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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To call in sick for lack of sleep

142 replies

giggly · 01/04/2022 05:32

I suffer from insomnia which is well known in work. I probably average 4-5 hours a night every night and permanently exhausted. It’s now 5.29 am and I’ve not had a worse long sleep yet and have a full diary of patients tomorrow. Until now I’d never cancel anyone but would just struggle through the day sometimes giving a no doubt less than good service. My but here is that so many patients cancel at the last minute with no reason given, which is fine so why is it so difficult for me to make this decision.
I just want to go to sleep before the alarm goes off at 7.30.

OP posts:
Alcemeg · 01/04/2022 08:06

Just to echo PPs, have you had the insomnia checked out medically? I went through a couple of years of it and was finally diagnosed with an overactive thyroid, which eventually resolved with treatment. Until the diagnosis the only real sleep I got was on buses!

ArabellaStrange · 01/04/2022 08:07

Chronic insomniac here. I am permanently medicated for it. Didn't sleep last night despite medication. Genuinely lose my marbles if I do two or three nights in a row with no sleep. Sometimes even after just one night.
Nowadays if I push myself through the day, I often get a really good night's sleep the next night. But still with medication. I have zopiclone as a PRN and I really only use it very very occasionally but would recommend you try and get some OP.
And I have called in sick before due to it. But it's documented with occupational health that I have fibromyalgia and sleep issues are one of the fun array of symptoms it causes.
Working from home has improved my life massively and made me more productive.
I am very lucky to have that as an option, very lucky and grateful for something good (on a personal level) to have come from COVID.

SunscreenCentral · 01/04/2022 08:11

I've been suffering for years with poor sleep (hard to get to sleep, waking too early) and it's pigging awful.
I've tried everything over the years and I mean everything. The only thing that's significantly helped my sleep quality is:
No caffeine after 1pm
Reduce alcohol
Don't eat too late
But the main thing that really helped me was HRT

Bettyboopawoop · 01/04/2022 08:15

I would phone up and say you have sickness and dihorea to be honest give yourself a couple of days off, are you going through the menopause by any chance?

Mummyoflittledragon · 01/04/2022 08:16

I take it you’re an HCP. I imagine you’d advice your patients to ask for a referral to the local sleep clinic if they told you they had debilitating insomnia. Maybe you’ve done that already? What I’m saying is, put your oxygen mask on first. As for today, I would say I had a migraine.

lborgia · 01/04/2022 08:16

@twinsetandpearl

Not wishing to be funny but most parents are lucky to get 4-5 hours of sleep a night and still have to get up for work and couldn't make a habit of ringing in sick due to lack of sleep? My twins have been a nightmare the last 12 weeks I have averaged 2-3 hours. I'd be sacked if I didn't work during that time. One off yeah ok but sounds like you have no long term treatment / strategy for the insomnia so it could become a regular occurrence?
“Not wishing to be funny, but….” Ah yes, the whiny young cousin of “I’m not being racist, but….” Hmm
newbiename · 01/04/2022 08:17

Don't lie OP as PPS have suggested.
I have called in sick a couple of times (NHS) after I'd had no sleep at tall. It's like doing a night shift then going to work a day.
I get physically ill and sick.
Somehow I manage on 3 hours but undoubtedly don't do as good a job.

Mummyoflittledragon · 01/04/2022 08:21

I take prescribed melatonin. Unless the rules have change recently, GPs can only prescribe melatonin for the over 50s. If not, a sleep specialist must prescribe them.

NdefH81 · 01/04/2022 08:22

Love the fact that on another thread about started by this OP about being told off for not completing a task at work she writes

* I am furious as I would just not complete a task, however my senior spent the day telling me that she was awake half the night with her dc and the night previous and was really tired. I think she just forgot to ask me and is soo tired that she has made a mistake. *

SixteenTwelve · 01/04/2022 08:26

I have done this and would do this again if I felt it necessary. I also suffer from insomnia (last night being a prime example and then when I finally fell asleep DP had a bad dream, flailed his arms around and knocked over his glass of water so I was awake again) and sometimes knowing you can call in sick is enough to take the pressure off to actually fall asleep.

I am lucky in my job where some days I have flexibility and was able to lie in until 8 today so I don’t feel too dreadful but sleep deprivation can feel worse than being unwell in my experience.

You would get a lot of sympathy for it unfortunately so I would just say you are unwell and leave it at that

TheChurchOfEli · 01/04/2022 08:27

@twinsetandpearl

Not wishing to be funny but most parents are lucky to get 4-5 hours of sleep a night and still have to get up for work and couldn't make a habit of ringing in sick due to lack of sleep? My twins have been a nightmare the last 12 weeks I have averaged 2-3 hours. I'd be sacked if I didn't work during that time. One off yeah ok but sounds like you have no long term treatment / strategy for the insomnia so it could become a regular occurrence?
Not wishing to be funny but you need to read the OP properly before making such stupid statements.
MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 01/04/2022 08:27

@fizzyfood

Hi. My partner suffers terribly from insomnia when he went to the GP not much help was offered, for anyone who's had help from the GP what was it?

Thanks

Amyltripine, works an absolute treat. They don't like to prescribe sleepers any more due to the addictive qualities and side effects but this stuff which is an old school anti depressant but used in small doses for insomnia works miracles. my dh's insomnia was so bad he didn't sleep for 3 days straight at Christmas,now he's getting 6-8 hours. Talk to your GP.
KnowingMeKnowingYouAhaaaa · 01/04/2022 08:31

If your job involves a lot of responsibility eg doctor or nurse and you really can't function then I guess you need to ensure your patients safety. Although my mum was a nurse and could never sleep due to stress so she'd have had to give up her job. I survive on 3 hours sleep due to having a small baby and being back at work, I often feel sick I'm so tired but a mistake in my job won't lead to death or injury. If you can't function ring in, but it isn't a long term solution to your problem. I wouldn't say it was insomnia either.

RachelGreeneGreep · 01/04/2022 08:32

Lack of sleep is debilitating.
I would take the day off and try to get some rest.

Cyberworrier · 01/04/2022 08:38

I've had periods where I was on amitriptyline for insomnia and at other times also prescribed CBT for it. CBT helped me a lot with "sleep hygiene" and also to lessen the panic/fear of not being able to sleep, which can turn into a horrible cycle of sleeplessness.

nannybeach · 01/04/2022 08:41

Was a,HCP nights for 30 years, retired 5 years ago. One of the elf and safety lectures said "don't go to work if tired". No,I never went off sick with it. I sympathize, have done everything bar a sleep clinic. I did the Michael Mosley online, came up with a score of 2.2 out of 10. Always been told not to "nap" in the day, program said it was a good idea am going to try it. Considering CBT

BulletTrain · 01/04/2022 08:42

I have once. DS was reacting to his jabs, DH was away and I had slept for 30 minutes.

Branleuse · 01/04/2022 08:44

Have you tried ordering melatonin off the internet

petshihtzu · 01/04/2022 08:49

Please read this book by Dr Guys Meadows " how to sleep well everynight", it's a very different take on insomnia! I hope you get better. I've had it before and its crap but this book has somewhat helped me xx

NdefH81 · 01/04/2022 08:51

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

But what happens when he comes off it? If can only be used short term… how long can he use safely and then what happens?

Wheniruletheworld · 01/04/2022 08:55

Perhaps you need a job where others are not reliant upon your presence - that would be one less stress on the list of the insomnia-inducing stressors. I understand that letting people down isn't something you would normally do, but if your insomnia is that bad, perhaps you need to explore work options that are manageable if you are knackered!

gingerhills · 01/04/2022 08:59

OP, you frequently deal with insomnia but you don't take time off for it. If today you feel you need to, then you probably do. Long term lack of sleep is hellish and dangerous.

SwayingInTime · 01/04/2022 09:01

There’s a brilliant ‘guardian long read’ podcast episode about insomnia and sleep clinic techniques that really helped me (you sound like you need the actual sleep clinic though). But yeah, take the day off. I’m an HCP and people do it occasionally with no judgement - more a ‘good on you’ for recognising the danger and having the balls to call in attitude.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 01/04/2022 09:05

You need a low dose long term sedating anti depressants. Gp’s will prescribe these.

Amitryptiline
Mirtazapine
Trazadone.

One of these should sort it.

Fruby · 01/04/2022 09:09

Take the day off if you need it.

I’m pregnant at the moment, wake up at 3am everyday and unable to get back to sleep. So infuriating. I have had full blown insomnia for a period a few years ago, managing maximum 3/4 hours broken sleep a night for a year. Wish I’d taken seriously how bad it was for me x