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Original poster

How soon after isolation ended did you return to work

33 replies

AThroneOfLies · 04/02/2022 14:23

Coming to the end of my isolation and although I generally appear well I am absolutely exhausted.
Job is quite a busy one and worried how I’ll cope (full time, also single parent)
If you went back to work straightaway how did you manage?

OP posts:
Finallygotme · 04/02/2022 14:25

I'm not sure either. People seem surprised when I say how hard I've been hit with it . I'm heading towards day 10 and been in bed all day

Waxonwaxoff0 · 04/02/2022 14:48

I went back straight away but Covid was mild for me, I could have worked while I had it.

Original poster
AThroneOfLies · 04/02/2022 15:47

I seem to have spurts of energy and I’m then shattered after

OP posts:
chubley · 04/02/2022 17:58

Same, symptoms and feelings of tiredness flare up and go, so I haven't been doing anything too taxing while WFH throughout to be available rather than do everything. We are going back to hybrid but I'm not rushing back to the office yet. I'm on Day 10 and still testing positive on LFTs.
Can you take some sick leave if the job is not WFH?

chubley · 04/02/2022 17:59

or arrange a phased return?

Sleepyteach · 04/02/2022 18:04

I work part time and I went back to work on day 9 after 2 days of testing negative. It was the last day of my working week and I work a short day that day anyway. I ended up staying to cover a colleague who was off and I absolutely should not have gone back in. I had been working from home during my isolation but only to do the bare minimum (and one day was too ill to work) and a full day was too much. I was asleep on the sofa by 8 and that isn’t me at all

Pushkinia · 04/02/2022 18:07

I tested negative on day 7 and 8 - back to work on day 8. I’m a teacher and have 8 colleagues off with Covid, so we’re desperately short staffed.

I coped reasonably well on Monday, but Tuesday is a long day, 8.30am - 6pm and I was absolutely shattered. I went home and was in bed at 8pm. I’m still suffering bursts of fatigue and bad leg pain, so I’m just having very early nights until I feel better.

DistrictCommissioner · 04/02/2022 18:09

I will be back on day 11, think my manager would think I was taking the piss if not (my working days fell on day 4, 5, 6 so I have had those off). DH has had to work from home throughout & they are desperate to get him back in the 2nd his LFTs go negative…

southlondoner02 · 04/02/2022 18:09

I went back the second day I tested negative, but was absolutely knackered by the end of the day. In fact felt quite unwell on the tube home. Like pp it feels like I have energy spurts and slumps still

itsjustnotok · 04/02/2022 18:13

Today is day 5 and I had to email my lateral flow - still positive. My boss emailed back ‘oh still positive’. I’m due on shift Monday and he’s asked me to email tomorrows and Sundays so they know I’ll be in. The truth is I managed a shower today and was utterly exhausted and slept for 2 hours.

BeenToldComputerSaysNo · 04/02/2022 18:42

I've heard of people going back as they feel pressured / almost guilty like they're lying if they stay off until better, trying to put a show on of feeling better than they are (not just for financial reasons). There is so much disparity between how people feel. There's obviously data on hospitalisations and long covid, but I don't know what the split is for other elements of the spectrum - e.g. asymptomatic/a 'cold'/feeling floored within isolation period / feeling floored post isolation period. Has anyone seen any data on this type of thing? Presumably some exists for it to be said that 'for most it's just like a cold' etc.

Onthedowns · 04/02/2022 18:59

@BeenToldComputerSaysNo

I've heard of people going back as they feel pressured / almost guilty like they're lying if they stay off until better, trying to put a show on of feeling better than they are (not just for financial reasons). There is so much disparity between how people feel. There's obviously data on hospitalisations and long covid, but I don't know what the split is for other elements of the spectrum - e.g. asymptomatic/a 'cold'/feeling floored within isolation period / feeling floored post isolation period. Has anyone seen any data on this type of thing? Presumably some exists for it to be said that 'for most it's just like a cold' etc.
This is so true. My boss couldn't care less. But i am shocked how exhausted i feel day 12.
user1471509171 · 04/02/2022 19:11

I went back on day 11. Felt fine on the Monday but by the end of Tuesday felt very tired, but worst symptom was achey legs like they were made of concrete. This lasted for two weeks then felt better. I work in a Pupil referral unit so it's a physical hectic job.

Onthedowns · 04/02/2022 19:12

@user1471509171

I went back on day 11. Felt fine on the Monday but by the end of Tuesday felt very tired, but worst symptom was achey legs like they were made of concrete. This lasted for two weeks then felt better. I work in a Pupil referral unit so it's a physical hectic job.
This is how my legs feel it's awful! I didn't have it during covid itself but its so bad now
BeenToldComputerSaysNo · 04/02/2022 19:35

Wish you better. Anecdotally it seems that resting when you need to leads to quicker recovery overall. Not always easy in practice.

user1471509171 · 06/02/2022 10:40

@Onthedowns I was the same. I didn't have the leg symptoms when I had covid. It started after I went back to work. I soldiered through but it took me a good month to feel myself again. Then I had the booster.... but that's another thread Hmm. Hope you all feel better soon x

HoneyFlowers · 06/02/2022 10:50

So pleased to read this thread. I am over 10 days isolation... Was still testing positive a couple of days afterwards...nearly three weeks since positive result and I am so tired and struggling to function, I keep having dizzy spells. I am self employed and I have to be firing on all cylinders in my role. I have taken the decision to cancel all work for next 3 weeks.

Homagedhome123 · 06/02/2022 10:52

I ended up having 6 weeks off sick as it took that long for me to feel anywhere near ready to face a day at work - 8 hours on my feet.

Original poster
AThroneOfLies · 06/02/2022 13:45

I’m a teacher too and we are incredibly short staffed, I think it’s hard to get across just how exhausting it is unless you’ve actually had it but then I’ve had colleagues who’ve been absolutely fine and returned as normal with no issues.
Can’t say I’ve really had much chance to rest over the last week mind as I’ve had the DCs home too.
Glad to hear I’m not alone though, makes me feel less of a hypochondriac

OP posts:
countrylady2 · 06/02/2022 14:23

My first day back at work tomorrow out of isolation. Not looking forward to it as people assume you have been slacking off and I still feel tired.

avocadotofu · 06/02/2022 15:26

I'm a primary teacher and I'm due back on Wednesday which will be day 11 and I'm still suddenly exhausted a lot. I'm really worried about going back next week but we're so short staff I think I'll definitely have to!

Neena86 · 06/02/2022 16:36

The way my shifts fell I ended up having 18 days off altogether. I was pressured to go back if I had a neg lft, I didn't get one but I felt to poorly to even think about going back. I work in retail doing a lot of heavy lifting, on my feet for 8 hours, lots of walking etc. 4 weeks later and I still ache all over after I've finished a shift. I didn't before covid. Still got a cough too.

delilahbucket · 06/02/2022 17:13

Didn't stop working (self employed), just muddled through on caffeine and sugar and then fell asleep on the sofa every evening! I do have a DH who picked up my slack with housework etc.

Onthedowns · 07/02/2022 01:32

[quote user1471509171]@Onthedowns I was the same. I didn't have the leg symptoms when I had covid. It started after I went back to work. I soldiered through but it took me a good month to feel myself again. Then I had the booster.... but that's another thread Hmm. Hope you all feel better soon x[/quote]
Thank you and you. Exactly that i never had the leg symptoms until after a week later. It's awful just woken me up at night 😬😬

voxnihili · 07/02/2022 05:32

I had it over the Christmas holidays (along with 90% of our staff). It was day 15 by the time I was back at work and I struggled - not helped by all the other staff having been asymptomatic. Luckily I still looked and sounded terrible! I’m normally very fit but struggled to walk 100m.

I’d have rather taken more time off as I could have done with some more rest - I’m SLT though and going in was easier than the headache I’d have got from the head if I hadn’t. I’d say it took me about 3 weeks from the start of symptoms to feel ok again - what was odd though was that I felt better all of a sudden. I had started to worry that I’d have long-term symptoms especially as everyone else had bounced back so quickly.