Hi - try to keep brief.
For a variety of different reasons I've been very unlucky and had extended periods of absence in the last 3 years.
One of these was due to symptoms of CFS except it was a combo of issues with thyroid, stress, and hypermobility syndrome. It was hard trying to get everything balanced before I could manage to pace myself and basically rebuild my body and stamina.
I went back to work in sept two days a week. It was actually very hard at first as my muscles were still not normal and I'd spend 2 days recovering only to spend ages trying to plan for the following week.
Gradually I started to feel stronger and more like me. I'm seeing a physio regularly through our insurance scheme.
I was hit by a terrible chest bug at the end of Nov. I battled in to work when I could barely breathe (stupid). I was told it was mild pneumonia though I think also a virus. I was very ill and spent the last two weeks of term off.
Still very rattly over Xmas, a chest X-ray was clear. I was pretty miserable and exhausted. Hips kept going as could only sleep upright.
I seemed a bit better at ny, coughing fits at odd times but an inhaler was helping.
Went back to work first week exacerbated chest and I became extremely wheezy and full of fluid at the weekend. Spent the next two weeks off taking oral inhalers, and then anther course of abs (last week)
They only just finished yesterday and I was feeling so weak and ill the GP signed me off this week too - which I'm very glad of. There is now a slight question as to if there's some mild asthma, or could just be an awful bug.
So 5 weeks of in total. I've been to GP weekly to get it sorted. I'm not happy about it but been very bloody ill. Fatigue and joint pain started to come back. Massive anxiety about being off.
Head has said in light of last year she's sending an OC health referral through - questioning the "demands of the role impacting on my ability to maintain good health, particularly in terms of resilience to infection."
"Is employee fit to carry out normal duties? If not when return?"
Is this just covering their backs?
My lady OC health report stated I could be vulnerable - but not to infection per say, but that it wouldn't currently take much to knock me down. I'm wondering if the head thinks I have a weak immune system?
I do feel the tasks they've given me are quite difficult to manage effectively but I'm doing my best.