To ask the GP to sign me off for more than one week at a time (hyperemesis)

[Callie85]

I'm 9 weeks pregnant with my third DC and suffering from horrific hyperemesis. Had it with my DDs from before I even missed a period and was still throwing up in labour. This time round I've already been hospitalised several times, on meds, reporting to the EPU every other day for them to check ketones and bloods. Third time around I know the drill.
I'm also type 1 diabetic which is usually very well controlled but obviously hyperemesis is throwing a real spanner in the woks. I've lost almost two stone, my blood sugars are all over the place, and I am absolutely miserable.

I've coming to the end of my third week signed off work. My GP says he will only sign me off for a week at a time. While I really hope I'll be fine in a weeks time, I know that the likelihood is I'll be pretty seriously unwell for at least another month or two. I've asked to be signed off for a longer period - if nothing else, so that I can give work a proper indication of how long I'm likely to be off!

The whole process of having to drag myself to the GP, explain myself and beg for another note is causing me so much anxiety. He tells me every pregnancy is different and I might improve more quickly with this one! I guess that could be true but I just need some breathing space to get better and not worry about work. I love my job (I work with teenagers with mental health problems, mostly young offenders) but it's heavy going and I am in no way well enough to even make it to the train station for my commute.

Do I need to just suck it up and accept this as a weekly necessity for the next few months? Or can I insist on a note to cover a month?

I know this sounds really silly but the 'admin' involved in being unwell is causing so much stress and anxiety and I just don't feel well enough to advocate for myself at the moment. I guess this post is a bit of a vent more than anything.

Can you see another GP?

Or can someone attend with you to help you advocate for yourself?

Can you get a phone consult rather than having to go in? It would also be an issue if he signed you off for a month and you were better in two weeks.

Or I wonder if your consultant could sign you off instead?

First off, sorry your suffering the torture of HG OP. The reason my doctor gave me for only signing me off one week at a time was because she was hoping she would get the right meds working so I could resume normal life (haha clearly she never had HG)

Just keep calling them every week and tell them the same thing or are they insisting on seeing you every week?

hope it lets up for you soon

Im currently ttc and have always had severe HG, half excited, half crapping myself :-( xx

Tbh I can understand why the GO will only do a week at a time. However you should be able to sort this over the phone and get your fitnote picked up.

HG With my prev pregnancies I meant to say x

I don't think you are unreasonable atall.

I don't have HG but I do have pretty severe sickness that eventually calms down mid afternoon.

If I had to drag myself back and forth to the doctors I don't know how I would cope, you should be resting.

Next appointment, take your DP, mum, friend, anyone with you as a bit of support to put your case forward.

Acknowledge the the fact it may calm down, and this pregnancy may well be different, and suggest a longer sick note but you will contact the doctor to end the sick note should you feel well enough?

OP, firstly, please take a look at the HG support thread on here run by the wonderful LucindaE. It got me through two HG pregnancies.

Secondly, I was signed off for 2 weeks at a time by my GP in my last pregnancy (2015-16). I was off for the whole first trimester in the end, and then did a very gentle phased return. I'm afraid it was just a case of digging my heels in. Good luck.

You do need to talk to a GP who actually understands HG. If you can't see a different GP in the practice, does your practice allow midwives to have these discussions with you and recommend sick notes to GP without you having to haul in? My own GP during pregnancies was blessedly knowledgeable (for the time) but once when he was on leave my DH told his cover to come out and do a home visit when he was being iffy about providing a sick note for 'a bit of sickness' (like you I had lost masses of weight and been hospitalised becuase i was unable to take in water let alone food). The demand for a home visit triggered the new note rapidly - not sure if that would work today.

GP understanding of HG is quite patchy despite it being better known in recent years and many think 'it might be different this time' despite the repeat pattern in individuals. It is fundamentally different in impact to 'normal' morning sickness.