I just suffered a secondary pneumothorax, how long should I take off work recovering?
I’m being pressured to return to work and it hasn’t been a week since I was given emergency chest drain treatment in hospital. My condition is COPD and I’m 53 yrs old. I’m unable to walk more than 20 yards without becoming extremely breathless. My work is sedentary but stressful and requires commuting.
3 weeks. max.
You need to consult with your GP but I would suggest you take off at least 2-3 weeks. Get back into it gradually. You don’t want to overdo it. You say that you can only walk 20 yards without getting breathless, I would ask your GP for some advice from a physio and OT in regards to work simplication and energy conservation. Take it easy. You need to let your body recover. Your boss needs to understand this.
It is not really possible to give you an absolute answer. All patients are different and as a conditition affects them there is always a soil and seed situation. 4 Weeks would seem a reasonable start and then take it from there.