Sick leave? Can't cope with the commute😞

[Kej36]

Hiya sorry if there's already a thread here related, Ive not posted on mumsnet before.. just always reading!

I'm 25 weeks this week and have been off work sick due to bad reflux and vomiting and then having my flu and whooping cough jabs and coincidentally getting really a horrible cold and cough afterwards, and I've also found out I'm anaemic with low folate levels. I'm usually working on the ambulances but have been put on light duties, but this means commuting to central London using the trains and tube which has been a struggle, even with me leaving earlier to avoid the worst of the rush hour.. my heart races and I feel like I'm going to faint on every journey and have been like this since 16 weeks so it's only getting worse. I've been signed off for 3 weeks now and I feel cheeky asking my doctors to sign me off any longer.. I originally didn't want to start my leave early but now I feel like I've got no choice but to go as soon as possible.. I know there is no work locally and won't be able to do any work from home, I still have a weeks annual leave to use up.. would it be possible to get signed off due to these things up until the earliest point I can leave (using my leave just before)? I panic my doctors will just think I'm over exaggerating, but I struggle even to walk a set of stairs or talk without being breathless.. I feel like my work/doctors will just think I'm being lazy, but I've lost a baby before and I understand now how much it means to put me and baby first this time around.
The amount of stress the idea of going back to work is putting on me makes me feel sick with anxiety every day as well

Any advice or help would be appreciated, thankyou xx

You sound stressed OP, no doctor would advise a return to work if you are stressed out. I'd speak to them and explain exactly how you feel like you did above and see if you can get signed off for a few more weeks then re access? You've got to put yourself and the baby first, not work.

Some people cope really well being pregnant, other people have a really rough time. I was in the rough time category up till a couple of weeks ago (I'm 26 weeks) look after yourself and your baby and I'm sure the doctors know that pregnancy is different for everyone, some people can carry on pretty much as normal, some people have to be signed off sick and some people need to be hospitalised. You don't want to end up in the latter category.
I didn't get signed off because I work from home lying down on a laptop. In your situation I wud have had to have been off sick. Don't stress yourself out, you can't help feeling rough and you deserve sympathy x

Thankyou for your replies, I guess that's all true 😞 I've always just been one to worry about how everyone else will take it and what they'll think of me.. that the doctors will think I'm trying my luck, my work will think I'm using pregnancy sickness to my advantage and then just everyone else will think I'm being lazy.. I mean if I could still be doing this work from home then I'd definitely do it.. it's so easy I can't complain! But for the sake of putting me and bump through the commute so much it just isn't worth it and I'd be kicking myself if something happened to baby, I'll have to try and brave up and get myself to the doctors and tell them how I'm really feeling, I just get so anxious of what they'll say x

You can’t control what people think and it doesn’t matter. You just need to be upfront and honest with your workplace and tell them what you can’t do at the moment. They could help you fit round this, but you need to be straight with them about your limits: would reduced hours in the office help, for instance?

Not sure which ambulance service you work for but I'm a paramedic and I was taken off front line duties as soon as I told them I was pregnant. That's standard as far as I'm aware. Even if you work PTS, there's still to much manual handling to do safely. I wouldn't even think twice about king off sick in your condition. I am lucky that I work in a hospital (my main job) and I have been put on office duties and I'm not clinical. I have hyperemesis, SPD and anaemia but if I had a big London commute, I'd definitely be off sick.

Thingymaboob, I'm with las and they don't have us do PTS anymore, we get taken straight off the road but then are expected to go work in HQ up central London which is all light duties- I'm mostly doing admin which I can't complain about as it's so simple- it's purely the commute to get there which is terrible and making me feel like I just can't do it anymore. Even if I did one day a week I'd feel like I'm putting baby at risk with all the pushing and shoving on the trains and tube along with all the running so I don't miss my trains! Gosh you're doing so well going through all of that and still making it into work- even if it isn't clinical, I'm not sure I'd cope at all!Xx

@Kej36 I'm ex LAS paramedic and if I were in your position, I'd almost certainly be signed off. I was not able to work at all and was off work for about two months in the beginning and am only able to do light duties now in 2nd / 3rd trimester. My advice to you would to be signed off and you can go back and do light duties if and when you feel better as with most women (not all) the symptoms do improve as the pregnancy progresses

I realise you're 25 weeks. Their policy might be if you're off sick at 30 weeks it triggers mat leave but you'd have to look it up. Honestly, no one in the LAS will care what you do or don't do. They're so busy and preoccupied with their own lives and work. Do what's best for you

@thingymaboob I'm going to have another look at the policy because I remember there being something related to sick leave and having to start your leave earlier- but baby brains made me forget! It is so true what you've said, in the las everyone's all over the place and too busy to actually have the chance to worry about another worker due to be starting maternity so soon anyway so I'll stop stressing about what other people are thinking. I'm still feeling like the commute is going to be too much, so will go back to my drs tomorrow and see what they can do regarding my fit note. Thank you x

Sending you . I had a fairly easy pregnancy but have known people who had a difficult time of it so I sympathise.

Mat leave can be enforced 4 weeks before your due date if you are still signed off. The exact calculation is on Maternity Action
www.maternityaction.org.uk/advice-2/mums-dads-scenarios/pregnant/sickness-during-pregnancy-and-maternity-leave/

Thankyou Loveprosecco 💓 I blame having had it so easy for the first trimester!! Just my luck really, thankyou for the info and the link- 4 weeks before my due date isn't so bad so I won't be stressing about that!x