To be off work sick with a cold for a week?

[doi24]

I feel like I'm being dramatic but I still don't feel well and I'm meant to be due back at work. I've still got the cold, just obviously not as bad as it's been a few days, but I feel absolutely knackered and wiped out from it. The thought of doing a full days work right now just makes me feel worse. My head feels fuzzy and I feel exhausted.

I'm convinced it's possibly been covid I've had, as I've never been this ill from a cold before. Was actually debating whether or not to go to the doctors but obvs don't want to waste their time if it's just a cold.

AIBU? I feel like I just need to suck it up and get on with it.

Also I'm pregnant so this just adds to the overall feeling of being shattered!

I feel exactly the same. Been going on since Thursday.

I've got stomach cramps now and an annoying cough.

Feel rubbish too.

If you can, take more sick days to get yourself back on your feet or it may linger.

A bad cold can leave someone feeling dreadful.
If you're feeling properly unwell then you're better off taking another day off and resting so you're back at work and on form, instead of being at work, doing limited work and possibly making other people unwell.

But if you're thinking that with some cold and flu you'd be able to get through the day ok and have an early night, you probably should go to work.

@Pinkyhairclip This is what I'm worried about. Going back too early not feeling 100%, then having to be off again because I never fully got rid of it

If you're too ill to work then you're too ill to work, whether that's from a cold, flu or Covid

Take the sick days. Think of it this way: if it's making you feel as ill as you do, do you want to pass it to someone else who may have a crappy immune system?

Only you know if you're not well enough to work. If you've been ill enough not to work for a week, then it's probably something a bit more than a common cold.

But you can only self certify for 5 (?) working days, so if you're off longer than that, you'll need a doctor's note (or whatever the proper term is!)

The general attitude at my work is to just get on wjth it and work. Which I would usually be able to do with other colds I've had, but this feels different

@EmmaGrundyForPM is right. It doesn't matter if it's Covid or a cold, if you're not well enough to work you're not well enough to work. Going to the doctor for a cold or Covid is pointless unless there are signs it's turned to a chest infection/breathing problems etc.

Well if you feel ill then you’re ill. Some viral infections can be quite nasty.

@Runnersandtoms So would a doctor even give me a sick note or anything? I've not got breathing problems, I just feel utterly shit

You probably do have covid. But either way if you’re not well enough to work you’re not well enough. Your manager will know you don’t go off on the sick for the sake of it if, as you say, you usually crack on when you can.

GPs will issue any pregnant woman a sick note regardless, basically. You don't need one until you've done your self cert week though. But yeah, they will give you one.

its only Monday
i assume that is the beginning of your week
rest, plenty of fluids
see how you are later in the week

Would work be more understanding if it were covid? If so buy a test.

Just worried about having more absences. My work use the Bradford Factor, I had a couple of days of earlier this year as I've suffered from recurring tonsillitis and I'm worried I'll get a disciplinary

surely it is the lots of odd days that raise the bradford score?

Yeah I thought short occurrences were worse than longer periods but I think as it stands my BF score is in the consider action/monitoring range

How many days have you been off (for this incidence of sickness) already?

Makes no difference as to whether you go.in today, but does make a difference as to what you do about it.

Go and buy a covid test?

Sounds very much like Covid

If you're pregnant, please test for covid (swab throat and nose). If you have got covid during pregnancy you should let your midwife know as you might need extra monitoring as it can affect the placenta, so best to know if it is covid or not (obviously in the vast majority of cases it will be fine). Also be aware a negative test doesn't necessarily mean it's not covid.

All the best.

I would have a look at your employers sickness policy so that you know where you stand with regards to how many sick days you can have before they start progress on sickness meetings/disciplinary. It may be after a second episode of sickness you have an informal meeting, depending on the time lapsed between episodes. Having two bouts of sickness in a year isn’t extreme however and even if your employer does have a meeting with you regarding it, it is likely to just be to establish if the sickness periods are linked and what they as employers can do to help. Sickness reviews often start early on so that they have a record in place that they have tried to be of assistance, it only becomes a disciplinary issue is sickness absences become very frequent, although how many absences are deemed as too frequent vary from employer to employer.

@ReviewingTheSituation 4

I think in pregnancy they legally can't count absences against you? Something like that! Have a google about it. Your priority is to rest OP, don't go back too soon.