Post op back to work

**Lyndamarie** · 11-06-2015 08:17 AM

Hi! I'm having surgery in a few months. I clean houses for a living so I'm wondering how long it will take before I can work again. I'm considering hiring someone to help lift. Since there is a lot of movement, up and down and vacumming/mopping, will that be a problem. I'd like to start back with a lite schedule within two weeks. Am I crazy?

**zoey101** · 11-07-2015 08:07 AM

If I remember correctly I'm pretty sure it was no lifting and the usual restrictions for at least 6 weeks. I took it easy for 8, I wasn't taking any chances at all especially because surgery was done in Mexico and once your back in the states if anything goes wrong you could be on your own. When it comes to insurance I have heard of people being flat on there backs because they owe 10's of thousands of dollars to pay the Hospitals. If you have the opportunity to get help I would definitely get it. I do however think after 2 weeks plus light dusting would be ok but nothing more than that and that's just my 2cents. Good luck with your surgery!!!

**mtngrl** · 11-07-2015 09:03 AM

I was told no lifting over 20 lbs for 8 weeks. Please be careful and get some extra help.

**Kindle** · 11-07-2015 12:20 PM

I am a vet tech and work 10+ hours/day. I'm on my feet all day, bending, squatting, kneeling, holding animals, etc. I went back to work after 7 days. I had a 20 pound lifting restriction for 3 weeks that I had to adhere to, but other than that I was able to do the rest of my job. Since I was still on liquids, I just had to make sure I had plenty of fluids to sip on all day.

You would probably be OK if you got some help to chip in with the lifting, but double check with your surgeon about restrictions since everyone is different. I'm about to have my gall bladder removed and this new surgeon is telling me to take off work and no lifting for 3 weeks. Well, unless he's willing to supplement my income, I will be back to work in 5 days and restrict my lifting to the original 20 pounds.

**Lyndamarie** · 11-07-2015 01:39 PM

Thanks for your insight! May I ask why you're having your gallbladder removed? I know that is an option with the sleeve surgery but I hadn't opted for that.

**Kindle** · 11-07-2015 01:50 PM

I started having gallbladder attacks 8 months post VSG. The most painful thing I've ever experienced

. The initial ultrasound didn't show any stones, so I decided to "wait and see". I had 4 more attacks over the next 14 months and now ultrasound shows one large and many small stones in there. I could actually live with the attacks, they last about 2 hours and are spaced several months apart, but I don't want to get in the situation where one of the stones gets completely stuck in the duct and then it's emergency surgery. My pancreatic enzymes were elevated after the last attack, too, so I guess it's time.

I had the option of having my gallbladder out the same time as VSG but I declined. Guess I shoulda, huh?