Back to work

DeeAnne

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I went back to work at 6 weeks, high school ceramics and sculpture teacher. It was pretty exhausting the first week and I did build my stamina up at the expense of my body. 8 weeks sounds pretty good and try to have students come to you rather than continually circulating..... not doing that definitely made life more strenuous and tiring. I called my first week back 3 bag ice pack days😄 Week 2 was better and now nearing the end of 4 weeks, I still am exhausted at the end of the work day but my dog is getting a real walk and dinner is getting made twice a week.....the other days I chill with a pillow between my legs and do mental check lesson plans. It was a big jump from taking care of myself to taking care of 30 other people 5 times a day..... doable but go slow.

Hi Helen,

How good to hear how well you are doing, although I am a bit surprised that you are back and at it with kids that need so much attention.

I too found the first four weeks very tough - with my first hip. I am two weeks with my 2nd one and feeling much, much better.

I wish you had joined in on the forum while going through recovery, but understand that sometimes being a quiet observer is good too.

I am really not surprised to hear you are so tired - at 8 weeks there is still so much healing going on in the various layers of tissue and bone. My surgeon told me that it took a full year for this to finish - and naturally it is drawing on our resources.

But the fact that you sleep so long and still feel tired likely signals that you are low on something or even possiblypossibly els of something are too high (I retain too much iron and need regular transfusions to avoid having iron deposits in my organs and severe fatigue.

I had a full blood an analysis done between my thr''s and this helped me adjust vitamins and supplements to strengthen my immune system and energy levels. Nothing serious but more Vito D, C and E and B12. It made a huge difference for me and I really believe this helped with my 2nd hip which went much more easily.

I hope this helps, keep the recovery going and ...thank you for working with those kids. We all need help in different ways to make it in life. And teaching HS is tough.

Big hugs,

Linda

PS if you ever need a smile, look up the last discussion thread by Sarah97675. She has been keeping a funny, funny journal that you might enjoy.

Helen, the energy drain from THRs is significant and can last a long time. If you are able to return to work full-time, you'll need to continue to get all the sleep you can. And you will have to use all your energy for work, and you probably won't be able to do those long walks anymore. You can use your weekends to rest and food-shop and prepare food for the week, and do everything you can to make it so all you have to do on workdays is work, commute and go home, with foods to heat up easily. No laundry or errands or anything else during the week. 

If it appears that you can't handle the return to full-time work, please be open to talking to your superiors about needing more time off. Your recovery comes first! Best wishes to you.

I can hardly wait to be able to walk like that. I'm 11 days post op and yesterday hit what I was told is the wall. I had it explained as the first few days you are home you feel great and a little better every day, then you stop progressing and are very very sore. Sometimes it takes a day or two for you to get back to the business of getting better sometimes it takes longer, I got back to it today. Real sore but still an improvement from the way it was. Only two more in home therapy sessions and then I go to the orthopedic office. It's only about 1/2 mile from my house and my goal is to be able to walk there in a couple of weeks for my sessions. Good night my hipster friends and I'll post again tomorrow.

Take multi vitamins, b-6,12,3 msm, joint vitamins arthritis supplements al help to heel. Also for energy drink protein shakes. They always made me feel better and have more energy especially in the afternoon.

everyone copes differently remember to not sit to long and carful to maintain what your limitations are everyday a little different. 

Soon you you will be thru the heeling cycle and there will come a time when not even a thought will enter your mind. Keep up with exercises and don't over do.

you will do well and many blessings sent to you on this next hippie journey .

I had a phased return to work, starting at just 3 hours a day for 2 days a week, slowly increasing the hours per day and thedays per week.  After a month or so, I was up to full time.  

Six months aftermy return to work, I still get very tired from time to time. I am 64, and have a two hour commute each way into and out of London each day.

Graham - 🚀💃

Hi Helen, I went back to work this week (11 weeks post op), because I teach 4 and 5 year olds, and was worried about getting bumped if I went back too soon. I also job share, and am lucky because I only work 3 days a week. Before this week, I went in once a week, to ease myself in. I've been tired getting up, but have been going to bed much earlier, and am now getting back into the work routine. I think you will find it really tiring to begin with. Maybe you could do a reduced week? My doctor suggested a phased return if I needed it. Wishing you all the best, Judith.

Hi Helen

am 13 weeks RHR. Feeling tired is normal. I seem to well now fully active and shopping and work then day 5 just like the batteries have been taken out !!! The gaps are getting wider with the active days getting more and more.

Sleeping is also getting much better but still not there yet.

Your doing well don't rush it your body will tell you to rest it's only natural.

Good luck xx

I'm at 8 weeks on Saturday.

I started working only three weeks after my thr, but then I am able to work from home and have a very understanding employer. I still haven't attempted travelling to the office in London. I think I could get to work, although escalators in the tube would be difficult, but I dont think I would have the stamina to work for the day and get home again.

I still find I get very tired by the afternoon and without sleeping tablets I don't get a very good night's sleep. I normally manage three hours and then wake for a couple of hours, before I get another two to three hours.