Sorry for harping on about my surgery, but I’d be grateful to hear how recovery went for other folks. Six weeks ago I had correction of spondylolisthesis and pinched nerves at L3/4. So, I now have titanium screws and rods holding L3 and L4 together with a cage containing a bone graft in between.
Anyway, recovery going ok, I’m out walking every day, and using my spinning bike a few times a week, but I still get quite tired. The physiotherapist said last week that I was overdoing things a little, and suggested I go easier on myself.
I’m due back at work in mid-Nov with a phased return. However, 5 weeks into my supposed phased return, work are expecting me to go onto a very demanding project that involves working from 20 Dec to end Jan, through Christmas, including weekends, and about 10 hrs per day (no extra pay). When I asked occupational health if that seemed reasonable, I got a vague reply of “see how you feel”. If I wait til mid December and then decide I’m not up to it, I will not be popular and thus will feel pressured to say I feel ok even if I’m not. Maybe I should just MTFU!
I’m interested to know how others who have had similar surgery recovered and got back into demanding jobs.

No direct experience of spinal surgery but from other surgery I have had be guided by the medics, not your boss.

Overdoing it will at best delay your full recovery, at worst set you back to square one. You only get one shot at this life, don’t make it a bad one.

Talk to your boss, explain you have concerns relating to a) your long term health and b) that it may impact successful delivery of the project. See what support they can give, or at least get something in writing confirming that you have made them aware of the risk.

I’ve not had spinal surgery, but I did have a reasonably involved op chopping out a badly infected appendix and surrounding area. I went to work after 6 weeks (at 22 and straight of uni I couldn’t turn down a fantastic job I’d been offered on my sick bed!).

I managed but only by sleeping through the lunch hours under my desk, going to bed early every night and living on superfood smoothies. I wouldn’t do it like that again (particularly with a few more years on the clock). I don’t think I was fully fit for at least six months.

Thanks for your replies. I’m seeing the neurosurgeon in 2 weeks’ time so I’ll be getting his opinion too.
MCTD – good idea about getting something in writing that I made them aware of my concerns.

Vickypea.

I’m in the same boat, but my surgery won’t be as intensive as yours, I hope. I’ve had facet joint and nerve root blocks so far and rushed back to work, over did it, and now worse than I was in March. More injections tomorrow for diagnostic purposes with a new surgeon.

I won’t be making the same mistake again. Personally I think what your employer is expecting is far too much, see the surgeon, get their advice, then ‘tell’ your employer what you’re prepared to do. Not what’s expected, what you will do. Your health is far more important than a project. The world won’t stop if you’re not there. They’ve managed without you so far, they can manage until you are ready and fit to come back full time and 100%.

Take. Your. Time.

There’s plenty of jobs out there. You’ve only got one spine

My climbing buddy had radical surgery to sort a disc problem (removed rib, deflated lung and tackled from inside) and has made a complete recovery. However he now says he realises it took him about a year to recover fully from the operation and the insult to his body.

I’m interested in the spondylolisthesis – what were the symptoms? Mrs Gti got a diagnosis of this (scans show it is mild) but a second opinion on her lower back pain now says this may be a red herring and she may have been living with it for years, and the problem may lie elsewhere.

speaking as line manager and project manager here. Their expectations are unreasonable. Get medical back-up to support that your phased return to work does not cover that level of effort so soon. Set out your medically agreed plan in writing. Unless you’re taking the piss they will accept a plan recommended by your surgeon and/or physio. Someone (not you) needs to pull their finger out and come up with a better plan than “cross our fingers vickypea makes a miraculous recovery”.

Someone else will probably be along soon to tell you to join a union and start planning for a tribunal…

Regardless of the surgery, I wouldn’t be amused if I was asked to do what you are being asked to do at work especially over christmas.

I hope they are making it worth your while.

Yep, vp. I broke my back – burst fractured T5, 6 & 7 in September 2013 (on Leith Hill doing a superman off my bike in a bombhole into the opposite bank head first).

I retain the metal internal brace attached to T4 and 8 which is still periodically uncomfortable.

I supervise a post room and in a team of just me plus one other, have to do a certain amount of lifting and pushing. December in the lead up to Xmas is our busiest time – often on the go with only minimal breaks.

I was out of hospital in one month and spent October at home with visits from the social services and help from friends.

Novemer 5th of that year I was back at work – maximum pain killers and travel by train all the way.

December I got on the Brompton and cycled to and from the stations.

January I deliberately extended the journey to a more distant station.

February I was back to the full 40 mile-a-day commute on the road bike.

During this time I was taking full advantage of the prescription whilst trying to reduce as much as I could by standing as much pain as I could manage.

By the end of August this year I was down to one dose a week and now it’s down to roughly one every fortnight when the irritation becomes too erm, irritating…

I took a few months to build up muscle mass lost after spending a lot of time in the hospital and at home flat on my back and I have been told that I should not have gone back to work so early, but I tend to regard setbacks as challenges and tend to attack these things quite hard.

I suppose if I was in your situation I’d just have a go and then if I couldn’t hack it just say so. I’d probably flag this up now though, so it’s not a surprise if you do…

vickypea, don’t go back to work until you feel ready. don’t go back when they say if you are not ready.
I think because we are active people (cyclists) we tend to feel we need to crack with stuff…we don’t.
take proper time to heal. good luck.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I’ve never had surgery before so I didn’t know what to expect and I’m kind of beating myself up for still feeling tired! I have a desk job, and prolonged sitting will put pressure on my back. Also, it is a stressful job so trying to do it while feeling tired may affect my performance.

Globalti – I’ve had back problems since I was a teenager and you could see and feel the spondylolisthesis as L3 was sticking out. The recent MRI scans and x-Rays showed a bilateral pars defect – basically a stress fracture of the pars, which had destabilised L3, and the excessive movement over the years had totally worn away the disc, and the the exiting nerves were really pinched.

Hooli – they are not even making it worth my while- I will get the missed holidays back but there’s no overtime or bonus.