Question:
recovery time

Hello I was just wondering with a open RNY how soon did some of you feel like going back to work. I work for the State of Ca. and my job mostly consists of driving a vehicle.    — Richard S. (posted on January 8, 2003)

January 7, 2003
Richard, I work from home (I am a systems engineer for Siemens Health Services) so it was fairly simple for me to start working again after I got home from the hospital - in fact, I came home on a Monday and started working on Tuesday. But I tired easily, and basically spread my 8 hours of work over a longer period. <p> You are not going to be able to drive a car for a couple of weeks while you are on the pain meds. You are not going to feel like going to work (if it involves something more than working from home) for at least a couple of weeks - or possibly longer. This is major surgery (especially if it's open) and it takes a bit of time to recovery...JR (open RNY 07/17 -139 pounds)
   — John Rushton

January 7, 2003
Hi Richard, I wanted to go back in one week, but my boss wouldn't let me. She made me take two. But also, she told me I needed a release to go back. So, today I'm going back for my first post-op checkup. I'm confident that he'll release me to go back to work. I'm a single mom, so I started driving three days back from the hospital. I felt every bump in the road! But I didn't take anything but a Tylenol for pain. I had to drive, because the pumpkin coach with my fairy godmother wasn't waiting on me hand and foot! I went to the grocery store, and when walking started tiring me, I leaned on the cart for support. Now, 18 days post-op, it doesn't hurt to drive at all. But everybody is different. All I know is if I can't go back to work tomorrow, I'm going to go stir crazy!
   — Denise V.

January 7, 2003
I had an open RNY on 12/5, I went back to work in the middle of week 3 and was driving my towns ambulance during the same time, still no lifting, but the time is up to you and how you feel, I had trouble closing the door, because it bothered me to lean forward to grab the door. My biggest problem was not being able to stretch out, the more i slumped forward the more my incision area bothered me, but i quit taking any type of pain meds before i left the hospital. Good luck
   — keller W.

January 8, 2003
I had open RNY on Dec. 5 and went back to my office job on Dec. 26. I stopped taking pain meds 2 or 3 days after I came home from the hospital. I was cleared to drive at 2 weeks. I could have gone back to work at 2 weeks, but I opted to wait until after Christmas.
   — Michele C.

January 8, 2003
I have a desk job, and honestly felt well enough to go back to work after the first week. I had to be released by my physician, so I went to my two week post-op visit and got the paperwork filled out. I was back at work the day after that. So two weeks and one day for me.
   — Jenny S.