Getting Your Strength Back

How long does it take to get your strength back after surgery? I am a corrections officer and there is no such thing as light duty. I am scheduled to go back to work on 4/30.

It really does seem to vary a lot from person to person. Some people are back to normal within two weeks. I was super low energy for ages, I took about six weeks to get back to feeling like my normal self and I took naps after getting home from work every day (desk job) for at least three months after surgery.

Check with your doctor about lifting restriction, as that's the one part they can be very specific about. I think I wasn't cleared to lift over 10lb for six weeks, until all of the internal stuff had healed.

Before surgery, I read a bunch of posts on here about people who bounced right back and I thought I would be one because I was swimming laps an hour a day and working long days. I had decent stamina for someone my size. After surgery, I did great with fluids, protein and lots of very short walks. I am three months out today and I did not start really feeling like myself until a couple weeks ago. I work from home, but I probably would have struggled with a desk job for 3-4 weeks and a physical job for a couple months. With that said, I think most people on here bounced back a lot faster, so I present this as one end of the spectrum so you are prepared for a less than optimal outcome just in case. Good luck to you!

I was completely sedentary before surgery, so you'll probably recover more quickly than I did. I found that "recovery" depends a lot on what you're doing and whether or not you're getting in enough fluid. At two weeks out, I could have handled my desk job, but the walk from the parking lot to my desk would have taken it out of me! I didn't go back to wor****il a month after surgery. At that point I was fine as long as I made sure to drink extra fluid before any activity, including simply walking around. (A brisk walk was too much for me then.) Dehydration was a big risk for the first few months. I learned the hard way to drink extra fluid before doing something as simple as grocery shopping or giving a presentation. And strangely, walking was easier for me than simply standing up for any length of time.

I fully understand that you're concerned about getting back to work. Don't feel guilty if you need extra time. Think long-term: the benefits of losing the weight will last the rest of your life. On your deathbed, you won't be thinking "gee I wish I'd gone to work sooner back in 2019".

I didn't take pain meds or take time off of work, but I didn't have my stamina or strength back for 6-8 weeks after surgery.

Thanks for your replies. I am doing well with fluids (over 100 a day), my strength is getting better each day just get tired after activity. I still have 2 1/2 weeks, so I should be ok. We will see.

I felt fine about a week after surgery, but I would wear down very quickly. I was taking naps for a few months. You might be fine by the time you go back to work, but you may well be ready to crash by the time your shift us over.

Are these 8 hour days?

Good point about being "ready to crash by the time your shift is over". The first week back, you may find you come home, eat a meal, and then go right to bed and sleep for 10-12 hours. I did that, and I think it's quite common. After about a week I settled into a more normal pattern.

4 - 10hr days

10 hours on your feet will seem like forever at first. Can you put your feet up for an hour at lunch?