AIBU to take the full six weeks signed off after surgery?

[Phoneshop]

I’ve just had a surgery on my kidney and bladder. Before this I’ve been ill for about 5 months, on and off. The consultant that did the operation has given me a fit note for 6 weeks. When I gave it to HR they did start to ask a few questions about why I need so much time off as it now counts as long term sick leave.

Would you still take the time off? I feel guilty now. I’m 1 week in to my recovery and have a lot of pain especially as I currently have a catheter and a ureteric stent. They’re both very uncomfortable and impact my sleep.

Can this cause me to lose my job?

You take the time you need - and don’t rush as then you’ll delay recovery. I had a note for 4 weeks once but was genuinely well enough after 10 days so I went back. Another time after surgery it took longer and they had to extend the time off. Listen to your body and put your health first! However I don’t think people should take longer than they need.

It depends, I took 6 weeks recovery after spinal surgery still ended up out of job.
If they are determined to get rid, then they’ll get rid.

Last year came close to sepsis and losing a limb but rushed back to work with the fear of temporary nature of contract only to then have current employer ramp up the non working and 2 banks holidays in the time I was hospitalised for so I look like a terrible employee upon production of a stupid fit note only made available following and towards end off hospital stay.

ACAS cannot tell my the rights of the matter so I give up - someone in past has tried to say they are right because it simply involves company sick pay.
If I’d received SSP it would have made a glaring difference who knew.

I regularly hear people with the severity of the condition I had take 3 months off yet I’m penalised returning in under 14 days after leaving a hospital where I was duly treated I didn’t willing go into that hospital for full bed and board.

Most UTI's are caused by bacteria, most of them e-coli. Don't think it's an immune system thing, nor age or how busy at work.

It was a very difficult time. It was during Covid so my life was on hold as I couldn’t risk getting Covid and delaying surgery. To be fair it was amazing once I got over the worst part of the recovery, it became much more insignificant. (Although I then ended up with some other issues unrelated to the previous surgery) I see it as a barometer and keep comparing back to the worst point when I was in icu. If I got through that, I can get through anything!
But it is a massive thing and you need to acknowledge that and don’t let your work make it feel less.

I was signed off for 4 months after major surgery, well, was self-employed but recently took a contract on. My 'boss' was initially kind and understanding but after a couple of months she was getting fed up and pushing me to return. I went back as soon as I was able to drive and go back home to live alone (I'd been recovering at my parents) but it was a mistake because she then sent me overseas on an assignment. I remember being in a lot of pain trying to move my suitcase around and walking so far. I found the next month or so really hard while I was trying to heal and working 16 hour days.

Don't get bullied into returning early, you don't mean to be sick, nobody does. Just look after you properly and make sure doing good before returning. If that takes the 6 weeks, take them. I hope you have a good recovery OP and the pain subsides soon.

HR are not qualified to have an opinion that varies from the surgeon who actually operated. That is a serious overstep on their part. Awful. Allow yourself to recover OP

You've been given six weeks. Take it. Companies have no loyalty. Fuck 'em.

I haven't RTFT but your recovery is absolutely crucial and it is essential that it all goes smoothly and that you don't get any infection or relapse/ complications. It is a big thing to get over and HR may simply have no idea especially if you look alive and ok on the surface . So definitely you must concentrate totally on recovering and not getting any further problems.

If your immune system is compromised/suppressed/low you are less likely to be able to fight off the infection.

'When I gave it to HR they did start to ask a few questions about why I need so much time off' ask them if they are medical professionals and if they have experience of this surgery and the recovery time? Then tell them the person who has got experience of this said 6 weeks recovery.

I don't think minor surgeries suppress the immune system by a massive amount though and if it does it's very short lived. I think to be honest the GP was being polite and kind which is no bad thing because age has a bigger factor on the immune system.

Im currently off work as I'm recovering from surgery. I still dont feel well enough and i have been getting my sick lines extended by doctor.

My boss is in contact once a week, either for a touching base phone call or to have me for an official meeting to check on my progress as she follows company procedure.

I do feel guilty and slightly harassed. But I cant do my job. I have another meeting soon so reading this thread with interest.

My boss is just following company procedure but it makes an already stressful time even more stressful. I ferl pressured to return. At the end of the day I have a sick line so why all the contact needed and box ticking meetings.

This week Ive started going out on my own to meet friends for a coffee on Monday and Tuesday for 2 hours each time and it's left me tired and sore afterwards. I feel like I am pushing myself to test what I can cope with.

I still feel I need more time so if I need to get another sickline then I will have to do that.

I dont want to go back, prolong the time it takes to heal or find it too much and have to go off sick again, therefore starting an additional period of abscence.

Your surgery sounds worse than mine. I hope you feel better soon. 💐

As an aside @Phoneshop …. Perfect timing! Recovery in the garden sunbathing but don’t post SM pics fgs!

I’m wondering why HR has even had such a conversation with you about this. Surely all you did was send in your fit note? Did HR contact you after they received it - because that’s not on!

How was this conveyed to you? Verbally or in an email?

Just take the time off, it really won’t matter in the grand scheme of things. I’m currently off and HR have been amazing, we all have the mindset that ‘one recovery’ is the aim (I had a sudden neurological event which meant I also need a delightful catheter) rather than going back too soon and going off again, which would be more disruptive. You only have one body, work is work x

Op,

I took 3 weeks off just for a quick gallbladder removal.

Honestly, take it all off and put yourself first.

I worked for my last company for 10 years, had a period of 6 straight years with no sick days and i was still made redundant. They wouldn’t give you any medals for not taking any time off sick if you weren’t ill.

Best of luck with your recovery. Must be awful with young kids as well x

Ureteric stents are notoriously uncomfortable so this doesn't sound unusual as your consultant said. Definitely take the full 6 weeks off- If you went back early then had to go off sick again then it would count as 2 episodes and would be worse on your sickness record than one longer episode. Hope you start to feel better soon, sounds like you've been through it!

To be fair, nhs is explicit that you should be able to continue working normally unless physical work

Bloody hell most people are able to return to work the day after placement of a uretarel stent!

Depending on what your employers policies are will depend on how they treat your long term absence.
After a certain amount of time people can go onto half pay, then nil pay. And then if the absence cannot be tolerated the employer will seek to part company.

But. The most important thing is your health. Now. The surgeon has given you six weeks to recover. So try to do that. Your employer should not question the note the Dr has given you at all.

Get well soon. And hopefully you can be back at work.

I have found the NHS guidance quite detached from reality so far especially when regards to the nephrostomy. Their advice says you can live a normal life with one of those which isn’t really the case.

Given the ureteric stent is normally placed until general anaesthetic I’m surprised you would return to work the following day. Isn’t the usual advice not to drive or make important decisions etc?

when is yours being removed?
how did HR raise this with you? Verbally or by email?

Yes but the OP didn't just have a ureteric stent fitted she had 4 hour robotic surgery to reconstruct her ureter. So a stent in a ureter that has just been repaired is going to be very uncomfortable. There are different reasons for stents and pain from them is very common. I used to work in urology so saw this all the time. If you had a daycase procedure and stent insertion then yes, you effectively could go back to work when it is put in but that is very different to what has happened here.

I agree with this - definitely take the full 6weeks, your health is the most important thing here.

However, I always find the "if you died they'd replace you" thing a very weird thing to say! Why wouldnt they replace you?- if every single business never replaced anyone who passed away out of respect for their memory, then businesses wouldnt be able to function after enough time had passed and would end up closing and everyone would lose their jobs.

Similarly, if your work place ended up closing because the MD died, you'd equally just find another job - you wouldnt stay unemployed out of respect for your former boss! sorry that was off on a tangent but I just find that saying a bit silly