.. to send this message to my knobhead of a boss about a day's sick leave yesterday?

[Bluestocking]

Background; I get terrible menstrual migraines. These are much less frequent now that I'm perimenopausal, but I do still get the occasional one. i got one yesterday and knobhead boss sent me an email with "are you feeling better?" in subject line and no text.
Can I send this or is it too fighty?

Dear (knobhead boss)
Yes, thanks, I am feeling much better today.

I was sorry to learn that you said yesterday to (knobhead boss?s PA) that I?d phoned in sick ?again?, loudly enough for other colleagues to overhear. I looked back at my sickness record for this calendar year (which I cut and pasted into my message ? 5 days since January) and while it?s not perfect, I don?t think it?s anything out of the ordinary. As I?m sure you are aware, I am rarely actually ill, but am occasionally incapacitated by migraines. I realise that it?s inconvenient for you when this happens, but believe me, it?s far worse than inconvenient for me. I would much, much rather spend the day at work than spend it prone in a darkened room with an excruciating headache, nausea and dizziness. As I?ve suffered from monthly migraines for most of my adult life, I?ve probably wasted a full year of my life in this way; this is a matter of considerable regret to me.

I have, as you know, had a consultation with Occupational Health (February 2013) about sick leave associated with migraines. If you think I should go back for another discussion, I would be more than happy to do so.

Regards
Bluestocking

Op i also take amitriptyline 10mg and nanadol 80mg daily to try to prevent migraines. They have reduced mine greatly. I was getting one every other week and they went on for days till i tried this.

Am surprised that so many people feel 5 days off in 8 months isn't excessive. It may not be for someone with a recurring condition, like op, but just for a healthy person with no underlying health issues. 5 days in 8 months would be what, 10 days in a year? Surely that isn't a normal amount of sickness?

I think you should go to work if you have a common cold. Not if you have a temperature, or strep throat, or incredibly bad sinus pain or whatever. But just a common cold ... yes, you should.

asmallandnoisymonkey

Rotfl.

Laugh all you want asmall but not many companies these days would tolerate that amount of sickness over a short amount of time.

Bluestocking Does your employer have a sick note on file from the doctor explaining that you are prone to hormonal migraines? Is so, then absences for migraine are surely covered; if not, then you are your own worst enemy really.

Yep most companies are that way. Long job was 3 in 3 months warning and my temp job was 3 in 6! Long job didnt give a toss whether i was off with migraines or my back damage, both of which were on my file.

Meant to be 3 absences in 3 months was a warning and temp job 3 absences in 6 months.

5 separate absences is quite a lot imo.

5 days together is one absence of 5 days.

My employer (fab and really employee friendly) would have put disciplinary measures in place for the former.

I have to agree that that is a lot of sick days.

I can't imagine how anyone thinks this isn't excessive. The fact is that someone off for frequent odd days like this for whatever reason runs the risk of proceedings leading to dismissal on ill health capability if their health doesn't improve. You can't reasonably expect businesses to retain employees whose absence affects performance and outcomes for the organisation.

Hi hun x x i have poor sick because of migraines... I cant drive with tnem because of dizzyness etc and have had scans etc.... Work is an hour drive away with no public transport and i drive in work so it is difficult... I think a one line are you ok is poor for a line manager but only send said respopnse if you want a disciplinary... Although you can explain the migraines lol x x hugz and good luck

I lovesooty... 5 days sick in 8 months is a low bradford score so no issue with sickness... 5 x 5 is 25 bradford scores have to be over 100 to be bad... So if ou had a week off then a coup,e of days it would be worse... Migraines are debilitating

5 days sick in 8 months is a low bradford score so no issue with sickness... 5 x 5 is 25 bradford scores

You obviously don't understand how Bradford points work.

It's only 25 points if the 5 days were consecutive.

I know how the Bradford score works, thank you Steff

My point is that employers can't accommodate illness indefinitely to the detriment of the business.

If i was off for 6 consecutive days that would be another warning. Op what do you take currently to get rid of them?

A couple of my friends have migraines and it's absolutely dreadful for them. I really feel for you, it's not as if you are enjoying your time off or can help it. Imo that amount of sick days would be quite alot if it happened constantly, by that I mean, you did it every 6 weeks for over a year. I don't think responding to your employer like that is a good idea but I do sympathise with you. I contracted a really horrible virus that has given me some serious health issues over the last 18 months. I have tried extremely hard to go to work (unless I've actually been in hospital) but I have had to have more time off than usual. Thank god my employer has been supportive. I know it is incredibly hard for employers but if people are genuinely ill it is not their fault. It can happen to anyone.

Migraines arent nice, i know, i get them too. I dont think the e mail is appropriate, especially given the question asked.

I dont know you or your boss, so can only speak from my own experience as a manager. When someone calls in sick, it is me who has to handle the shit storm. Im the one who has to reallocate work to others in the team, who usually tut, bitch and make snide comments about the one who is off, and huff about having to take on their work...again! Which isnt pleasant.

However, these are the same colleagues who are nice to the person who has been off's face, saying what a nob the boss is and shit stir about what the boss supposedly said about you calling in sick...again! It sounds to me like the colleague who says what the boss or others have said in your absence, is trying to make others the scapegoat for what they really want to say.

The nobhead boss has to try to keep everyone happy and maintain credibility in the team, and is seemingly there to take attitude from those in the office getting the extra work and from the one being off!

Another poster said to go by fact. The only fact you have is that your boss has asked how you are.

Dont tell me you dont bitch about colleagues, and you obviously do about your boss. How would you feel if someone overheard your conversation and fed it back. If it was said infront of the team that is one thing but a private conversation is another. Your boss is only human too, and allowed to have feelings too.

You seem to be conscious of what others think when you are off. All you need to think is if you are genuinely ill then what does it matter what others think?

5 days sickness in 8 months is a lot, if they are separate occasions, but then I guess some people do get sick. In my office, if there are 3 days of sickness in any 3 month period then you have to go to an Occupational Health interview to discuss. I think at that point you can take in supporting evidence e.g. doctor's letter. Our employers have just announced that they are looking at not paying sick pay for the first 3 days of sickness in any calendar year, which I suspect means that many people will end up coming to work when they are really too ill.

Morloth Thu 22-Aug-13 22:31:48
Take the Sumatriptan even if the migraine is already burning. It won't be as effective but it might downgrade it to a bad headache that you can push through.

DP's consultant told him that doing this turned the sumatriptan into nothing more than an extremely expensive painkiller and was a waste of a good drug. He was basically told that if he was late taking the sumatriptan he was to use normal painkillers instead, to try and manage the migraine instead of try to prevent it.

Fry i used to
Take that, but if i took as soon as felt one coming on it just made it come on quicker and hous later would have to take another one anyway