Latest news about work.....

• by Janey L
• 2011-11-08 05:11:54
• Surgery & Recovery
• 1208 views
• 4 comments

Hi all
Just to update you on how I'm getting on back at work. This is my 3rd week back (went back 6 weeks after PM implant).

The Occupational Health Dr at work (UK) is only allowing me to work 4 days a week, for 4 hours each day (8.30-12.30). I have to say I find I am exhausted by 12.30 & am really pleased he has put these restrictions on. Initially my manager wanted me to work my full hours as soon as I went back but after 2 days I was already running into problems with exhaustion & felt terrible by day 3. That was the day I saw the Dr & he took one look at me & said "no" to full hours.

I am working these reduced hours for a month, then seeing the Occ Health Dr again for further review. At the moment they are all I can manage. My arrythmia nurse has given his full support to the reduced hours & has said he is relieved I'm on them as he was very concerned about me overdoing things & ending up back in hospital unwell.

Since the Occ Health Dr got involved, my managers now fully support his decision & are being very supportive with me, thankfully.

I e-mailed my arrythmia nurse this week to keep him updated & let him know I am just about managing these hours, but I do feel exhausted by 12.30 (I work in a busy NHS hospital & my job involves a lot of running around the hospital, it is quite physical). He said it will take time for me to build up my strength/stamina again & I need to take as much time as it needs. He said I'll have good days & some bad days but it's ok, that is normal. As time goes on I will get stronger. He said to get as much rest as I need when I'm at home.

Apart from trying to get back to normal at work, everything else is going well. Have had 2 adjustments to the PM settings so far (increase in resting HR to 75 & a change to my rate response settings). Feel better with the changes. The PM techs are making adjustments gradually (rather than big changes all at once) & the changes are definately making it easier to walk & climb stairs/hills.

I don't feel anything in my left arm/shoulder/chest area...which is amazing. I can't see the PM box under my skin (but I can feel it if I touch my skin) & I have actually started to forget it is even there as my left side just feels totally normal again. Considering the amount of pain I felt in the first few weeks, I'm amazed I can't feel anything at all now.

I was so unwell before the PM, now my life is SO much better with it. I could barely walk or function before (I had sick sinus with chronotropic incompetence, after an ablation in June) but now it is just wonderful to be able to do everything again. Just got to build my strength/stamina up now. But I've read other posts on here where people say it has taken them months to get back to normal in that respect, & I'm only 8 weeks post-op. The arrythmia nurse said it will probably take a few months too.

I'm getting there!! Just a bit further to go......

Best wishes to you all
Janey