diligent attentive fit employee, able to concentrate on her work and not likely to have any unexpected setbacks by the six-week stage.