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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not want to work on day of colonoscopy

58 replies

CurlyRover · 09/07/2018 11:28

Having a colonoscopy Wednesday. I don't have annual leave yet so was planning on taking the day as unpaid. Boss has now asked me to work from home.

AIBU to not want to? I'm up at 6 to take prep and from past experience I'll be on the toilet for most of the morning. Then I'm off to hospital at 1, appointment is at 2 and I'm having sedation so the hospital have said I'll be there for 2-4 hours.

Not sure how I'm meant to be productive for 8 hours given the circumstances...

OP posts:

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 09/07/2018 12:25

Yanbu at all. If you are nervous about the procedure at all, how will you concentrate on work beforehand?

I have accompanied DM to one of these. She had it under GA admittedly but she was really out of it afterwards and had bad abdominal pains.

ImPreCis · 09/07/2018 12:27

Well I am one of those lucky people who just bounces straight back from medical procedures, But I could no sooner have worked from home on having this procedure than flown in for the appointment in a unicorn pulled pumpkin carriage.

I took the meds, as instructed at 5.30 am, had appointment for 10.30, at 10.00 my husband had to phone the hospital to say we had left home and had to turn back! Clearly having been unable to move from the toilet for 4 hours wasn’t sufficient, spent another three hours on the toilet, having kept them informed of progress I got to the hospital at 1.30. Where the wonderful consultant and his team had waited for me!
I am told my reaction was rather extreme, but you should not be driving or working. This should be a days sickleave, may need to go into a second day depending on how you feel, not what your boss thinks is appropriate.

DeadGood · 09/07/2018 12:31

"Does your boss mean "work from home and produce some outputs" or do they mean "why don't you 'work from home' rather than take unpaid leave" - but they're going round the houses on it because they can't say 'take it as paid leave""

I would check on this first. And if it's the former I would educate your boss. How do they even know what time the appointment is?

Abra1de · 09/07/2018 12:33

You can work the day after. I have had five and worked as normal the following day.

daisychain01 · 09/07/2018 12:39

You should not need to give Chapter and Verse to your boss about what the medical procedure (colonoscopy or whatever) entails. You don't even need to say it's a colonoscopy. That's all private and confidential information.

The approach I've always used is to state

the date and time of appointment
the hospital where the medical procedure will take place and
request for preceding afternoon to undergo the clinical prep, and the day of the procedure, as you require sedation.

You shouldn't need the following day off completely, but you could ask for a wfh day to aid recovery, when you are fully contactable as normal.

Don't give more information than they are entitled to.

daisychain01 · 09/07/2018 12:41

Giving it as a timetable in advance, means they are less likely to,ask nosey questions! I can't stand people at work knowing my business!

Muchtoomuchtodo · 09/07/2018 12:41

Everyone's different and the timing of the procedure impacts on leave from work.

My most recent colonoscopy was at 8am on a Friday

The clean diet started on Wednesday.

The prep didn't start until 5pm on Thursday and no toilet was needed until about 7pm. I couldn't go far from the loo until about 10pm when I went to bed.

Next sachet of prep at 5am on Friday which worked quickly and kept working until I left in the taxi at 7.30.

I had sedation and was allowed home at about midday. No driving or alcohol for 24 hours following the procedure.

noenergy · 09/07/2018 12:43

Maybe the work from home meant unofficial day off. I would clear it up by finding out what the expectation is

whatsmynametoday · 09/07/2018 12:49

Urgh, you definitely can't do much productive work - maybe a few emails (while you're on the loo) but that's about it.

I always have to have three days off 1 for prep (prep I use starts at 11am) 1 for the scope and then the day after as I'm such a sedation lightweight it takes me ages to get over it.

Bluesmartiesarebest · 09/07/2018 12:52

Your boss is either stupid or mean if he insists that you work on the day of a medical procedure under sedation. He clearly doesn’t care about the welfare of his employees. You are far more likely to make serious errors if you work while feeling unwell or recovering from an anaesthetic. You have to look after yourself and do what suits you so just say no I’m taking whatever sick leave I need, no further discussion.

Lisabel · 09/07/2018 13:27

I hope MyrtleWilson is right and your boss is actually being empathic and saying that you can have the day off paid and just call it 'Working from home'; rather than that she is requiring you to actually do any work!

If she actually expects you do get anything done then you might need to ask the hospital or your GP for a sick note for the day of the procedure and the next day.

MatildaTheCat · 09/07/2018 13:33

If it saves you needing an unpaid sick day or getting a sick day on your record during probation then I would say that you will do your best and leave it at that. If you manage a few hours that’s good if not then sorry but you tried.

Only you can gauge really whether he’s being a dick, uninformed or kind.

Original poster

CurlyRover · 09/07/2018 15:36

That sounds sensible. I think I'll go with this approach.

For those who are asking about sick leave, I wouldn't be entitled to any pay as it would be for less than 3 days which is unpaid where I work.

How did people feel the day before? I'm worried how I'm going to feel tomorrow as I can't eat from 1 pm onwards and what I can eat before then isn't a lot.

OP posts:

CurlsLDN · 09/07/2018 15:45

I have a team member who is soon to have a colonoscopy.
She came to me and said 'i have another hospital appointment coming up, it's on Xday at 2pm, for a colonoscopy.'

I'm sorry to say I had no idea what the procedure involves, and as she didn't tell me what she really needed I booked it off as a standard 1/2 day appointment. Luckily I mentioned it to HR who sorted it out.

There was no Ill will on my part, but I'm not a Dr, so really had no idea. Please just tell your manager what you need in order to make this comfortable for you, they will likely be very accomodating.

YorkshirePuddingsGreatestFan · 09/07/2018 16:34

Do you like Bovril? That counts as a clear fluid and it makes you feel full.

Also drink Lucozade Sport but not the red coloured one. The sugar and salts in that stop you feeling light headed.

I managed to work on the prep days but was at home for the laxatives. I felt really cold and unwell when they were working their way through and couldn't have worked as I needed to be near the toilet.

On the day I felt ok. Depends when your appointment is, but you might be able to do a little work before you go. Afterwards it depends how the sedative affects you. I felt fine and probably could have driven home (I didn't though!). I saw others there who were still really woozy when they left.

Hope it goes ok.

MissConductUS · 09/07/2018 16:51

How you feel after is going to be determined by the anesthetic agent they use. In the US Propofol is the standard because it is very short acting - they have to IV drip it for the whole procedure and when they stop you come out of it in a few minutes, very clear headed.

I have to do the procedure annually, but it's a bit easier here as my GI does them outpatient in his office, so less fuss than having them in hospital.

I take the day off as a sick day and just try to watch email from home. I normally would go in but you're not supposed to drive for the rest of the day.

It really should be a sick day. You're having an invasive test done under anesthesia for God's sake.

whatsmynametoday · 09/07/2018 16:55

@CurlyRover I felt ok, apart from being sore from going to the loo a million times. I don't really notice the hunger once the prep kicks in as I'm distracted - plus you have to drink so much water it fills you up. I normally have orange jelly on standby if I need a snack! What prep are you to take?

Larrythecat · 09/07/2018 17:03

Havent RTFT, sorry.

Read carefully the leaflet and follow instructions. They gave me some tablets to start taking 48h earlier, with the prep for 24h earlier and took both 24h earlier, so messed up a bit.

The first I did without sedation and it was a bit painful. The second time I had gas and air, which went really well and I'd repeat it tomorrow no problem. You'll be fine if you are sedated, but you won't be able to drive afterwards or leave in public transport. If you are sedated, someone needs to pick you up and stay with you afterwards.
I don't think it's ok for your boss to ask you to work during a hospital procedure and I'm dubious he can do that. I think he does not understand what it entails and it's thinking about something more straightforward like a scan or X-Rays. I'd make it clear that it implies sedation.

Can you work an extra hour / through lunch for 7 working days, so you can take the day off without impacting your salary or work? I'd suggest this to the employer, or even a Saturday?

Original poster

CurlyRover · 10/07/2018 08:09

Can you work an extra hour / through lunch for 7 working days, so you can take the day off without impacting your salary or work? I'd suggest this to the employer, or even a Saturday?

I wish this ^^ was an option!

@whatsmynametoday it's Moviprep

OP posts:

Original poster

CurlyRover · 10/07/2018 08:11

Unrelated to the original question but there seems to be lots here who have had it done.

What happens afterwards? It says in my booklet I may need to stay for 2 hours, but where? Do I just sit somewhere in the department?

OP posts:

CalmConfident · 10/07/2018 08:14

Have a chat to your boss...they might be be give you the nod to “shirk from home” rather than use leave or sickness OR might not understand the procedure.

Either way you should not be using annual leave for this ! And DH has had this - the 3 days needed for prep , procedure, recovery is sound advice

whatsmynametoday · 10/07/2018 08:17

Keep it in the fridge so it's cool, have a straw to drink it through and have a nice drink of squash or lemonade to wash it down with.

After sedation they take you to recovery and give you tea and a biscuit, take your blood pressure and wait till you're less woozy. You lie on the trolly you come out of the colonoscopy on. I'm normally there for 1:30 all inc.

Original poster

CurlyRover · 10/07/2018 09:42

@CalmConfident did your DH take prep day off too? I can't use annual leave even if I wanted to as I don't have any left

OP posts:

comedycentral · 10/07/2018 09:45

I have had this recently. Trust me, you need to take it as a sick day. I actually went into work the day after and my tummy was still sore and my bowels still playing up. I was back home just after lunch.

Larrythecat · 10/07/2018 14:37

I didn't need to take the day off the day before. My first time I had to drink it at night and it started working (i.e. having the runs) at 6am, so all good. The second time I messed up with the tablet and I was worried it wasn't working, as I had the prep in the evening thinking it will kick in are might, but it didn't until early morning and not all of it (they didn't care, though, said it was enough).

You need the day of the procedure, though. You'll be tired, you'll be hungry, you might still have the runa and you'll need to stay afterwards.

I didn't need a day off the day afterwards.

I would definitely suggest to work those hours at a different time/date(s) even if it's not the norm, or sacrifice some lunch time for a week or two. Surely your employer would prefer that?

Good luck and do not worry :)

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