What is the longest time you've had on the sick and was your employer understanding ?

[riseshine]

I'm into week 7 after pneumonia and sepsis. Was critically ill when I was first admitted to hospital and warned it could take a long time to recover.

I have recovered pretty well in terms of the most severe symptoms but I've been left with muscle weakness, ongoing breathlessness and extreme exhaustion whenever I do much more than just rest.

My continued absence is worrying me even though work have been very very good about it all.

GP reassured me today that I am still not well enough to be patient and need to patient - he suggested another 4 weeks "to be getting on with " and will review the situation again then.

I'm paranoid that as I now "seem" much better people will think I should be back by now.

Just wondered if anyone had similar experience.

I've never had more than 2 days off sick so I can't really answer your question
But where dh works people can and do have 6 months off sick with full pay
I don't get any sick pay except ssp

I've never been off sick (but have been very ill during two mat leaves and once when I was self employed). If you've got a doctors line, please don't worry about work and concentrate on getting better. I'd be very understanding if you were in my team.

3 months after surgery.
Had been off twice in the previous year for around a month each time and the surgery was to sort the problem.

It wasn't ideal but unavoidable. Work were good.
If you go back too soon you risk making yourself worse and taking longer overall to recover. The GP would not sign you off unless necessary.
Hope you are feeling better soon.

Sorry - the point of telling you about my mat leave illnesses was to say that it took months to fully recover - far longer than I'd anticipated.

Longest I had off was 4 months for abdominal surgery (laparotomy) to remove a large cyst.

I felt better about two months in but doctor told me that I was still healing internally. I felt guilty because it looked as though I was better. Work were pressuring me to come back. Even had one manager tell me they didn't have to honour a sick note! Ha! But health comes first in my opinion!

Get well soon!! X

A colleague was off for a year, our employers were very supportive and reassured her that her job was safe. She returned on shortened hours until Occupational Health were satisfied she was fully recovered.

The longest I had off was 6 months.

I was off with sepsis, this was caused by swine flu. I was in an nhs hospital for 17 days. Then a private hospital for 5 days.

I had early liver failure, severe anaemia and an allergy to antibiotics. During my time in hospital it was discovered that I had gallstones. So once I had recovered from the sepsis I had my gallbladder removed.

After I had recovered from surgery I returned to work. My employer was great, I was paid in full for the entire time I was off sick and they were very supportive.

10 months. Hashimoto's thyroiditis, autoimmune hepatitis, autoimmune pancreatitis and a painfully enlarged spleen. My employer was fantastic and we negotiated an exit at my request because it's taking a long time to adjust meds and I can't get through a day without extra sleep.

4 months after each of two lots of bowel surgery in 10 months (although some of this crossed summer hols, teacher). Employer was very supportive, especially on return after the first surgery when I was very, very ill.

Just over 12 months with bi-polar. That included a long inpatient stay.
I got full pay throughout and my employers were very supportive and I had a phased return when I did go back.

4 days and not at all.

7 weeks
Paid. Most unusual

I had pneumonia 18 months ago. I was in hospital with it too, and suffered from bad damage to my left lung. I had 4 and a half weeks off work but if I'd have gone back to the doctors then they would have signed me off longer.
It was very frustrating being at home and feeling perfectly fine until I got up and was out of breath walking from the bedroom to the bathroom.
So I went back onto light duties, just admin etc and not long hours.
I'm glad I went back when I did or I just would have stayed rested for months.
If you do go back, take it easy. But if you stay off make sure you push yourself a little each day, it will help your recovery in the long run.
Be aware it does have a long lasting effect on some people, and I really feel the cold now. I make a conscious effort to stay away from anyone with an infection too!
My work were very understand, pneumonia -especially if admitted is very serious and shouldn't be taken lightly. Hope you feel better soon

2 x 6 weeks. In between a week and shortly after the second 6 weeks another 2 weeks.
The two long ones were surgery related one planned one emergency. The week was gastro and couldn't get rid. The 2 week flu.
Triggered back to work meeting. Boss apologetic because it was automatically triggered, and we just had an informal chat to see how things were going and if there was any follow up for the first surgery.

But I also find out it depends on what your record was like beforehand and how long you've been there. My record until then was clean, and been there a few years. It was obvious I wasn't taking the piss as medically unfit is just that.

10 months - had a brain tumour. Work were very good and had a long phased return when I did go back to work and still having some support now with lasting side effects from the surgery.

2 months when my Dad died. Work were not supportive at all. Line manager blanked me for a month on my return.

3.5 months.
Work were extremely supportive, but I work on a wonderful team, and for part of a big organisation so all the things like Occupational Health are in place. Smaller places don't have that.
If your Dr has signed you off, then you are signed off. End of.