Back to work after 3day sick leave, Ill again😩

[Lavendar01]

Looking for words of encouragement.

Retuened to work on Mon25th Nov, after completing antibiotic course and off for 3 days.

Fine up until Thursday just gone, symptoms returned with additional fever chills hallucinations during half awake state. GP prescribed another 7-day course of antibiotics and paracetmol and ibuprofen every 4hr. This isnt really keeping the temp down long enough as pain and aches are returning within couple of hours (sweating lots)

I've really struggled this weekend aches pain no apetite managed to shove 1 toast down for med. Really unsure what's going on but presuming tomorrow will be the same, not sure how to explain to manager, I choke on my words. My sick leave has been abit high this year ( total 7days split over 2 episodes) genuinely been unwell.

Taking more days probably will trigger a warning. How do I overcome this, I'm still stressing about informing manager tomorrow morning!

...Any words of encouragement ??

Thank you!

1. Can you work from home?
2. Presumably once this infection is done with its done with? Or is it a reoccurring thing?

Yes I can wfh but at this rate struggling to sit up on chair with aches in lower back and extreme sweating

It could be new virus/ infection, or could have re occured? Was prescribed 5day course of antibiotic last day was Monday and it cleared majority of my symptoms and seemed myself "fit to return", but symptoms returned a few days later (on thurs) but a few more new ones ie fever, chills and phlegm coming from chest (before it was sinus)

I would leave out the bit about hallucinations

If you are too ill to work, you should not be at work. Perhaps hasty when you went back and you hadn't yet recovered.

If you feel well enough and its an option get a fit note to say you can work under adjustments. If not then just take time off and wait until you know you are recovered.

If really worried use annual leave or unpaid but to be honest if you are sick you should use the sick leave.

What is your company’s attendance policy? At mine, a third round of sickness in 12 months would trigger an attendance support meeting but it’s informal and allows you plenty of time to improve your record over the next few months and also allows you to discuss things that are going wrong with your health and ways the company can support you. Ultimately if you’re sick, you’re sick. It happens.

I'm sorry you are so unwell 😔 there are some really nasty bugs going round at the moment.
I work in a school and a few colleagues have been ill, come back thinking they were on the mend, only to fall ill again.

Ultimately, if you are too ill, you should stay off- I line manage people and would not judge a member of my team in these circumstances.

Just explain what has happened and tell them that you will keep them updated and hopefully be back soon.

5 days is really not long enough for chest or throat infections. The guidelines is 10 days for this reason - your infection hasn't been cleared so it's just come back with a vengeance. Explain this to your boss - explain that you didn't know and would insist on a longer course of antibiotics in future and that you're already taking a new longer course and will be ok to at least WFH hopefully in a couple of days. So unless there's a big back story with your boss or recurring illness I can't see it being a problem.