I had a stroke 6 weeks ago. Rehab is going alot faster than the everyone expected it to. Now using a walking stick and at times i dont need it. My left arm/hand has alot more mobility too. I work in an office and even though im in no rush to return id like some form of plan going forward. The only contact I have with drs etc is that I see my OT once a week. When I ask about what the time line is about returning to work they just say everyone is different. Just wondering what everyone’s experiences have been about work
@NicholaF There is no timeline. Someone in my work had 2 years off, someone had 9 months off, someone has 4 weeks off, I had 4 months off but went back too soon. Take your time. I wish you well
@NicholaF , @IreneFC is right. Don’t rush recovery. If you need help moneywise, try claiming Universal Credit. gov.uk is a site to look at. You could also claim disability money. If you know where your Job Centre Plus is, contact them. Doesn’t hurt to try.
Hi @NicholaF, as someone who was in the same boat and rushed back without a clear plan or more likely denial I would suggest taking your time and have a good plan.
You may need some adaptations or a clear phased return possibly both. I went back too soon then taken from work to hospital, got a proper dressing down but gave me time off to reflect and now back safely and doing OK.
I agree with @IreneFC, @Jbob and @JohnnyBoy81 answers. Wanting to return to work is a normal reaction after a stroke as it was the norm prior to your stroke. The main thing to remember is it is called work for a reason, it requires some kind of effort.
I pushed for a return with my Neuro rehab consultant who eventually relented. After six months he structured a plan with my employers for two days a week and only 4 hours in total, I had a management desk job. I failed as I was not ready or capable. He told me he knew I would fail as I was not ready.
Take it easy, rest and recover properly and remember to not run before you can walk.
Your brain needs at least 6 months before returning to work. That at least, gives it enough time to mop up and clear out any debris after the stroke. And it can get everything that wasn’t damaged from the stroke, back online. That’s what gives everyone the false impression of having a quick recovery. Everyone falls for that one.
But the brain still has repairs to be made, new pathways to find for signalling to get through, if it can. And that takes longer, and at a much slower rate than those first 6 months.
Chances are, that when you return to work, you will wind up reducing your hours or number of days. Because a stroke brain just can’t do the job of a fully functioning brain (your pre-stroke brain). It’s the same as asking one man to do the job of 10 men. It can’t be done without something going bang. You don’t need another stroke.
The first thing to kick in is fatigue. When the brain has had enough, fatigue is the brain’s safety valve/net. That ensures you give it a rest. And that can take anything from an hour to a couple of days depending on how far you’ve pushed it’s limits. So know your limit before you start back to work
Welcome to the community, I’m sorry to hear about your stroke.
It sounds like you’re making great progress so it’s only natural to be thinking about work. As others have said, it’s important not to rush this process. We have some information on our website about returning to work which may be helpful for you to have a read over.
I hope you’ll find this community helpful and if you need anything whilst you’re using the Online Community, please don’t hesitate to tag me using the @ symbol and my username.
Hi & welcome @NicholaF good to hear you are progressing well.
With regards to returning to work the timeline varies for everyone. I am an office worker and it was 18 months before I was able to return to work. This was due to fatigue and cognitive issues. Whilst I was keen to return sooner I think for me that would have been the wrong call as I would not have been able to cope.
I wonder if you could ask your employer to do an occupational health assessment for you which can advise on any ongoing issues you may have and what if any adjustments could be put in place to enable a smooth return to work for you. As an example I went back on reduced hours starting at two to three hours a week and building up from there. Even that was too much for me initially and I really struggled with fatigue. However I persevered and things eventually got easier.
Try not to underestimate how tired it will make you. My advice would be to make sure you are completely ready to return before you do but there are many benefits to returning work.
Welcome to the community @NicholaF - Excellent advice from our regular members and what you have been told i.e. everyone is different.
So what does this mean?
Listen to your body. Think carefully and do not rush back. When you do, pace yourself and if appropriate do a phased return. Carry out a review once started to see if things are as expected and don’t be rushed into doing this. There is no need to rush. Work at your pace and listen to your body.
Nichola, good luck with returning to work. My only Advice is dont rush it? I was retired but have started a new job (part time) post stroke and did this about 3 months in. There is no right time though do it when u feel u r ready. My only suggestion is to talk to you boss/employer have an avenue available that you can back off if necessary so you are not under pressure. Don’t go rushing things and remember you are more important than the job!
Good luck friend and if you can say how things go?
Have a great day…..
Thanks so much foryour replies . They mean alot and have really helped me. Was maybe getting ahead of my self so will just take it easy and not worry about work
