AIBU to just get a sick note?

[Katie2908]

Hi all, hoping for some advice really. I am early in my pregnancy (6 weeks) the first 10 days went well. I was just hungry, but i was upbeat, fine able to work.

The last 4 days have hit me like a brick. I am exhausted, cannot seem to move from my sofa, feeling nausea but not actually sick and quite emotional, anything could set me over the edge.
Its my first pregnancy and I've called in sick for next 2 days but im just wondering whether to just get a sicknote as I don't know if I can physically work like this? Or am I being dramatic and just need to push myself? Idk if it's normal to feel this way? I was literally fine a week ago.

I know it doesn't count as sickness and wouldnt be held against me but I love my job, and I have a good work ethic, only 1 sickness this year and now. Idk if it's reasonable for me to just get a sicknote or am I just feeling sorry for myself?

I went off sick for a week with my job, then went on medication for sickness and went back to work with some flexibility, I think they changed some of my tasks (nothing customer facing) and also knew I wasn't well so might call in sick every so often. My sickness and fatigue was pretty severe and I worked for home in a data entry job so I literally worked from my bed until about 16 weeks.

If I couldn't have worked from my bed without too much interaction with other people, I would have struggled to actually work to be honest because my symptoms were so bad.

If you're too sick to work, there isn't much you can do about it.

I’m so sorry, with one of my children all this stopped at 14 weeks, another was most of the pregnancy, I think it’s going to have to be take each day as it comes otherwise you could potentially be out for months.

@Eastcandlei can't work from home and I just love my job and feel awful and anxious that im going to have to phone in. I've read it's all normal between 6-8 weeks but I have a lot of responsibility outside of work with my relatives and im currently in hiding on my sofa.

@Tryingatleastoh gosh. Im sorry that's how you felt. If I had this for the whole pregnancy I dont even know what I would do! Im hoping it settles.

Katie2908

hopefully the tiredness and sickness are only short lived x

Is there anyway you can temporarily reduce your hours?

This is my second baby and my fatigue kicked in last week and gosh I forgot how horrible it was.

If you can’t manage you can’t manage unfortunately and the best thing to call in and rest. If it helps it does get better, for some lucky women it can start to settle from 8 weeks.

I think you’ll need to be off a week before being issued with a note anyway so see how you feel then. Nausea and fatigue can be so fleeting that you might find you’re only signed off for a few days at a time and it’s a hassle in itself.

@Tryingatleastthank you x

@Summerlillyno it's not possible, I think I will just have to call in and ask my GP for a sicknote. I just hate the anxiety that comes with it. And as it's my first pregnancy, i literally dont know if it's all normal to feel like I've been hit my a bus. 😕

i literally dont know if it's all normal to feel like I've been hit my a bus.

Yes, perfectly normal.

Get a sicknote, and let your employer know you are pregnant. Under The Maternity Act, pregnancy related sick leave must be recorded separately to normal sick leave, and cannot be used in disciplinary action against you.

Perfectly normal.
I had 8 weeks off in both pg.
Good luck.

@FuzzyWolflast week, I was eating for england, and loving life! Now I am just lying here wasting away. I hope it is fleeting! Thank you for your advice

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroadsi think so too. I am going to see how i feel over weekend and review next week. I think im coming to terms with the fact that I need to priorise myself and put my worries aside.

I had a lot of anxiety as well, I felt really guilty and that people wouldn't believe it was that bad to need time off, so I can understand the anxiety around taking time off work.

Although absolute hell, it's very normal to feel like you've been hit by a bus it really can be debilitating in the first trimester. You will start to feel better though. Medication helped me and it did start to improve from 12 weeks and every couple of weeks from then on, I felt better and better.

I went on sick at 6 weeks due to terrible hyperemesis, I was sick all day every day and no way I could work like that. I planned to go back at 14 weeks when it apparently should have got better! It did a bit but I'm still nauseous at 19 weeks and just can't bring myself to go back yet as my job is very full on and physical. I'm debating staying off the whole pregnancy now as clearly this sickness isn't going anywhere anytime soon! So I'd say definitely go off whilst it's really bad, there's no way I could have even left my house let alone worked at that point!!

I had a bad bout of sickness at 7 weeks pregnant.
I think it lasted a whole 3 days🤣
I would throw up at home, get up for work at 5 even though i slept from 7 the night before and still feel extremely exhausted to the point i was falling asleep at my desk.
I went into work on that first full day of sickness coming on. I ended up throwing up in my mouth and then it went back down (sorry TMI) but i felt horrendous and had go home, take a shower and brush my teeth. Thats exactly what i told my manager as well. 'Really sorry, i need to go home, have a shower and brush my teeth ive just thrown up in my mouth and feel absolutely disgusting' my manager never bat an eye lid because hello its pregnancy anything can happen!🤣

Im now on maternity leave at 36 weeks pregnant and worked through until my annual leave at 34 weeks with PGP/SPD i think its also called SPD... i could be wrong. It has been the most painful time and i also felt bad about being off work.
I ended up taking days here and there throughout and used some holidays that i had on the off chance that it was just a really bad day for pain or i hadnt slept because my hips wouldnt play ball.
Now im on maternity leave, i'm guessing all the stress and aggro had really made me and my hips worse!
I am now pretty much bound to the bed and sofa, i can barely walk, my hips feel like theyre going to give in all the time trying to hold my weight and weight of baby.

Dont feel bad for taking the time off.. do it for your own sanity and health if need be.
If you have HG, and you end up in hospital on a drip because you havent given yourself rest time and time at the dr's to get medication, it will all just get worse. Hopefully it isnt HG, and its just a bout of shitty morning sickness but being exhausted at work isnt going to do you or the business any good. You arent on top form, you're probably wobbly and all you can think about is how sick you feel and how tired you are. Take the time when you need it! X

@Eastcandlei was thinking if this goes on for next week or so I will need medication as I haven't got off my sofa for 3 days and feel sick but not actually sick but it's on edge all the time. Thank you for your advice!

@LER2023thank you. Im sorry to hear you're having a rough time and had a rough early pregnancy. I think you're right, im going to be no good in work so im just going to get the sicknote as I can't move without feeling sick!

Thank you all for giving me the confidence x