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Original poster

Hyperemisis and work. Boss becoming difficult

16 replies

MissDolly95 · 02/12/2023 07:22

I work in a customers facing job (supermarket) and we are a very busy store in the middle of a city centre.

I am 10 weeks pregnant and last Thursday I got admitted to hospital on a drip as I couldn't stop throwing up or keep anything down for well over 6 hours. My keytones in my urine sample were 3+. Was due in work that Friday but of course called in, my boss was really understanding and I had that weekend off.

I only work weekends, so I returned to work yesterday. I was on a 9 hour shift 2pm till 11pm, I was sat on the till from 2pm until 19:30pm, I had one toilet break and one break to take paracetamol when I started to feel light headed, my head was pounding, I then started to feel sick and had to get off to be sick. Which scared me as I haven't been sick since the hospital so I thought for gosh sakes i hope it's not a repeat of last week.

We were already a staff member down, so there was only 3 of us in a busy store. I couldn't be on the till anyone and I had to go and be sick. I then started worrying so of course hormones and I started crying and pleaded to go home because I was going to the toilet every 5 minutes then. My shift manager was lovely. While I'm waiting to be picked up I'm in the toilet throwing up. I get a text from my boss saying

"hi, have you left store"
"You are leaving 2 people in store if you go"
"You can't continue shifts like this"
"I feel like you need a break and eat and then see how you feel. You haven't give yourself chance"

Bare in mind I was on the till nearly 6 hours without my half an hour break. I was raging at these comments from my boss.

What my question is, what do I do to prove hyperemisis is serious? I'm really struggling and I'm back in today on another 9 hour shift

OP posts:
YogiYogiBear · 02/12/2023 07:24

Won't help for today but get signed off. If you're happy that extra breaks would help they can put you maybe able to work with extra breaks. Pregnancy illness is protected so your manager is on thin ice here.

Scottishskifun · 02/12/2023 07:25

You ask your boss/HR to undertake a pregnancy risk assessment and take in the letter from the hospital/GP as you might need duties adjusting etc

Rocksonabeach · 02/12/2023 07:35

I don’t think you mean Hyperemisis but mean hyperemesis gravidarum. I think you have to explain to your boss that this isn’t morning sickness this is Hyperemisis gravidarum which is requiring hospital treatment.

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/complications/severe-vomiting/

I had morning sickness with my first and it was grim but bearable and I managed to do it ok. Second baby literally from the minute I found out I was pregnant until the day after delivery I had HG. I lost 1.5 stone and spent 3 months in hospital. I could not keep water down it was awful.

get the GP to sign you off

hope it eases soon

nhs.uk

Severe vomiting in pregnancy

Find out about severe vomiting in pregnancy, the condition that affects around 1 to 3 in 100 pregnant women. It's also known as hyperemesis gravidarum, or HG.

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/complications/severe-vomiting/

Nopenopenopenopenopenope · 02/12/2023 07:38

This is a horribly common thing in retail, I've found. Huge guilt trips and pressure to not be ill because the way these places are run is on a skeleton staff. It's not your fault. You don't have to prove anything unless you need to be signed off. Your boss is a twat.

fourelementary · 02/12/2023 07:38

To be fair… why weren’t you given your break? Eating may well have helped you feel better and avoided being sick. Instead of cancelling shifts you need to agree a scheduled regular break across the shift (reasonable adjustment/ even a 10-15 min break to have a quick drink and a snack) and see if this helps.

Watchkeys · 02/12/2023 07:43

Why hadn't you had a break?

pickledandpuzzled · 02/12/2023 07:43

Reasonable adjustments for being pregnant would be able to eat regularly and take loo breaks.

If you knew the arrangements for that, you’d not have felt so emotional.

In those early weeks I nibbled constantly- a single crisp every few minutes, or a bite of a biscuit. It really helps the nausea.

Another thing that helped was drinking milk (which I loathe). If you were allowed a drink bottle with chilled milk, that may help.

Sympathies- it’s yuck.

Original poster
MissDolly95 · 02/12/2023 08:00

Watchkeys · 02/12/2023 07:43

Why hadn't you had a break?

We were only a 3 person team, one member down and the shift manager wanted to get jobs done (a lot of work load for 3 people, 2 of which were constantly on the till) before starting breaks

OP posts:
Original poster
MissDolly95 · 02/12/2023 08:02

fourelementary · 02/12/2023 07:38

To be fair… why weren’t you given your break? Eating may well have helped you feel better and avoided being sick. Instead of cancelling shifts you need to agree a scheduled regular break across the shift (reasonable adjustment/ even a 10-15 min break to have a quick drink and a snack) and see if this helps.

I agree with this. I think once I reached past that point of hunger and the light head feeling started I think that was my no point of return. Once I was sick there was no way I could of ate

OP posts:
Original poster
MissDolly95 · 02/12/2023 08:03

Rocksonabeach · 02/12/2023 07:35

I don’t think you mean Hyperemisis but mean hyperemesis gravidarum. I think you have to explain to your boss that this isn’t morning sickness this is Hyperemisis gravidarum which is requiring hospital treatment.

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/complications/severe-vomiting/

I had morning sickness with my first and it was grim but bearable and I managed to do it ok. Second baby literally from the minute I found out I was pregnant until the day after delivery I had HG. I lost 1.5 stone and spent 3 months in hospital. I could not keep water down it was awful.

get the GP to sign you off

hope it eases soon

That's what I meant, was unsure of spelling😂 even the word makes me feel sick!

OP posts:
Icepop79 · 02/12/2023 08:15

My morning sickness was much much worse if I hadn’t eaten. I found I had to try and eat through the early nauseous stage. If I didn’t, I would generally throw up. If you’ve gone a whole week not throwing up, it does sound to me that it was the lack of breaks and food that caused a flare up. I agree with other posters - insist on proper breaks as a trial run, but if the same thing happens again, you are entitled to time off and your employer is not allowed to prevent that.

Original poster
MissDolly95 · 02/12/2023 08:21

Icepop79 · 02/12/2023 08:15

My morning sickness was much much worse if I hadn’t eaten. I found I had to try and eat through the early nauseous stage. If I didn’t, I would generally throw up. If you’ve gone a whole week not throwing up, it does sound to me that it was the lack of breaks and food that caused a flare up. I agree with other posters - insist on proper breaks as a trial run, but if the same thing happens again, you are entitled to time off and your employer is not allowed to prevent that.

I think that and the pounding headache I had was the root of being sick. Once I was home and straight in bed and asleep I haven't been sick. Was probably my fault for not taking my anti sickness table, but I thought I'd take it before I had food like I have been at home. They make me feel a bit spaced out so didn't want to take one on an empty stomach and be spaced out on the till

OP posts:
ChannelyourinnerElsa · 02/12/2023 08:26

If you’ve been prescribed anti sickness you absolutely should take them. Take them regularly, don’t let it wear off, certainly don’t leave it too long. As you know, once you start feeling or being sick, stopping it is MUCH harder.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 02/12/2023 13:55

@MissDolly95 you have my every sympathy. I had HG in both pregnancies and needed 8 weeks off both times. See your GO for some anti sickness meds (not than any oral ones helped me) and get yourself signed off if you can't cope with work. I found that nothing helped much, not the time I ate, type of food I ate or anything, and I wound up in hospital for several days, several times. The only thing that helped at all was intravenous Cyclizine via a drip. It was also very "trippy".

Does your boss know you are pregnant? Do you have a maternity risk assessment?

You and your boss need to know that, under the Maternity Act (1999) pregnancy related sickness must be recorded separately, and cannot be used in any disciplinary action against you. Your HR Dept should know about this. There are two charities, Maternity Action, who can have legal support, and Pregnancy Sickness Support, who can give medical, emotional and practical advice.

OCDmama · 02/12/2023 22:01

If it's HG don't mess about. Your boss knows jack shit.

I had it with both my pregnancies. Doctor's prefer you to be signed off as rest really is best and helps lessen the need for drips.

You might need a couple of weeks to see if you can find a way of managing it with anti-emetics. I alternated between two different ones, and found ways of being able to manage daily life, but it took a while (I could only eat cold food (mainly meat), had to eat before getting out of bed, could only travel by train not car or bus, lots of sleep and no TV). And no, ginger biscuits did not help, and I wanted to punch the 75 people everyday who advised me to eat them!

Girasoli · 02/12/2023 22:35

I'm surprised if you were in hospital last week you are not still signed off work. I was off for several months when I had it.

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