Returning to work

[Billybobjimbob]

Hi I’m only 10 days post heart attack and 3 stents , my question is how long until I’ll be able to return to work I’m a cook in a small pub .

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Hello and welcome to the forum! We are all different with different heart conditions.

After a mild heart attack you might be able to return to work after two weeks. However in the kitchen environment it may be one to two months. For heavy physical work it could be longer. Have you been offered rehab? The rehab nurses or your GP should be able to advise you. If possible a phased return is best.

You should also remember that post heart attack that the DVLA say you must not drive for a month and then only after that time with your GP's or cardiologist's permission. On resumption you also need to advise your insurance company.

Good look with your recovery.

[Billybobjimbob in reply to MichaelJH]

Thank you . It’s a small family run pub kitchen I work in so there’s no pressure to return before I’m ready which I’m grateful for . Just curious to know a rough timeframe for getting back to some kind of normality .

[Nathan53 in reply to Billybobjimbob]

I would give yourself at least 6 wks if possible. It's your time to process what has happened, look to the future and anything you may want to do differently and give your body a chance to recover. When you feel ready have you thought about doing a couple of sessions to see how you manage (if that's possible) before going back to your normal pattern. It may be small business but I guess if it guess busy it can be a demanding job

[Billybobjimbob in reply to Nathan53]

Thank you , yes it can be a very demanding job . Thank you for your advice

[SteveMarcliff]

Evening buddy, I got back to work after 8 weeks but only after a meeting with a company appointed nurse interview, (she was independent and very good). I stated with 3 days a week then built it up to full time over 6 weeks. I did get tired and was glad of the extra time off to begin with. On the other hand I also enjoyed getting back to a challenge and getting back into the banter with the lads etc... your trade is a creative one, the buzz you get from it could be therapeutic, but leave space to get rest at first.

[Billybobjimbob in reply to SteveMarcliff]

Thank you for your reply .

[Andyman]

As my job involved flying to foreign climes i was not allowed back to work for 6 months. Even then the company wanted a letter from the cardiologist to confirm it was OK. So really depends on the job and the company.