How long did you take off work with nausea?

[Yumnut]

I have been off work for 3 weeks with severe nausea (self cert for a week and signed off by GP for 2). I was hoping I’d feel better but unfortunately I feel just as bad as I did a few weeks ago. I’m 14 weeks today and was hoping it would have passed by now.

I feel so guilty for being off work as my team really needs an extra pair of hands and are exceptionally busy. I don’t feel well enough to go back so if I did go back I know I wouldn’t be going back for the right reasons.

If you took time off for nausea, how much time did you take?

I was off from about 6weeks to about 14 weeks and then went back part time for a couple of weeks (I was better not having early starts, so went in late and stayed until my usual finish, although there were one or 2 days when I didn't make it in at all).
This was over 20 years ago though when medication wasn't as common. I wasn't offered any, and I didn't know I could ask.
Has your GP suggested meds?

Thanks @Seeline, that’s good to know. I have been on meds since 7 weeks and whilst they make a small difference they don’t make me feel well enough to work. They also make me feel very drowsy. I’ve tried another type of medication but it made me even drowsier so I’m sticking to cyclazine

I was off for a 6 weeks. Though I'm self employed so just cancelled my clinics and didn't need a fit note. Still, I felt terrible to let people down but you have to do what's best for you.

I was off for 2 weeks but this was during Covid when I was WFH. It would have been much much longer had I been in the office. No way would I have been able to get up early and drive myself to work because the medication made me drowsy and I was still constantly nauseous and vomiting several times a day. At home I would nap during my break times and lunch times. Once I finished in evenings was straight to another nap.

OP I hope it eases off for you soon.

I was constantly nauseous, rather than vomiting for 6 weeks. I didn't take any time off (office job, so just sitting in front of computer all day), but I think I'm still traumatised from the effort of it. I wish I'd known enough just to take the time off and not felt guilty about it. Just do what you need to do and what finances allow and don't give it a second thought.

Now I've got 2 dc I let work down ALL the time because of sickness, childcare issues, school events to attend during work time - I don't feel guilty anymore, just part of having children. Society is shit to mothers and doesn't give us the space to do the job properly. Letting go of guilt is your most powerful weapon against the bullshit.

Around 9 weeks, I literally couldn’t have gone to work I was too sick.

Thanks, I’m hoping an extra couple of weeks off will help me feel better. I feel so much guilt about letting the team down but I suppose in the grand scheme of things 5-7 weeks off is a very small portion of my career