Period troubles - how to handle with work?

[GeraldineThornton]

I have two days a month - day 1 and 2 of my period - where I feel like I'm going to die. I have to down tools and go to bed.

This has only started happening the last few months and these days have always happened at the weekend or days I'm WFH so its been okay so far.

But I'll be back in the office a lot more soon, and there will inevitably be days that I need to bail.

Should I tell my line manager now, ahead of time that this is likely to happen?
Or just take sick days as/when the situation occurs?
Should I get a note from my doctor to say what the situation is in case I get in trouble for missing days several months on the bounce?

Really appreciate anyone's insight into this. Thank you.

Your employer should have a policy on it. Essentially it boils down to "what can be done to support you to fulfil your employment contract?"

And if there's nothing (reduced hours, reduced responsibilities, reassigned to another role, etc) then they will have a process for dismissal.

I've told mine I'm having investigations for endometriosis
Day 3 of my period I often get pain so severe I had gas and air last time and was on all fours screaming

Period problems are genuine reasons for sick leave and I don't think you should be expected to make sick time up (unless you aren't paid sick), but I agree with everyone else that you need to be proactive about finding a solution. You don't have to give your boss details, this is personal information.

Have you checked your HR policies? We have a period and menopause policy, you could see if you have similar? Agree with PP that investigation if this a new thing with your GP is important both for your own health and so you can go with that information. I guess it depends how comfortable you feel discussing your medical records with your manager.

This is really helpful, thank you for all your comments.

Sorry if some of these questions are really naive but I really have appreciated your inputs

That's a good point, thank you.

My employer has recently introduced a menopause policy which I've just found. No period/menstruation policy sadly.

Mine started about the same time.

I talked to my very proper male manager about it and he was really good and supportive in a kind of 'we'll talk about this once, I'll say take time if you need it, and we'll never talk about it again' kind of way.

It was helpful to know that someone knew.

@GeraldineThornton HR professional here, the first step for a manager and Managing Attendance policy is to make sure an employee has done everything to help themselves.

Going to the GP and pursuing a diagnosis, treatment is an employee demonstrating to their employer that they take the impact seriously and are trying to resolve it.

Once you have spoken to your GP talk to your manager. I would simply say that since x month you have suddenly the first day or 2 of your period you are getting symptoms that make it difficult to work. Whilst WFH you have made up any time missed. You thought this was a one off but it has continued and become worse and so have seen your GP who has (diagnosed, referred for investigation, prescribed, etc.).

You are making manager aware now as you wanted them to understand this may impact your ability to attend the office on one or two days each month, plus if the symptoms are extreme you may need one or two sick days. You will continue to pursue a diagnosis/ treatment etc. and do everything to minimise impact on work.

Going forward you will keep your manager informed as part of regular 1:2:1s.
There is no need to go into detail other than time off for appointments, how long for a treatment to take effect etc.

WRT managing attendance, I would expect your manager to have trigger points when to take action. As you have initiated the discussion and will give them updates this will help your manager when you reach a trigger point. If you reach a certain level of absence I would expect them to consider referral to OH. The fact you will have consulted your GP and are pursing a diagnosis/treatment should be treated positively.

Hi @Sisterpita
That's so useful to know, thank you very much for taking the time to write that post.

I've looked at our HR policies which say that persistent short-term absences can trigger HR matters. But I can't find any actual numbers of what this looks like in practice - how persistent is persistence, how intermittent is intermittent.

I think I'd have to take sick days if/when my period troubles happened because the days I'm in the office are days that I have things on which aren't move-able to make-up-able. The rest of the time I WFH and can catch up the days I take to my sick bed 😃

Please may I ask - when you say that employees should make sure they do everything to help themselves, what does this mean in terms of medications? If the GP recommends a treatment that I don't want to take (thinking of the contraceptive pill), will this count as me not doing everything possible to help the situation? Would that count against me? Would I have to inform work that I've been offered a treatment but I'm not taking it? Getting a bit ahead of myself I know!

"Very proper male manager" I like that 🙂

My line manager is a middle-aged woman, who calls herself a feminist. So, here's hoping for some good support!

I'm on metafemic acid for acute period pain and it takes the pain down from 'clutching the wall and sobbing in agony' level of pain to a dull, manageable ache.

You absolutely need to get checked over and get some meds if necessary.

I take mollycoddle for the pain which helps a lot. But it's not really the pain that's the trouble. It's the dizziness and nausea which mean I can't look at a screen for too long and make me generally feel like I've been hit by a bus.

Mollycoddle?!

I meant co-codamol 😂😂Weird auto-correct.

Having said that, I do expect DP to offer some mollycoddling so maybe not such a weird one!?

OP if you have a menopause policy have a look at what it says as many symptoms of menopause include very painful very heavy periods and there are probably elements of the policy that could be applied to younger women with awful periods.

And no, your employer cannot insist that you take the pill!

I get menstrual migraines which make me feel dizzy and sick (and they worsened at perimenopause). I found that glasses with green lenses helped a bit (mine are MigraLens) as did changing monitor light settings although sometimes I did just have to go and lie down for a couple of hours.

It might be worth trying some prescription anti sickness meds such as domperidone or metoclopramide but definitely go to the GP.

@GeraldineThornton when you say that employees should make sure they do everything to help themselves, what does this mean in terms of medications?

You would be amazed how many employees have lots of odd sick days for the same thing but never see their GP to try and resolve it. Finally they get to a crunch point in managing attendance and they finally see their GP and they are diagnosed and treated and their sick absence improves. There are also employees who try to brave it out, ignoring medical advice and end up with far more time off sick because they relapse.

The decision on medications is between you and your GP. No one will force you to take medication nor do you have to disclose it unless you are referred to OH.

However, an employee has to accept that if not taking the medication recommended means they keep being off sick their employer may decide to take administrative action which, can at the very extreme include dismissal. This is very very unlikely in your case as it is normally much higher levels of sick absence, but it is a valid option for employers. I know that sounds scary but you wanted the facts.

Thank you for those suggestions, I'll definitely check them out.

I've been on the menopause policy today and absolutely some of the symptoms apply to troublesome periods as well. If/when I chat with my line manager, I'll raise this point. Thank you.

Thank you again for such a helpful and considered response. This is really good to know. I feel much better informed from the 'other side' of things.

Whilst I could not speak to the team leader 12 years my junior, I spoke to another male team leader about my own age or possibly older, who was more in the know about gynae procedures, they actually knew far, far more than a female ever could.

If you either aren't trying to conceive or have completed your family, ask for norethisterone to stop your periods. Also, ask for a referral to a gynacologist, you could have endometriosis.

I know it's not what you asked but is there any chance the co-codamol could be causing the dizziness and nausea? I only ask because it made me very dizzy and foggy, even OTC doses. Weirdly I am fine on stronger opiates!

Doctor might offer mefenemic acid as mentioned above to help with the pain, and/or tranexamic acid for the heavy bleeding.

If you need investigations for anything like endometriosis they can take a LONG time so definitely a good idea if work is aware.

I was thinking about this thread last night and it occurred to me that the dizziness and nausea started a couple of months after I started using co-codamol for period pain. So it's absolutely possible, yes.

Thank you so much for everyone's input into this thread. It's been so helpful for my original question but also to read suggestions for how to help my period troubles. And the suggestions to go to the GP. Thank you all so much

I am going through similar issues although have been getting treatment from Gynaecology. I have 2 days of really heavy bleeding and severe cramps the next day, followed with tiredness but I'm on iron and folic acid now which helps, i triggered absence procedures at work so I asked my boss for an ohs referral and had a meeting ohs professional who then provided a report of what my company can do to support me. So things like during my period I am able to work solely from home and I am can log off at short notice as long as I make up the hours. I've logged off went for a bath and a wee hours nap and where as before I would have felt guilty doing this - I don't give it a second thought now.

UPDATE AND THANK YOU

Sorry to reanimate an old thread but I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who offered help on this thread a couple of months back.

I took the advice and went to see my GP, who prescribed Tranexamic acid as a first attempt at sorting the issue.

I've only taken it for one period so far but it worked wonders. So I'm really hoping that the underlying issues are sorted and I don't need to worry about the actual original question in the thread 😂

Thank you!