To take time off work for this ?

[HowDoICopewithit]

I am in the process of being diagnosed with a health condition . It has big implications and I am scared and have had some scary acute episodes .
I had cancer 8 years ago which was treated successfully but I have ongoing issues from that treatment still .
I am floored . Finding it so hard to cope with .
Why me ? I am trying to be positive but finding it hard right now .
Work is stressful and I am not sure I can cope . I recently had time off with surgical repair of an injury so feel I can’t take time off .
How do I get through this second serious health issue . It just feels so overwhelming .
I had counselling .. am in a supportive cancer support group etc etc just feel defeated .

You need to have a chat with your doctor. Discuss whether they can write a fit note that will enable you to remain at work but perhaps with adjusted responsibilities or hours for now, or whether it seems you’d be better signed off for a bit. It’s your health we’re talking about here, physical and mental. You matter and if you don’t feel you can function at work and do your job properly with this going on then listen to that ❤️

Have a think too about how long this process might take, and whether you can reasonably be off until you have a diagnosis, or treatment? And what the consequences will be when you return, whether you’ll be at risk for disciplinary action. All of this factors into what you should do for the best now.

Of course it's ok to take time off work.

Don't be defeated. When I was diagnosed I was told that it's not about getting rid of cancer, it's about learning to live with it and it's side effects even once the cancer is gone. It's so true. The long term side affects of treatment can be awful. It's ok to struggle, and it's ok to need time off work if you're not coping. I hope everything goes well.

And what the consequences will be when you return, whether you’ll be at risk for disciplinary action. All of this factors into what you should do for the best now.

It's worth a chat with ACAS about this too - cancer is an automatic disability (even after it's gone) but that doesn't mean that you can't lose your job as a result. Just that they can't discriminate and must treat you fairly.

Thank you for your replies .
It is not cancer I am being diagnosed with but a health condition that is pretty rare so don’t want to say as may be outing . It is not related to the cancer I don’t think so not sure if it come within the equality act .
I may be on a formal warning for sickness due to my recent unrelated surgery . It is really bad timing . I just want to run away from it all

Unfortunately if you’re at risk of being on disciplinary action for being sick again it might be in your best interests to keep going to work and try and tough it out. Let whatever else you can slide outside of work, sleep as much as you can, be kind to yourself and focus on just keeping your job. It sounds like this is a potential long haul thing?

Do you have any annual leave to take?

I’ve been there and it’s so shit but sometimes going off sick while it feels necessary at the time can end up causing myriad problems down the line, potentially losing your job and income, having managers breathing down your neck, being terrified of getting a migraine or being hit by a car in case you have another episode and move up a stage.

What is it that’s bothering you the most about this new diagnosis if you have it? What’s the treatment and prognosis like? And how are you finding work in general? It’s so hard when you want to just run away, it’s a horrible fact of life and adulthood that you just can’t no matter how much you feel like you need to. You have my sympathy

Hi OP, I understood that - you're still covered by the equalities act.

Not sure of the treatment is medications I think .
I have sudden episodes of acute medial issues which are very frightening and need medical intervention . It is making me paranoid and very anxious as I don’t know when they will happen or the cause yet .
I know I need to stick it out at work but I am really feeling that life is too short to be stressed in a job.