Question

[GoingThere]

Hi!

Another question. How long were you absent from work (if you are still active) when you received kidney transplant? I'm still at home and I'm scheduled to return to my profession in 2 weeks time. Honestly, I don't feel fit enough to go back to work. What are your experiences?

GT

[noahvale]

*

[Sax-O-Trix]

I felt pretty about four weeks out, but I still had so many doctor's appointments and labs to do, so I stayed out eight weeks.  I could have stayed out for another four.  Knowing what I know now, I should have taken those extra four weeks and really recuperated...

[jeannea]

With my first transplant I was out 7 weeks after transplant. But I was going back to a desk job with little physical activity.

[Poppylicious]

My Blokey went back about ten weeks later, but says he probably could have gone back a couple of weeks earlier.  He did have a boss who was brilliant about the amount of time he could take so had no pressure in that respect.  You might be surprised at how different you feel in two weeks time ... however, if you don't feel ready then don't force yourself to go, or feel pressured into returning.  Everybody's experiences are different and there's no definitive answer; it's about when you and your medical team feel you're ready and nothing else should matter.

[RichardMEL]

I agree that you really shouldn't compare to others - it won't help you much - every case is different and what I think is important for you is that YOU FEEL like it is too early for YOU. I think that is the most important fact to listen to. Your body is telling you not yet and I feel you should listen to it - only you know how you feel and if it doesn't feel right then it's not wise to push things.

As for me I went back to work 6 weeks after my tx - yes that is on the "quick" end of the various transplantees around here and I know this, but I think my situation was aided by several factors:

- it was summer here at the time, so warm weather
- I could go back part time and work my way in if I wanted (that only really lasted a few weeks though as I felt I could handle more and more, and my tx clinic/labs were lowered)
- I felt pretty good and was going out of my brain sitting at home. A tx doc said to me in one clinic "So when are you going back to work?" and I queried things like getting sick from a co-worker or stressing out my body/kidney too much etc... he said well yes I could sit at home but hey I go out to do grocery shopping ight? I come to the hospital to do clinic - I interact with people and sources of germs etc there.. my chances of sitting at my dsk job in front of a computer as about the same as long as I used common sense around people, cleaned often, used my hand sanitiser etc...

but again I stress that was me... and I did well (I worked right up to my tx btw). I also had a very supportive bunch of co-workers and managers who  knew me right through D and always supported whatever I needed medically (ie days off, come in late, whatever if I wasn't well) and there was trust of working there for so long and that really helped me because I felt comfortable on the odd ocacasion I felt it was too much for me I could speak up and they would be cool. I guess they knew  my work ethic and that I wasn't doing it to get out of work or whatever. So I was very blessed in multiple ways (and still am, as I still work with them). Everyone is different.

I do say definitely listen to what your body is telling you - you know yourself better than anyone.