Get signed off work?

viktory

PinkBatgirl wrote: »

Wso it wasn't a 19 day headache at the time and I was seeing him about my migraines rather than about the chronic headache.

So you will be hurrying back to your Doctors then?

PinkBatgirl wrote: »

I.I'd like to see how well you cope in a stressful working environment with a chronic headache and then tell me that it's not that serious and all you care about is what action your employer will take.

Then pop round because I am dealing with huge amounts of stress - and the attendant headaches etc that come with that stress. You don't have exclusive rights to stress, you know.

PinkBatgirl wrote: »

I thought I'd find out what other people's opinions were

What do other people's opinions matter? Still, if you want them then here is mine. The simple fact is leaving your 'niche' job, living in an area where there is a dearth of jobs, is foolish in the extreme.

You need to find coping mechanisms for dealing with the stress - temporarily running away from the cause of the stress is not a solution. When you eventually return the stresses will still be there. You will also find trying to lived on £60 a week remarkably stressful. You have already admitted that there are absolutely no others jobs in your area available.

PinkBatgirl wrote: »

Finding another job to deal with work/life balance is easier said than done as in Norwich there are very few jobs available as it is and my job is a very niche one, there literally isn't another role for my career path available in Norwich.

So your choices appear to be either get on with it, by dealing with the stress instead of running away or get a totally different job that is not as stressful.

PinkBatgirl

viktory wrote: »

So you will be hurrying back to your Doctors then?

Yes, I'm booking another appointment, the point of my posting this thread was for me to decide if I was going to ask to be signed off while at that appointment

viktory wrote: »

Then pop round because I am dealing with huge amounts of stress - and the attendant headaches etc that come with that stress. You don't have exclusive rights to stress, you know.

Are you telling me that therefore all you care about is what action your employer will take? As that's what you said is true of me when it really isn't!

viktory wrote: »

What do other people's opinions matter? Still, if you want them then here is mine. The simple fact is leaving your 'niche' job, living in an area where there is a dearth of jobs, is foolish in the extreme.

I didn't have a great deal of choices at the time, and I don't want to stay here, but that's a matter for the future and given my choices, I still believe I made the right one, despite my health issues now.

viktory wrote: »

You need to find coping mechanisms for dealing with the stress - temporarily running away from the cause of the stress is not a solution. When you eventually return the stresses will still be there. You will also find trying to lived on £60 a week remarkably stressful. You have already admitted that there are absolutely no others jobs in your area available.

So your choices appear to be either get on with it, by dealing with the stress instead of running away or get a totally different job that is not as stressful.

I wouldn't be living on £60 a week as my boyfriend has offered to support me since his main concern is getting me healthy again.

You will probably be pleased to know that I won't be asking the doctor to sign me off, not least for the reason that it's an important time at work over the next couple of weeks. I'm going to try and get through these 2 weeks and see how I'm feeling by the end of my holiday. If I'm fine on holiday and then sick again when I return to work, that would seem to confirm it is work causing the issue and I'll have to do something about that.

Treacle1983

Hi - Umm it's not in reply to yours particular qestion but about the headaches and migraines.

When did you last get your eye's tested?
You can get perscription lenses that adjust to light that reduce eye strain.

Caffeine/Alcohol - stop these completely - nfortunately for someone with migraines - just one drink could trigger them.

Herbal drinks/Water - lots of it - 2 litres spread over the day - could be that you really aren't getting enough.

Cutting back on processed/Fatty foods - You will really notice the headaches go away - cut back ready meals, takeaways, things like sausages/bacon etc..

Up the healthy protein/fish - BRAIN FOOD - lots of pulses, beans, eggs, lean red meat, fish.

Take some supplements: I take these daily: Wheatgrass powder first thing in a glass of juice, multi vitamin, garlic tablet,

There are also other products on the market like essential oils for your pulse points, and other natural remedies - check out your local health store.

If STRESS really is the main issue - then ask your doctor is you can have some therapist sessions - or take up yoga etc..


If you do get signed off for stress - the doctor will positively encourage you to let your hair down - go on holiday, go out socialising - real stress busters. Sitting at home signed off sick with stress won't help much at all.

Feel free to pm me if you need some more help.

PinkBatgirl

Thanks Treacle1983, it sounds like I could do with improving my diet to try and kick-start my health. I've only just had my eyes tested (because of the migraines) and although they haven't changed much I am still getting new glasses but light isn't something that has bothered me much with the migraines. Caffeine/alcohol I have very little or none of anyway but a few things you said about diet made me sit up and take notice. I think I need some radical changes in that area, thanks!

shreddy

I used to suffer from awful migraines up until a couple of years ago, my doctor suggested I keep a food diary to see if certain foods triggered them..... turns out it was cheese and chocolate! Migraleve also worked really well if taken when the symptoms first started, I always knew when I had one coming because I saw white flashes. I also got pins and needles in my tongue, weakness in my right hand and problems speaking. Thank goodness I only get them very rarely now, I know how debilitating they can be at times!

Hope you feel better soon and sort something out.

SarEl

shreddy wrote: »

I used to suffer from awful migraines up until a couple of years ago, my doctor suggested I keep a food diary to see if certain foods triggered them..... turns out it was cheese and chocolate! Migraleve also worked really well if taken when the symptoms first started, I always knew when I had one coming because I saw white flashes. I also got pins and needles in my tongue, weakness in my right hand and problems speaking. Thank goodness I only get them very rarely now, I know how debilitating they can be at times!

Hope you feel better soon and sort something out.

Oooo - tough call. Migraines or chocolate! Now personally I could manage to forego the cheese....

But I could also recommend Migraleve. I used to get humdingers of migraines (the 3 day pounding pain that makes you homicidal type) and with no warning signs at all. But on the first onset I took them and "graded up" to the next level if that didn't work. The second stage ones always did the trick. I never tracked down a cause (although it was probably too much work) but eventually they disappeared of their own accord.

Zazen999

PinkBatgirl wrote: »

I'd like to see how well you cope in a stressful working environment with a chronic headache and then tell me that it's not that serious and all you care about is what action your employer will take.

I had a bad accident 5 years ago this Sept and smashed my head on the floor after falling down a spiral staircase; and yes I know exactly what it is like to work in a stressful environment with headaches that are so bad they make you physically sick; but there was never any question of giving up work.

I would do all you could to actually identify the cause; with me it was obvious but I've had to have regular chiro and sports massage every few weeks [paid for myself, of course] to relieve the headaches and feel !!!!- a-hoop if I go 3 days without taking painkillers...but it always comes back during the next trip down south as sitting down for long periods brings it on no matter how many car-based exercises I do.

Also, I would recommend finding a stress busting hobby; stress is caused by too much adrenaline in the body which is not used up [the fight/flight instinct is what starts it off, it is kicked off by stressful situations but we don't use it up and it's this which causes our bodies to suffer in the long run] - I used gardening and now have down-shifted and am a professional veggie gardener....but others use gyms to use their excess adrenaline - and others use a good support system and 'talk it out' which helps to use it up. Once you know how stress works it can really help to give you ways of dealing with it.

It used to be my stress of the day started at 6:30 with a call from my director telling me what stupid idea he had come up with next and asking how I was going to deliver; and to have a presentation that he could give to the board over to him by 10...nowadays it's 'where do I get straw and cardboard from to mulch that garden'...and I can say I know which one I prefer!

And I also heartily recommend Migraleve; saw me through many an exec meeting...now I go and stroke a cat or go and say hi to a horse or the ducks at the end of my garden.

dickydonkin

viktory wrote: »

So you will be hurrying back to your Doctors then?



Then pop round because I am dealing with huge amounts of stress - and the attendant headaches etc that come with that stress. You don't have exclusive rights to stress, you know.




What do other people's opinions matter? Still, if you want them then here is mine. The simple fact is leaving your 'niche' job, living in an area where there is a dearth of jobs, is foolish in the extreme.

You need to find coping mechanisms for dealing with the stress - temporarily running away from the cause of the stress is not a solution. When you eventually return the stresses will still be there. You will also find trying to lived on £60 a week remarkably stressful. You have already admitted that there are absolutely no others jobs in your area available.



So your choices appear to be either get on with it, by dealing with the stress instead of running away or get a totally different job that is not as stressful.

Not much sympathy there then!

Unfortunately, as human beings, we are all different and peoples reaction to stress varies tremendously.

Some people thrive on it and actually improves their work performance, unfortunately, many suffer the negative/adverse consequenses.

What needs to be confirmed is that you are actually suffering from work related stress and if so, your employer is duty bound to assess your workload and other potential stressors and attempt to alleviate the causes.

I also suspect that no stress risk assessment has been undertaken by your employer - despite this being one of the biggest causes of lost working time.

Just another thought, if you are going abroad for your holiday - don't forget to inform the provider of your travel insurance that you have visited a doctor and being treated (if that is the case) for your condition.