Work Release

[big_L]

My surgeon wrote a 6 week work release for me with instructions to work with my local cardio if I needed it extended. I met with my cardio today and he didn't seem to be very interested in this. All I could get out of him was a "we'll see if there's a medical reason to extend it". I just can't believe that 6 weeks is long enough with the stress both mental and physical that my job places on me. I'd sure like to get at least two more weeks.

Any comments?

 

[Heart Of The Sunrise]

I was given 12 weeks by my surgeon and I returned to work in 10 weeks. My disability insurance initially was set at 8 weeks. No question to extend it to 10 weeks once the post-surgery paperwork was submitted by my surgeon.

 

[dg_moore]

I was given 6 weeks and returned to work half-time at 5 and full time at 6. But I work mostly at home and don't have to commute.

 

[T in YVR]

I am trying to sort through the same thing right now - and I'm hoping for a minimum 8 weeks to begin with. Any less than that and I will push back. They told me to do this pre-surgery to help ensure the process moves along in a timely manner since this is a planned event. I see my GP on Friday to get him to complete the paperwork for me. Oddly enough the surgeon's office told me to talk with my GP or Cardiologist and get the paperwork done by them if I can, since it may be faster. I think you have to be forthright when talking with your doctor on it and tell him what you think you need. Then the insurers can come back and challenge it if they need to. Given that you are already operated on and have a 6 week leave, I would assume you pretty much have to let it play out a while longer - and as you approach the 5 week mark (?), maybe push for an extension. The time off depends alot on what you do I think. 6 weeks does not seem like enough to me though....

Glad to hear you are recovering fairly smoothly - hope it continues,

 

[knotguilty]

I was given 12 weeks, but I could have went back in 8. I wanted to take full advantage of recovery and rehab. I was glad I waited because I did end up having an issue in rehab. Because of the blood pressure medicine they had me on after surgery, it caused it to go too low after exercise and I ended up in the emergency room. The extra time in rehab and the slow progress to get back to where I felt good enough to take it on myself, gave me the confidence I needed to go forward. I think they should give you 12 weeks and if you are ready then you should go back.

 

[Debbrn]

Both times I had OHS as an adult they started just giving me 6 weeks. The first time I asked for 8 weeks and had no problem getting it. At the time I was 25 and worked as a nurse mainly with infants and toddlers. When I had my second surgery as an adult I was 44 and worked orthopedics and physical rehab with kids of all ages. The cardiologists looked as me kinda a funny when I told her I wanted 12 weeks this time. I had to explain all the lifting and turning that I did with big teenagers. I told her there was no way that I could go to work with lifting restrictions. She did not give me any problem after that.

Debbie

 

[dwhist]

I was originally told 6 weeks by surgeon and cardio doc. My employer had a short term disability plan that paid me 70% of pay for the first 12 weeks off work, after I took first week off using vacation pay. At 6 weeks I went to cardio for checkup and asked him to sign off on me to go back to work. Note I have desk job and had spent 6th week pulling windows out of house and painting them, so I was good to go. He said since I had not gotten into rehab yet as they were booked up, he wanted me to wait to go back to work 4 more weeks to give me time to get some rehab. I told him I wanted to go back to work and lied saying my insurance was running out. He shrugged and signed off letting me go back to work at 6 weeks.

 

[ski girl]

I have a desk job and was back half time two weeks post-op and full time three weeks post-op; for me, getting back to a 'normal' life was extremely important to my recovery and I managed fine with that short amount of time off.

But then, I didn't have to lift anything more than a pen.

 

[tom in MO]

This is lawyer territory. Many people abuse paid leave for surgeries or major illness.

If you don't do anything that stresses your sternum, then 6 weeks is normal. If your stress your sternum a lot, my surgeon said more like 6 months out of work. Your perceived stress level of your job should have been initially discussed and the 8 weeks approved by the surgeon at that time.

Since your leave was written for 6 weeks by your surgeon, your cardio needs a medical reason to extend it.

You may be able to ask for time off for rehab. Although I went back to work at ~8 weeks, I got permission to take time off for rehab until I completed the full course. This meant I got about 3 days of 3/4 time a week for the first two months. I had this approved by my surgeon.

Since our firm's form is weird, I actually fill out the forms first, with what I want it to say so I get exactly what I want if approved by the doctor.

 

[AgilityDog]

Everyone's recovery is different. My first surgery, I was home almost 12 weeks before returning to the office, although I started working from home part time at about 8 weeks.
My second surgery, I was able to work part time from home at about 4 weeks, but it was slow, and difficult. I went back part time at 7 weeks, accommodating 6 weeks of rehab. So, back to full time again about 12 weeks. I have a desk job.

 

[Stopper]

I meet with my surgeon yesterday, and he was surprised that I wanted to go back to work so soon. He offered to write a letter for four more weeks. I just asked him to write a letter for one week, putting me at week 7 when I go back to work. He said that there were many medical reasons that were appropriate for the extension and did not have a problem. I am not sure if my cardiologists would have been as open as my surgeon. Good luck!