Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Broken rib and work

27 replies

Pebbles16 · 24/02/2016 19:47

First time on AIBU. Please be gentle. Not least because I have broken ribs.
Accident. Broke ribs at weekend. Went in to work on Monday. Passed out in pain and was sent home. Pain is actually getting worse as the week goes on.
Can work from home very effectively and have been told my colleagues not to come in. BUT... Feel hugely guilty about taking time off for something that was my fault (for being clumsy), bored out of my skull (although I'm working, there's a lot of Jeremy Kyle on the TV!)
AIBU to just suck it up, get on the tube and go in tomorrow? Or shall I sit amongst pillows and feel enormously annoyed?

OP posts:
PennyHasNoSurname · 24/02/2016 19:50

Get a sick note / fit to work note and Stay Off.

LadyIsabellaWrotham · 24/02/2016 19:52

Is there a particularly dull/ difficult job at work that you've been putting off? Do that, but stay home.

comedycentral · 24/02/2016 19:54

Just rest and recover! You are ill, there is more to life than work. You will get better quicker if you rest.

AyeAmarok · 24/02/2016 19:55

Work from home, of course.

What if you get elbowed or squished on the tube?

There's being a martyr and there's just plain daft (no offence!).

Work from home.

And unfortunately ribs get worse before they get better. Flowers

CalicoBlue · 24/02/2016 20:00

If you worked for me and I had told you to stay at home, then you came in obviously still in pain, I would not be impressed.

If you can work from home, do so and give your ribs time to heal.

Becca19962014 · 24/02/2016 20:05

I can second broken ribs get worse before better, and keeping going as I did and not resting is likely to mean they take longer to heal. You can't fully rest broken ribs because as my dr told me when I broke mine, as "you can't stop breathing and fully rest them", just in case you weren't aware of that as he assumed I wasnt Hmm Grin

Seriously, take care and rest. Do give serious consideration to a sick note. I needed heavy pain killers with mine in the end and they made me really drowsy, couldn't do much at all.

I totally appreciate it's boring I stopped work almost ten years ago due to disability and it's still boring!!! but rest = recovery and back to your usual routine sooner rather than later.

Original poster
Pebbles16 · 24/02/2016 20:51

Oh I love you people. Thank you. I have a chronic health condition which means I am super averse to taking time off work. I just thought "a broken rib" well that's a little bone on the side. I am becoming aware that I'm possibly a bit daft!

OP posts:
londonrach · 24/02/2016 20:53

Op please look after yourself. Either work from home or better still rest and get better x

Original poster
Pebbles16 · 24/02/2016 21:06

I think if I can putin a fairly solid amount of work remotely I don't need a sick note (hopefully). Am on (self prescribed) paracetamol and codeine and (dr recommended) ibuprofen on rotation. Ibuprofen doesn't touch the pain and I have gut problems so don't like taking too much

OP posts:
Becca19962014 · 24/02/2016 21:09

You aren't daft. Don't think that, I'm sure no one who replied does. Just realise that bruising will be coming out now and so it's hurting more. Be kind to yourself Flowers

AyeAmarok · 24/02/2016 21:09

I broke a few ribs recently, through blatant stupidity; that it was my own fault did not make the pain any less intense. Moreso in fact, as I had, in addition, hurt pride Blush

Just take it easy, it gets much better after about 2 weeks.

Original poster
Pebbles16 · 24/02/2016 21:09

Put in. Obviously. The Russian president is not involved in my broken ribs!

OP posts:
Becca19962014 · 24/02/2016 21:10

You may need stronger pain relief as time goes on, it's common for ribs to get a lot worse before better, don't suffer it, ask for the medication if you need it.

Becca19962014 · 24/02/2016 21:11

(Hopefully that doesnt sound too patronising! Sorry if it does!!)

Muskateersmummy · 24/02/2016 21:13

Know exactly how you feel. I feel so guilty being off work. I'm about to get another sick note having been off for 6 weeks, but I'm still unable to drive or sit at a desk for more than a short spell. You need to rest and recover properly.

Get well soon Flowers

Stoneagemum · 24/02/2016 21:14

You may want to take something for constipation due to the codeine, straining with broken ribs is not pleasant as I found out Blush

Original poster
Pebbles16 · 24/02/2016 21:19

Stoneagemum (have no idea how you do that copy thing), tbh that might be a welcome change. Trying not to be tmi!

OP posts:
olivesnutsandcheese · 24/02/2016 21:30

DH broke a rib recently, the doctor phoned him and recommended a week of rest as a minimum to help him recover. He wfh for a week and it did really help. I second it gets worse before it gets better. Now two weeks on, it's really getting better.

Wear slippers or slip on shoes too, DH nearly cried trying to tie shoe laces

ArabellaRockerfella · 24/02/2016 21:35

I was in agony for 6/7 weeks with a broken rib! When not in pain I was zombies out on pain killers! Don't know how you can even consider work!

Coldwatebay · 24/02/2016 21:35

Definitely no work. Make sure you take painkillers regularly, no prizes for being a martyr and you will recover quicker if you're not in pain. Also avoid anyone with a cold - you don't want to be coughing and sneezing

Elefant1 · 24/02/2016 21:37

I second Stoneagemum's comment. I usually have the opposite problem due to IBS and nearly laughed when the doctor said constipation could be problem when I had to take codine when I hurt my back. It was horrible and I was in far more pain from it than the back pain (sorry for TMI but it would be really bad with broken ribs).

catsinthecraddle · 24/02/2016 21:38

Work from home if you can! I am sure your colleague will see that the work is being done.

I went to work with a broken rib, and my god it's exhausting. I really struggled, the pain does make you weak. Commuting was hell. No one made me, but I was the only female in the company, so I had to prove that girls are tough, even with long hair and heels. No regret there.

Pack on vitamin C, you don't want to catch a cold, sneezing is torture!

Original poster
Pebbles16 · 24/02/2016 21:48

Thank you all. Vit c a good idea although frankly being stapled to the sofa (thanks DH) might mitigate my chance of coming into contact with germs. I am not very good at taking advice but you bunch of strangers are much easier to listen to than others (wtf does that say about me?!). Oh bum, the worse before it gets better seems to be true. I'm going to take drugs and lie on the good side. Thanks all

OP posts:
HeyNonnyMaybe · 24/02/2016 21:53

Tell us how you broke the rib!

Original poster
Pebbles16 · 24/02/2016 21:53

Becca. Certainly not patronising. Thanks. I think I've been patronising myself. Honestly it's a titchy bone, no lifting involved in life (apart from the kettle which is bit ouchy). Yep. I'm just a bit in denial

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread