Hi,
I hope you are well. I was just wondering if you could share some experiences. I have just finished my treatment (mastectomy and 6 chemos), and I am due back to work (1.5 hours drive each way and working with ill people) - how long after finishing treatment do people go back to work?? Some people told me it is important first to recover for a year before going back???
i am in the middel of chemo and had a WLE. Got radiotherapy next and work actually said to me youll be off a good year to do treatnent and recover. im a midwife and got a very physcial job. I am aiming to return sooner as so broke but work seemed fairly sure i would need a year at least and def at least a month after radio finishes.
good luck
x
I work as a TA with primary school, have been off since Nov 08 when I had WLE followed by lymph node clearance, started chemo in Jan, finished end June, Radiotherapy ended 6th Aug, see ONC next Thursday to arrange Herceptin, my DR thinks I should be aiming to go back after Christmas depending on how I feel with Herceptin. I am lucky that I have been able to get ESA in the support group after my pay finished, so not suffering too much financially as a I only work 15hrs. Everyone is different, someone I know has worked all the way through don’t know how she managed!!
Take each day as it comes.
Hi there
I was a bursar in a boys’ secondary school. I had my surjery June 2008 and returned to work (part-time) in September 08. I was climbing the walls at home and needed to get back to some sort of normality. Everyone’s different but I needed the ‘normality’ of getting back to work. It worked for me.
Mal x
Hi, i too have a long daily commute, and I work long hours in a very stressful job, although its not physical, like yours Evie.
I have been told to expect about a year, having had WLE, just started chemo, then radiotherapy and then hormone treatment (aromatase inhibitors). May also need oophorectomy if chemo doesn’t trigger menopause (but it should as I’m 50) and that might add time on.
To be honest, I’m not sure I can face going back to the way I was living before I was diagnosed - I have been here before 12 years ago and went back to work after 15 weeks (initial diagnosis and WLE followed by mastect) after some not very subtle pressure from my boss at the time but it was counterproductive to go back so soon as I ended up off again and on anti depressants.
bottom line is I think we each have to find a way that suits us and go when we are ready, and not bow to pressure from anyone else. I really hope you find a way and timing thats right for you
best of luck
Monica x
ps - Evie, never ‘spoken’ to you before but love seeing the pic of you and your lovely little girl. Am partial to midwives, my sis is one x
Hi ive just decided to go back to work,ive been off since march this year. Had mastectomy,reconstruction and chemo,just started herceptin last week. My GP has agreed that i go back as long as its light duties,my employer is letting me go back part-time,im going to do 21 hrs and build up to my 37 hrs between now and axmas,they said i could do flexi hours so as long as i do the hours over the week im ok, which means if i feel tired by lunch time i can go home and also fit around hospital apps and possible SE from herceptin Its my decision to go back even though my manager thinks its to soon. julie x
Hi
I would really think carefully before rushing back to work. I was one of the people that rushed back to work after my first treatmant, mastectomy and radio. I only worked part time 25 hours a week but use to catch everything that went around. When i had my secondary i was silly and worked during my chemo for the first few months and then went off work. I had radio after that but went back to work for 17 hours a week 3 months after i finished by rads. I have sent the last year picking up evrything you can imagion and being off sick a lot. Now besided to reduce my hours to 17 per week in the hope that my heath will pick up. The moral of this story is if you can affoid to stay off work for a year after you finish your treatment and take up a nice relaxing hobby i would do so. I really wish that i had taken that year out and given my body a chance to rest and recover.
Everyone is differnt but you do have 3 hours travelling a day and you are working with sick people. I worked with young children and i really paid the price.
Please think carefully and if you need any more help please feel free to ask.
Hello 21, I think you should wait awhile before making any decision about going back to work just yet. First I think you have to be kind to yourself as you have been through a very stressful ordeal and you need to give your body a breather. But when you do decide to go back there are lots of things to consider…It depends the type of job you are doing and the hours… your age…what other committments you have etc. A talk with a BCN or someone who knows your “case” could perhaps advise what would be best for you. Don’t rush into any quick decision. For the record I was 39, had chemo first then the mastectomy with reconstruction, and worked in a physically demanding job with the Blood Transfusion Service. I went back in the October, 4 months after my op. But I was working part-time and my workmates were a fabulous caring bunch who looked after me well. I felt by that time I was ready…but you will know yourself when the time is right. I do think the 3 hour daily commute is not ideal after such an ordeal as you have had and you are bound to be tired nomatter how hard/easy your work is. Take your time and talk to people you can trust like the Breast Care Nurse at the hospital you attend, or if you have a Maggie Centre near you contact them. Hope this helps and doesn’t cause more confusion. Be kind to yourself for a wee while yet. Love from Val ( Scottishlass) X
my commute is two hours each way that is the bit that is worrying me more than the actual 8 hour shift when i get there.
can you get a phased return to work? so you can maybe do a 4 hour shift 2 or 3 days a week to start with and build back up to your regular hours… especially as you havent been working it could be too much for you to start back at your normal hours after being off so long and after having such punishing treatment.
i work as a nurse but in a clinic to its not physically hard work and dont really have sick patients but it is busy and i do have to carry out procedures like implanon insertions and smear tests and must admit because of vein damage and pain i am a little concerned how this will impact on my job… but chemo and rads dont finish to the end of the year so ill cross that bridge when i come to it.
take some time and be good to yourself cos nobody else will.
Lxxxx