To call in sick?

[DreamCloud99]

Background:
I have ME.
I work part time in retail (travel agent)

I've recently had an informal meeting about my sickness (odd days here and there related to ME as well as a three month absence related to my ME).

I have 5 year old twins.

I've been poorly constantly since November with chest infections , viral illnesses , water infections etc all related to ME and how run down I am.

I've dragged myself in to work throughout (I had one day where I just couldn't ).

Today I'm very weak , I have a very sore throat and chest , I haven't eaten since yesterday lunch time as I'm so so exhausted . I've also got cystitis and an aching back due to all the coughing . I feel nauseous.

I have to drop the twins off at school - a 40 minute drive through traffic , then drive to work which is another 30 minutes away.

I just can't face it

I've zero energy and I'm aching from head to toe .

I'll be in trouble if I call in sick.
We are short on staff today due to a training day.

But I'm in tears as I feel so bad.

I don't know what to do ?

[Lilaclily]

Op I hope you spent the day resting and ignore the horrid comments in here

[NattyBatty]

Popcorn, anyone?

[memyselfandaye]

booklooker, over 50 million people die each year, 23000 is a tiny percentage.

Userwhatevernumber is being a hysterical arsehole and not just on this thread, jail, really?

Shall we set the rapists and murderers free and lock up the antibiotic users?

[Oneiroi]

Late response but I hope you are ok OP, I am shocked by some of the awful comments on this thread. A lot of people clearly don't understand how debilitating ME is, but in that case it would have been more appropriate for them to refrain from commenting!

You really can't just 'push through' it without making yourself far more ill so you did the right thing to stay off. Be kind to yourself. You have done very well to keep working and in the long term I really believe it is better for your health to do so, but ultimately you may need to change jobs to make it possible.

There are sympathetic employers and more flexible roles out there, where you can work from home some of the time or flex your hours, and that could make a huge difference to your quality of life and reduce your stress levels dramatically, as well as reducing your exposure to illnesses when you are already run down. Don't give up.

[GreatFuckability]

Antibiotic resistance isn't caused by people who NEED antibiotics for an infection taking a course of antibiotics though, is it?
And you've just proven yourself batshit with that comment user.

[laurzj82]

Settles self in with a glass of wine

[tiredvommachine]

User that was an appalling comment

[Hatemylifenow]

User you want to get a bit of perspective, your comments are disgusting.

[Tomselleckhaskindeyes]

op I hope you find ways of getting the rest you need. I think a gp's visit might be in order. Until then try and rest up all you can.

[madein1995]

Ive not read the whole thread but poor you op. Im sure ME would be covered in a disability act? Its not 'just' an illness and your employer shoukd be understanding. Hope youre feeling a bit better

[ReapAndSow]

Oh dear user1484226561 I don't know if you believe all the things you are saying on all the threads you are on but you have a very aggressive and unpleasant posting style. I can't tell if you are simply enjoying winding people up or whether you are genuinely very angry about things like the dangers of drinking water I'm not sure option which is worse.

Even if you believe what you are saying is true I still I don't understand why you have to be so bolshy and confrontational, you claim to be a secondary school teacher so presumably are fully aware of what you are doing. People will always dismiss your views if you present them in such an aggressive way.

[booklooker]

booklooker, over 50 million people die each year, 23000 is a tiny percentage.

I take it you didn't actually read the article I linked to memyselfandaye.

If you did you may have noticed that the figure quoted was for the US alone, and also:

In the United States, according to a 2013 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 2 million people annually "acquire serious infections with bacteria that are resistant to one or more of the antibiotics designed to treat those infections."

So, it is a problem.

[DreamCloud99]

I've come back to update and thank all the posters with the understanding comments and constructive advice

I managed to rest but did get worse throughout the day - by mid afternoon the pain in my back and chest was just awful.

My neighbour collected the twins for me and insisted I get to the urgent care centre to be looked at .

Urgent care sent me to hospital where I was diagnosed with pneumonia!

I think I'll be off work for at least a few days

[ElderDruid]

Are you being kept in hospital? Hope you get lots of rest

[mummytime]

Sorry I missed your thread at first - as when I read your OP today it made me wonder about pneumonia.
Do take care of yourself, and I hope you get better soon.

[user1484226561]

Oh dear user1484226561 I don't know if you believe all the things you are saying

nothing I have said is controversial or disputed at all, plain simple truth, I'm aghst at the attitude to sloppy antibiotic use on this thread, and I just don't know how to get it through to you how evil this attitude is.

How about if I say I heard a shop assistant make a similar comment in a clothes shop a few months ago, and reported her, and she was was sacked for gross misconduct, becuase the company recognises the devastating impact on the life expectancy of everyone in the population this attitude to antibiotics has.

many of the attitudes on here would get the posters sacked if their employers heard it, whoever their employers are. Because it is not ok, on any level.

[Hatemylifenow]

Doubt it user, my boss is constantly on antibiotics.

[Tomselleckhaskindeyes]

Pneumonia is serious I've a feeling you'll be off a bit longer.

[Sugarlightly]

You need to call in sick and say "I am sick because of my ME" though otherwise if you keep calling in saying "I'm exhausted" "I'm sick" etc. it looks like lots of different illnesses (and makes you look a bit flaky when you're absolutely not) whereas if it's your disability it will be treated differently.

[mummytime]

user1484226561
Two things: have you read the update? The OP has pneumonia - which is a very good reason for taking antibiotics.

If you want to be a GF then why not register and get a proper username rather than hide behind the confusing Userxxxxxx one?

[Madhairday]

Hope you are ok OP

Some of the posts on this thread display a shocking lack of empathy. The 'just get on with it because I manage to when I have a bit of a sniffle' posts show no clue whatsoever about the daily reality of chronic illness, how debilitating it can be, how the simplest of tasks can be impossible. Yes, even eating breakfast.

I don't have ME but do have a chronic illness which leaves me housebound for weeks sometimes and is very limiting. OP sounds like the situation of work is incredibly difficult. Is there any way you could get more flexible working e.g. from home sometimes? Do you have a partner round to help with the twins?

I really hope you feel better soon.

Userblahblah I am concerned about antibiotic resistance too but you are attacking the wrong person. I get why that poster does it that way, trying to wait for a gp appt with a chest infection can make things escalate and end up with far more time off. My gp gives me rescue antibiotics at home because I know my lifelong condition so well and it's vital I start on them asap so I don't end up in hospital. I'm also on prophylactic antibiotics all year round. It's not ideal but for some it's lifesaving, and it is worrying that there is casual overuse.

[LeopardPrintSocks1]

It sounds like you should quit working tbh and sign on incapacity as you sound very unwell and not fit for work. Maybe call dwp and ask for advice?