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Going back to work

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Bekadeeboo123
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2020 12:02 am

Going back to work

Post by Bekadeeboo123 »

When did you all go back to work after having an emergency surgery of having a ruptured tube from ectopic pregnancy and having it removed!

Trying to keep positive but it’s really hard

10 days past surgery starting to feel better and on the mend I litterly couldn’t walk before operation and like 4 days after! Felt terrible.

Still can’t get myself up properly out of bed or lie on side and stitches was ment to disolve after 5-7 days but are still there and irritating me. Can’t stand up for long period of time and feeling tired still. I work long hours on my feet as a hair stylist and not feeling upto going back on Thursday when my 2 week sick not runs out.

Been trying for a baby for 8 months myself and husband was so happy with the amazing news telling family memebers then the following day I was in A & E but had pains for over a week not being able to get out of bed with terrible back pain and not being able to sit on a stool and the spotting was the wake up call straight to A & E.

Not been sleeping very well! And now have black stools. Anxiety though the roof had afew panic attacks after surgery not had one in over 2 years. Need to go back to the doctors and get some beta blockers they was amazing really helped with my anxiety in March due to Covid and afew years ago from sad news in the family. I have now ran out but could really do with them!

EPT Host 20
Posts: 3155
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 10:58 pm

Re: Going back to work

Post by EPT Host 20 »

Dear Bekadeeboo123,
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and loss,
Experiencing an ectopic pregnancy is a huge ordeal and you are in the early stages of recovery. Your body needs time to heal from your surgery which is in itself a gruelling task. You have also had to process the loss of your baby and been through an immense rollercoaster of emotions - all of this will take time to come to terms with.

You should take it very easily for about six weeks after surgery. Your body will be using its energies to heal internally. It is normal to feel physically and emotionally exhausted during this time and please do be kind to yourself. Recovery can take time and some days will be better than others, one day you maybe ok and the next you maybe in discomfort or more emotional. This is perfectly usual and the healing process will go back and forth in this way for however long you need. It is important to listen to your body's signals and pain and feeling tired are your body's signs to tell you to rest. We suggest keeping a healthy balanced diet, drinking lots of water and resting. Once your wounds have healed, very gentle exercise such as a short walk can help, but please do take this slowly.

I would advise speaking to your GP about your medications, sutures and especially black stools, as changes in bowel habits should be reported as a matter of urgency. Although we are still being impacted by the covid-19 pandemic, GP surgeries are still open. A lot are doing telephone consultations but if they feel you need to be seen, they still have appointments for review.

Regarding returning to work, surgery is an immense ordeal for the body to go through. In general, after about six weeks you should be able to return to most jobs from a physical point of view. However, if your role involves manual handling, we suggest that it would be sensible to have a phased approach, gently building up to the usual extent of activity. I would suggest avoiding a rapid return to strenuous activities as it is important to build up strength after recovery.
A few options may be available depending on the role: might there be an opportunity to work reduced hours, increasing them slowly over a few weeks? Perhaps there are certain tasks that you could take on which may entail a change from your usual role or a series of reduced tasks initially? I am not sure whether this is appropriate in your circumstances, but is there anything that you could action from home (which may be different from your usual role but still be of use)?
Many women experience pain after surgery and this can be the case weeks or months after the trauma. Pain is the body's sign to rest and it is important to be guided by this and taking it easier if you experience discomfort.
In addition, it is worth bearing in mind that experiencing ectopic pregnancy is a very frightening experience and many women need to take time to help them deal with the psychological/emotional impact of the loss of their baby, being diagnosed with a life-threatening condition and undergoing major surgery. Please speak to your GP about having further time off work if required.

Above all be kind to yourself and allow time to grieve, to heal both physically and emotionally,
Sending much love,
Karen x

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Franp8
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon May 25, 2020 2:05 am

Re: Going back to work

Post by Franp8 »

Hi, sorry to hear about your extopic, I suffered one in april and had to have my left tube removed via emergency surgery.

I thought i felt better towards the end of my two weeks off but I ended up asking the doctor for an extra 2 weeks just to get my head round it more and I am so glad I did now.

Also my stitches took around 6-8 weeks to fully dissolve when I was told they would dissolve within 2 weeks also.

BSaunders1993
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2020 4:11 pm

Re: Going back to work

Post by BSaunders1993 »

Sorry to hear about you ectopic.

When it comes to going back to work I think everybody is different.

I went back to work a week and a half after surgery. I was fine physically but then emotionally things started to get harder. I also work in private pregnancy clinic but choose to stay anyway. My stitches have completely dissolved now and it's been 4 weeks today since I had my right tube removed. Like you, I was in a lot of pain and I could barely even sit up by myself.

If your stitches are causing you discomfort and havent healed as of yet I would suggest contacting your GP and extend your sick note especially with the industry you are in! Take the time to process everything and not just heal to physically but mentally/emotionally to. Be kind to yourself.

Wish you all the best xx

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