Worried about energy levels - ThinnerTimes

Nyn · 10-07-2007, 06:25 PM

I'm supposed to go back to work on Tuesday and I am sooooo worried about having enough energy to make it through the day. My work days are always extremely long. I commute about 2.5 hours each way and always work at least 9 hour days, if not 10, 11...you get the idea. I often leave the house around 5:45am and don't get home until after 10pm.

In order to prepare, I've tried to push myself the last two days. I puttered around the house all day yesterday and then went to a birthday party last night at a local seafood restaurant on the river. I made it through about 3.5 hours of party before I started to crash, but I stayed another hour before barely managing to drive myself home. I was in bed by 11pm, feeling sick (possibly from nibbling a piece of shrimp so soon post-op) and tired, but I managed not to throw up. (I've always had a cast-iron stomach, and luckily that seems to have stuck with me through GBS.)

Today, I woke up still feeling a bit sick. Then, I helped my mom and stepdad finish drafting a lease agreement for their first tenant in their first rental property, we went to the house and worked with the tenant for a few hours, then went to Home Depot and bought hundreds of dollars of plants and trees for the yard, loaded the car, unloaded the car, then we went and looked at 5 more houses that they might buy for their second rental property. By house #3 I was pooped!!! I came home around 3:30pm and have laid in bed since then sipping water and worrying like crazy about how I'm going to last on my first day back to work in two days.

Anyone have any advice?!?

Sny'sWife · 10-07-2007, 07:26 PM

It took me six weeks before I could go back to work... my energy levels increased greatly after I started taking B12 everyday...

I don't know what to tell you... have you talked to your doc yet? he might be able to give you something or check to see if you need any vitamins...

I hope you start feeling better... Going back to work is stressful after this surgery... Surely youre co-workers will understand...

veroniquetalk · 10-07-2007, 08:02 PM

Is there anyway you can take a longer medical leave? There is no way I could have put in the kind of hours you are talking about just 2 weeks after surgery.

hello kitty · 10-08-2007, 07:37 AM

I agree. No way, no how. I was up and moving around and doing lots soon after, but my energy levels just weren't there.. I worked 12hr shifts and ended up having to get someone to cover the last half of quite a few, even when I went back at 4 weeks out, simply because I didn't have the energy to work the whole thing. You simply can't ingest enough and your body is still recovering from MAJOR surgery.

Call your doc. Get your time off extended. You're only going to make yourself feel sick all the time if you push yourself too hard and don't get the rest your body needs to recouperate.

LyndasRoom · 10-08-2007, 08:47 AM

Are you driving the 2.5 hours each way? if you're on a train or bart, you could probably drift off a little, but if you're driving, I'd worry. It took me a full 6 weeks to get my energy back. Good luck.

PennyJ · 10-08-2007, 09:39 AM

I'll admit to having a complication - but even with smooth sailing, no way would I have been ready at 2 weeks! Make sure you get your protein, vitamins, B12, etc. Rest when you can. Be honest with your employer -ask about 1/2 days (I did a week of half days before going back full time). Power nap at the desk?? 2 1/2 hour commute?? Wow...makes me glad mine's 15 minutes and I live out of town!!! Good luck to you!

Nyn · 10-08-2007, 10:53 AM

Thank you all for your responses. To answer a few questions, the doctor did originally give me a note to be out for 4 weeks, but with my job situation, I just didn't feel comfortable being out for so long. I suppose if I went back and just couldn't hack it, I could finish out the rest of the 4 week leave. But I really wouldn't want to do that due to my boss and her expectations and especially since that will mean I have to get disability leave to cover some of my pay. I'm still new enough at my job that I only have 2 weeks of leave using up all of my sick leave and vacation time -- doesn't help that I was just out 2 weeks in June for my appendectomy!

As for my commute, I sometimes drive 20 minutes and then take Amtrak the rest and sometimes I drive about an hour and a quarter to the nearest BART station and then take around an hour-long BART ride, so no, I don't drive the full way at all -- thank goodness!! The most I have to walk during that is a handful of blocks at the beginning and end of the trips.

As for my supplements, I take a multi-vitamin and calcium (Tums) every day, a high-dose B-12 three times a week, and iron most of the time, too. I see my surgeon for my first follow-up appointment on Thursday, so I will ask him about what or if anything needs changing in that regard.

I appreciate any support. I have a generally good support network, but in this one area it could be better. My mom supports me, but she grew up Irish Catholic in a huge family and never got any coddling herself. Her philosophy is to suck it up, be stoic, and for goodness sakes do not let your human weaknesses interfere with getting the work done! So when I was feeling very depressed about this yesterday, she just kept reminding me that it is only a 4 day week I have to work and I leave work early on Thursday to go see the surgeon. I just...that wasn't what I needed to hear. And I had to remind her that leaving work to see the surgeon did not make my day any shorter. In fact, to go to his office means I have to take an EXTRA 2 hour BART trip (hour each way) on top of my normal commute, plus about 10 extra blocks to walk. Normally, walking is no problem for me and I'd relish the extra exercise, but now, when facing such a long day, it just makes me more worried about my ability to handle everything.

I guess we never know our capacity to handle something until we are faced with it. For all I know, this will be just another thing I get done because it has to get done. We'll see after tomorrow!

LQQkn · 10-08-2007, 12:58 PM

coming from both sides.. I had bypass in 05 and it took me almost 3 months to recover.. I'm on the reversal side and I'm six weeks out this thursday and I can assure you I wish I had another month to spare, and I do work your kind of hours at my job. So I'm not looking forward to sucking it up and going back now. Janie

VanessaSFL · 10-08-2007, 01:38 PM

Your bodies limit.
I could not put an "S" on my chest until about 9 weeks out.I think at two weeks out I was still getting fitted for my Super Woman Suit.
Best of luck to you and rest when you can,

marine · 10-08-2007, 03:13 PM

Nyn,
How you have succeeded to do all that and not drop down before, you are amazing. If there isn't any obvious solution now, it might come later. I really wish this for you, because it is important to give the time to relax and become strong again. once we go back to work, people are nice at the beg. but then still expect output at the same peace as before. So might be that if you really start, and see how it goes, they might even suggest you to take off more time to recover. I hope that you will get the best possible solution for you soon.
Take really care
marine