Work after surgery

[Pictrig18]

Hi all

Has anyone who had top surgery gone back to an especially physical job afterward?

I am a ramp agent for an airline, so I am throwing and stacking bags weighing anywhere from ten pounds to sixty or more pounds everyday. A lot of lifting, reaching, etc. My doctor said six weeks and I'll be back to normal activity....I'm almost at week three and am starting to wonder if it will be possible for me to return in another three weeks. I hope a lot more healing will occur in that time. I am just terrified of not being ready or thinking I am and then hurting myself at work.

After going through all of this the last thing I want to do is mess it up...

[aleon515]

You should heal up a LOT in three weeks. You'll be amazed.


--Jay

[Kreuzfidel]

Hi all

Has anyone who had top surgery gone back to an especially physical job afterward?

I am a ramp agent for an airline, so I am throwing and stacking bags weighing anywhere from ten pounds to sixty or more pounds everyday. A lot of lifting, reaching, etc. My doctor said six weeks and I'll be back to normal activity....I'm almost at week three and am starting to wonder if it will be possible for me to return in another three weeks. I hope a lot more healing will occur in that time. I am just terrified of not being ready or thinking I am and then hurting myself at work.

After going through all of this the last thing I want to do is mess it up...

The reality is that your doctor doesn't live in your body and only YOU will know for sure, when you're at 6 weeks, if you're going to be able to return to full duties.  Your doctor can make a recommendation of a timeline based on precedents, but that's all it is.

Jay is right - I was pretty much back to normal at 6 weeks.  I wasn't doing the same kind of lifting, but when I went back to work after 6 weeks off - I was on lighter duties for the next 3 weeks just to be safe. 

Are you going to be wearing micropore tape?  My surgeon told me to wear it for 3 months as it will reduce stretching of the incisions.

[Pictrig18]

I haven't heard about micropore tape - I'll have to ask my doctor.

The thing I guess I'm most worried about is stretching/over extending. I can lift close to my body. You just have to be in some pretty awkward positions when you're stacking bags in the bin of a plane. A lot of pushing, pulling and reaching. I guess time will tell - I'll be sure to update this thread on how it goes.

[Sebryn]

Have you explained your job situation to the surgeon? I had to explain in very plain and simple terms what I did for a living to my surgeon before he completely understood. Once he did he said 8 weeks minimum was best because of the reflexes I need as well as strength.

Maybe ask when you can start heavy weight lifting? His answer for that may be different than what he has told you for when to return to work. For heavy lifting my surgeon recommended waiting 12 weeks at least.

Bottom line. Ask your surgeon what they recommend. All that money you paid entitles you to pester them with all your questions.   

Oh and I second the micropore taping. I have very good scar results, so good that the surgeon was a bit stunned at how quickly the scars faded. I used the micropore tape for 14 weeks in combination with kelo cote silicone gel, something that my surgeon hadn't seen the results of before. He didn't tell me to use the micropore tape but said I could when I asked him.

[Pictrig18]

Thanks Sebryn - I will try to be very blunt and straight forward with him today when I go in. I have definitely been taking advantage of that right to ask questions

So with the tape and the gel...did you put the gel on and then the tape when it dried? How long did that tape stay on? I guess my only worries with that is the tape irritating my skin, which it has already, and is it possible for the tape to be pulled off and that itself stretch the scars?

[Pictrig18]

So I asked my doctor today about this again, really emphasizing the heavy lifting, pulling, pushing I do at work and he was still of the opinion that I would be good to return to that work at six weeks. Of course getting back into it slowly. He said my surgery/incisions will not be damaged. Worst I could do is pull a muscle or things that anyone could do who has been away from work for some time. So I guess I will just be taking it as easy as possible at first and I will try to be conscious of all I'm doing to ensure I'm doing all I can to protect this investment.

[Alexthecat]

I waited until 8 weeks (due to paperwork issues) and I stock shelves. Any thing that touches your incision will be uncomfortable and you will not be able to stretch to your farthest reaching position. It went back to normal around 9-10 weeks I think. It could of been me just not use to using the working muscles.

[Felix]

I wrangle a very large child for a living, and wasn't able to reduce my activities like I'd hoped to, but I had a lot of healing in three weeks. The progress went better and faster with every week that went by. It sounds like you should be okay, especially if you get decent rest in the time you have left.

Ask your surgeon about concerns of course, and trust your instincts if you think you should.

[Sebryn]

Yes I let the gel dry then put the tape on. I bought a box of 4" wide tape and cut the strips to custom width. It worked well like that and less irritating than the normal width tapes.

[radioboy]

I waited until 8 weeks (due to paperwork issues) and I stock shelves. Any thing that touches your incision will be uncomfortable and you will not be able to stretch to your farthest reaching position. It went back to normal around 9-10 weeks I think. It could of been me just not use to using the working muscles.

I also waited 8 weeks, but mostly because I am a giant baby