What to do about work :(

[Queenie6655]

Hello all

Just wondering really what to do
Work in a very pressurised job
Usually love it
We are very short staffed and it has been tough going

Well - I got covid 10 weeks ago
Slowly gaining energy
Mornings I tend to feel ok (some of the time)

Work are really short staffed and I said I would try my best to be back on Monday
My brain fog is really quite bad (zero concentration , some blurred vision)
My energy by afternoon is really limited

I feel so bad to let them down
And I worry that I should just be over this by now
So Monday do I
Ring gp and explain all this
Or
Try to get myself back to work and see how it is for a few weeks???

Any advice would be so so much appreciated xxxx

Ask if you can be phased back, so part time hours to start with?

I'd ring GP and get medical advice first.

Yes maybe I should

What happens if I do a week then feel ill and need to take off again ??

Take sick leave. No one will give you a medal for making your illness last longer by over working.

Don't be a martyr. Long covid is nasty.

Good luck

I worry that I should just be over this by now

This is completely the wrong way to look at it. You can't control illness.

Thanks this is what I think

I spent a few hours the other day writing a couple of emails
Found it so so hard
Afterwards I just needed to lie down
Thing is my deputy manager is not very sympathetic
Very stiff upper lip type
If I go back and can't do the duties she will be harsh with me
She has already been texting about something I didn't send when I was out sick 😢😢😢😢😢😢

Speak to your doctor first . Your doctor may advise you to ease back much slower

@ChameleonClara so true

But others are a bit like
Get over it you seem ok
Why not just come back ?!!!

Aghhhhhggh

As for pestering me while
I'm out with covid stil fuming about this
They know I was hospitalised at one point

We have had members of staff who have been off months with long covid. Most only managing 2 or 3 short days when they retirn

Speak to your GP and ask for advice.
From an HR pov 1 absence is better than 2, especially for the same thing.
I would be taking another 2 weeks off tbh. I've not had covid, but my friend has, and is still struggling nearly a year later!

Don’t go back!!!
Doctors on the bbc horizon programme said the only pattern they could see in those who suffered “long covid” is they tended to have not sufficiently rested.

I have ME (you can google it). It’s a post viral fatigue syndrome. It means I have fatigue, lots of fatigue sometimes. You need to be really careful with this sort of thing. I would take time off until you feel better. The worst thing I ever did was to try to “push through”. You can PM me if you want more detail but really really you need to rest.

If you rush back now you may set your recovery back. Ring your gp Monday and see what they advise.

Thank you so so much guys

If I'm honest
In my heart

I feel I am not ready

It I worry about what they will say and think
And that there are days I seem ok
These days are followed by 5 bad days

My job is intense so you really need to be in optimal condition to do it really
So not sure how I can drag myself in

My deputy said it has been so long can't I try to do a few work tasks (it has been 7 weeks fully off) she is just trying to make me feel as guilty as possible

Is covid absence recorded differently at work ??

yes, covid absence should not affect your sick absence, in my work at least.

Great a few others mentioned this a while ago

I am still not well enough so won't be returning as soon as they hope I will

Also why the f are they contacting me about things that haven't been done while I'm sick 😷
Going back so soon will most likely set my recovery back ??!!!

Please help me with the guilt 😩😩😒😒🙄🙄

You have nothing to feel guilty about and I am on your behalf.

Do you have a hr department? I would speak with them about the contact tbh. I would also keep every contact/email/text and speak to a solicitor if they threaten your job.

You are being bullied.

Please google ME/CFS on the NHS website. 2 years ago I had some sort of virus and I was in an abusive relationship where my partner wouldn’t lift a finger. As a result I pushed myself too hard and didn’t rest and 2 years on I am still bed bound often.

This is how ME/CFS happens. For gods sake, do not worry about getting back to work. If you had to weigh up managing a few hours extra work for a few weeks vs your entire ability to cook for yourself, wash yourself, exercise, work full stop. You could make yourself disabled for life. Please rest!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you are doing any sort of work foe your paid while you are signed off from that job you unintentionally declare yourself fit for work I believe? (Someone correct me if I'm wrong- i could be spouting rubbish, but I remember reading it somewhere) therefore you should not be doing any tasks for them at all.
It isn't a question of guilt, its a question of legalities!

no you should really be in contact with your work, i am sure

You can be furloughed for long Covid. Doesn't help your colleagues but could be a solution for you?

@Inthevirtualwaitingroom

yes, covid absence should not affect your sick absence, in my work at least.

This is totally incorrect advice OP please do not rely on this.

Thanks guys

I didn't do any of the work

They were asking me for it while I was really sick