Time off after surgery

I am really wondering about time off after surgery. I am pretty sure my doctor will say 2 weeks. I want to take 4, but I am not sure FMLA will cover it. My time off will be without pay either way. I am an ultrasound tech and my job can be quite demanding. Once I go back, I will have to 100% immediately, including being pleasant to patients - LOL! I would appreciate any feedback about how long you took off, how good/bad you felt when you went back, and if anyone knows about FMLA ( can I take time without the doc saying so) - I would love to here from you!

 I am not sure about your company but the company I work for requires anyone who is going to be out more than 5 days to file for FMLA. I know alot of people on here differ for the amount of time they take off after surgery. I guess my case is pretty rare but I could be wrong. I had my surgery on a Monday and was back to work the following Monday, although i did cheat and work from home the Friday following surgery. i am currently 9 days post-op and feel just as good as before surgery really no pain at all. I took 2 pain pills since leaving the hospital, just the first night and that was it. But as I said I am more than likly the rare bird. LOL you and only you will know when your body is ready to go back to work. 

I am hoping and praying that will happen to me. Unfortunately, I tend to follow Murphy's law for most of my existence!

I am filing for Short Term Disability and it's paid.  I thought that was pretty standard.  I'm taking 6 weeks off, because that's what my surgeon's office recommends.  Disability will pay 55% of my pay and my company will pay 20%, and allow me to use vacation hours to make up the extra 25% that's not paid while I'm out.  Disability requires a one week waiting period, so that's 40 hours, and the next 5 weeks will be another 50 hours.  I have 70 hours saved up, so I will be out 20 hours of pay in all.  Does your company allow something like this? I'd check if I were you.

California is one of the few states that provides short term disability for everyone.  In other states, you can purchase short term disability insurance just like you can purchase health insurance or car insurance, but many people don't have it.

I have a desk job and had taken a week off but there was no way in heck I could go back.  I ended up taking an additional week off and was very tired and it was rough.  3 weeks would have been ideal for me.  I was very tired for about 6 weeks.  Plus it is a learning curve to living with your new diet etc. 

Good luck!

 I'm only going to take a week & a half, although my surgeon does laproscopic. He recommends 2 weeks to get used to the food plan in the beginning but said I can go back in a week. I'd love to take 2 but can't right now due to work load.

 I ended up going back after six days.  It was horrible.  (Desk job, but high stress).   The biggest problem was that I was so weak and my brain wasn't functioning well.  

I ended up working 2/3rds time for the next three weeks.  Then, for the next six weeks, I worked 50-60 hours a week to make up.  

For FMLA, your doc needs to document how much time you need off.  Why do you think your doc won't agree to four weeks off?

I only planned to take one week off, had complications and ended up being off almost three months.

 I've booked two weeks, for which I used my PTO. I'm a systems analyst, so I have a mostly desk job and my company is pretty flexible about work at home time, if the need presents itself.