To not go back to work this week?

[mosschops30]

I dont know what to do!
I have a really stressful job, its hard work, and very heavy, our patients have to be turned 3 hourly, which means 4 times in one shift, and thats just your own patient, of course you help everyone else too.
Ive been seeing my osteopath for 3 months now, it gets better and then when i go back to work its just as bad if not worse than it was. Luckily my insurance picks up the bill, but it wont forever.
Before i went off on holiday i went to see a consultant as i had lots of headaches, neck and back pain, numbness in my fingers and have become clumsy.
Anyway i need a scan and possible surgery. Scan will probably be done this week.

I dont want to go into work feeling like this, i cannot roll patients and im worried that im just causing more damage.

But sickness in work does not go down well, i am lucky to have a job with great hours that fit round our life.

WWYD?

If you are unwell, you are unwell.
If I am exhausted and not feeling ok I get clumsy and that is a problem in itself.
You should take time off if you think you need it.
Hope things go ok for you :)

But am not 'unwell' as such which is probably why i feel a bit of a fraud.

Regardless of how sickness is viewed you know you can't back to work until your back problem is under control.nit is as simple as, if you don't you damage whatever is wrong even further. And thn you might not able to return at all.

Look after yourself first, then back to work in a managed way.

Do you have any occupational health support available?

Have you contacted Occupational Health?
They may advise you, and your manager that you shouldn't work.

I felt like that at Christmas, well in my self but could not move well due to back trouble. but returning to work would have exacerbated it so I had to just go with it.

What does your GP say. The new 'fit notes' allow a GP to sign you as fit for work with adjusted duties, the adjusted duties would reasonably say 'no lifting'. It's meant to be a way to get you back to work (as you say, you don't feel unwell) but without harming your undiagnosed problems. Your employer would be in a really bad situation if they don't comply.

Problem with fit to work notes is that they don't always take into account job expectations or how it might affect the problem. The gp can't know that. And, for example my gp knows little abouth back problems generally and my problem is. As yet undignosed like the ops situation, so a fit to worm note would
not be accurate. Occupational health assess the situation specifically related that individual role. It would be much better not to return to work at all until specific advice is available.

Ok, I shall stop posting on the iPad. The typos are horrendous! Sorry.

Yes pavlov i thought that too. Because ive been on holiday i havent spoken to the consultant or occ health, i can do that on monday.
So i was just going to ring my manager and say that until i get the scan results i dont want to come in and do any further harm, but im sure it will go down like a lead balloon

Not about your typos, i meant your post
am also on the ipad which means excessive typos

It might not be popular but it will be less hassle for them than rising further injury and even longer off, and if there is ny chance that your job has caused or contributed to your injur or condition, pressure to return too early would be foolish.

I work in an office, sitting down a lot, no lifting. As soon as I returned to work my boss was very keen to ensure I had a bette chair, foot rest, told me to time breaks and move whenever I had to, get my admin to do more of my work so I did not sit so much, take few days iff if i have too much pain. Immediate referral to oh. Some fear as she does not know at this stage if work has contributed. And she does not want me off again. It is in her best interests in the long run too.

I hope it is not too serious mosschops and you feel better soon

you need an urgent appt with occ health or your consultant, or a phone disucssion at least, to get signed off, even your gp, perhaps?

I am going to ring occ health on monday and my boss. Im just not going back to work risking my back

I don't think you should go back yet, not without involving Occ Health anyway. Hope it gets sorted soon.