Returning to work after surgery
 

Currently, I am on STD and home. Originally I was told I would be out at least six weeks before returning part time to work.

I was curious how long everyone else was out before returning to work. What were some of the things that prevented you from returning?

It might depend on what kind of work you will be doing or going back to.
If the job was a factor in your acquiring TOS, then going back to the same thing could be tricky..

I work in an office as an assistant. We don't know what caused my TOS: accident, body type (Dr. Annest was concerned about the angle of my shoulders)

If you have flexibility in duties and are able to move around and do a variety of tasks that will be best.
But if constant desk work or lots of lifting, sorting hand /am work that might be a negative factor.

It's been almost 5 months since my second surgery and still not able to work. I get pain in the arms with sustained activity. If activity is low I have low pain. I also worked in an office on the computer. the computer still aggravates me a lot, I do better with laundry for example.

I think I will need to start part time when I return, we will see.

Are you experiencing this pain while still on a narcotic regimen? Or do you not use any pain management?

I am still on Dilaudid, OxyContin, naproxen, gabapentin, and Norco. I have been doing some work from home and have felt ok. But part of me thinks that I might be feeling ok because of the meds. I most likely am over doing things because the meds make it so I can. I mean I still ache pretty bad, but nothing like before so I don't think much of it.

I do not take narcotics anymore, only a muscle relaxant every now and then and ibuprofen.

Unfortunately meds just cover or block the pain sensations. They don't stop any possible ongoing damage, you just don't know about it until you start hurting more, or stop the meds and then feel so much worse.

Dr. Annest sent me back to work way too soon after bilateral pec minor release. RN prescibed hydrocodone and just said to go to work on them.


Still not returned following bilateral rib resection/scalenectomy surgeries.

Just had my first post op apt. Currently I am set to return to work on April 13th. I have a pain management Dr, so he is controlling my meds, not Dr Annest. I was told that if I don't feel like I can return to work at that time, they will change it. They have been really great.