Back to work - and exhausted!

[doris]

I am 11 weeks post-op; was on crutches for 7 weeks (75% weight-bearing); off crutches for a week - then went back to work after a total of 8 weeks off.  My recovery has been great; no pain since surgery, though I have had soreness & throbbing when I have overdone things. My problem now is sheer exhaustion - every evening since I went back to work.  My job is not physically demanding, though it is mentally demanding.  I went back working 10 - 11 hour days, which has never been a problem in the past.  By about 8 pm, I feel a wave of complete exhaustion creep over me - can barely move.  It is frustrating because, other than the exhaustion, and my limp (which I know from other posts can take awhile to totally disappear) I feel great!  Has anyone else experienced this?  If so - how long did it take to overcome!

[fenceman]

I had the bright idea that I would be able to get back to work the week after my surgery.  I had read a couple of posts about people running marathons just weeks after the BHR :).  1 week after surgery I drug myself into work (desk job), last 1/2 hour and took the next week off.  Even after the extra week it was still a struggle.

You just had major surgery and your body is spending a lot of energy healing and repairing itself. This will go on for over a year depending on your age and your body. Make sure you are eating proper food and take supplements.  Dr. Brooks also did my BHR.
Bill

[johnoke]

long days! Yeah, I went back after 5 weeks, and was working from home after 3. The first week back was exhausting (and those were only 8-9 hour days), so I can't imagine longer ones. It will get better, of course. You don't say what you do - mine is 75% sitting (computer), 25% walking to a meeting. I enjoy the walking part best, but it does get tiring. I don't think the fatigue will last a year, 3 months should be a reasonable time, assuming you're in decent shape and are getting exercise, especially walking. Good luck!