Five weeks sick leave - time to return?

[spukalili]

I have been signed off work by my GP for the past five weeks and was hoping to return to work on Monday, but I am still not 100% and am wondering if I should be extending it further.

Around the middle of September, I came down with what I thought was a stomach bug. It was absolutely horrific - stomach cramps like I'd never experienced, fever, diarrhoea, vomiting (I have only ever been sick three times in my entire life, so I knew something was wrong) and I couldn't eat anything for 6 days. There were several points where I was close to going to A&E.

My GP gave me antibiotics prior to any results coming back as she was so concerned it was a bacterial infection. Later my white blood cells were shown to be high and I had inflammation markers. I took a FIT test to check for blood in my stool, as she was so concerned (which fortunately, was negative).

This is all to say...i was very unwell. Fortunately, 5/6 weeks later, I'm feeling much better but I am still experiencing mild nausea, fatigue, severe acid reflux and cramps after eating certain foods.

I had a meeting with my manager and suggested that I return to work but perhaps work solely from home for a few weeks until my symptoms are under control and I'm not so anxious about being in the office all day. They were adamant that I must be physically in the office two days a week as if I was healthy enough to be back at work, that should include office days (which makes sense). My job is desk based and I have clients who I see face to face.

I suppose I'm reluctant to return to work when I know I'm not 100%, as I know any further sickness due to this illness will be treated as a separate absence. My sickness record is impeccable, so I don't think it will cause any issues, but I appreciate any sickness impacts the service and I suppose I feel embarrassed about taking longer off? I'm much better than I was, managing day to day, but just not completely recovered. All my tests are back (barring a colonoscopy which there is a waiting list for) and it's now just a matter of recovering from what was probably my stomach lining being completely destroyed.

Do I request an extension to the fit note and take another week, seeing how I get on and hope to return to work the Monday after? Or do I just grit my teeth and go back ASAP, hoping that I just improve over the next week?

Sorry, massive wall of text, rambling rubbish, I know. I'm just really anxious about the whole thing. I hate the idea of letting people down or being seen as "taking the piss".

Ask your doctor for a fit note that says something like ok to wfh. Phased return to office to be considered when next review.

For the sake of a week there's no point going back and struggling and setting yourself back. Although I would aim for 95% and recovering well, rather than 100%.

Thank you. I did request this when I last asked for the note to be extended but I wasn't added to the bottom of the note. I might go back and ask for this, but I need to let work know what I'm doing as of tomorrow, and there's always a delay with fit note requests.

Surely after five weeks you should be on a phased return to work?

I mean - I’m assuming they diagnosed whatever was wrong and it’s been treated, etc - it’s not really clear from your post…

Thank you. Yes, that's true, I suppose it's rare that you're 100% well, especially after something so severe, not to mention we are well into autumn where there are all sorts of bugs around.

Sorry, you're right, that part wasn't clear.

No diagnosis as of yet. My GP said the only other diagnostic test is going to be a colonoscopy, which there is a waiting list for. I could have further bloods to check my white blood cell count is reducing but that's all there is. I think because things are improving, it's assumed that the initial illness was viral gastroenteritis (the initial diagnosis given right at the beginning) and my stomach/digestive system is just taking its time to recover. The colonoscopy would just be to rule out any potential issues, and as my stool came back clear, I just go onto the normal waiting list rather than the two week urgent referral.

Poor you OP - sounds like you've been quite unwell! In your shoes I'd stay off a bit longer if your GP will support that. The thing to remember is that you're feeling better because you're probably doing very little. I agree with other posters that you probably also need a phased return when you're ready to go back which your GP can add to a fit note. Take good care.

I agree a phased return of some sort is needed here

Thank you so much for your kind words.

It was horrible. I'm really lucky in that I'm rarely unwell, and if I am then I tend to just get on with it. This really knocked me off my feet, and I was incredibly worried about what the cause was, as it definitely didn't feel like a standard stomach bug.

I think this all boils down to be feeling awful about having to take time off in the first place, as well as anxiety around what people at work might think. I feel like without a diagnosis (apart from the initial gastroenteritis) and no signs of getting one as things are getting better, I have no right to be off work still.

I had very similar symptoms and my GP was convinced I had appendicitis or an ectopic pregnancy so sent me to A&E where I was admitted and given some serious drugs for the pain. Turned out it was campylobacter H.pylori (sorry if I've misspelt that!) but basically the symptoms were on and off for eight weeks. So I'd be cautious about returning too soon as well.

In my workplace if you go back on a phased return but find you can’t manage (going off sick again) it’s all counted as the same sickness episode. In other words the phased return doesn’t officially end your time off until you’re fully back at work. Maybe you could check if the same is true for your workplace?

I'd give yourself a little longer to recover and take an extra week, OP.

I'd go for another week off and try to return phased hours and phased return to office - and as a PP said check the terms of a phased return, ours is the same ie you're treated as sick until back to full hours.

I think your work is right - if you're well enough to return you should be able to contemplate doing the client facing work, for which you need to be in the office. At the moment it doesn't sound like that the situation though.

I'd not view your sick record as impeccable by the way, unfortunately when you have a long time off like this it doesn't matter that you've never had time off before. Factor this into your thinking - one long absence is generally viewed better than returning and going off again.

Not equating this to your situation but a little story time: I manage someone who had something very similar a couple of months ago, very poorly ended up in hospital. They felt guilty being off and wanted to come back when they clearly weren't well enough, but also expected to be allowed to have a how long is a piece of string phased return because they were essentially not fit for work. Of course I had to say no to that, so they took a couple more weeks off sick and came back able to do a proper phased return and have been fine ever since.

Do you feel guilty about not going in as you know deep down you actually could. Maybe being at home for such a long time has made you anxious about returning to work? I’m leaning towards this as you mentioned potentially catching other winter bugs.

Because if you were still sick you wouldn’t care about taking the time off.

Thank you for your response.

Sorry, I meant prior to this illness I'd had no sick leave in years - obviously it's slightly tarnished now! You make a good point about returning too early though. At the end of the day, they are a service and me being off is going to impact that - I appreciate their patience so far, so want to work with them to ensure I'm back as soon as possible.

I think I'll request another week, explain that I just don't quite feel able to return and hit the ground running, and then look at returning the week after with perhaps a week or so of home working.

If its okay to ask, how did you feel when your staff member had to extend their leave? My biggest anxiety is informing my manager that I won't be back. I felt such pressure to return (all on myself!) that I implied that I was hoping to be back on Monday and I just feel like I'm going to annoy them by moving the goalposts.

There could be some truth to this - although I have no anxiety around my job and enjoy working with my team.

My main concern is that I'm still feeling unwell and I know that once I go back to work, I'll have to keep going in regardless of how awful I'm feeling that day. I have a long commute, I need to be office based two days a week, and the idea of sitting in a very busy office while I'm feeling nauseous or getting cramps and having to run to the loo, just doesn't fill me with joy.

I understand what you're saying though. If I had to return to work, say if I was self employed, I probably could do, as I'd just make it work. There are people with much worse symptoms than me who manage to do it, which is one of the reasons I think I'm looking for reassurance that it's okay.

This is absolutely 100% why you need a phased return. Or a wfh for a week return. When you do go back to the office it is going to be a big thing for you. It won't be for them and they don't understand that.

Because if you were still sick you wouldn’t care about taking the time off.

I disagree. People who are not fit for work worry all the time about being off.

I don’t understand why you aren’t considering a phased return… If your concern about going back is that you are anxious then I’d say the longer you leave it the harder it will be. A phased return can look like anything (within reason) that you need. You could start by working half days or fewer days for 2-3 weeks then increase it for another hour or two for another week or two with the aim to build up as you become fit enough. If you find moving up a step too much then you can step back to fewer hours again as you need.

My main concern is that I'm still feeling unwell and I know that once I go back to work, I'll have to keep going in regardless of how awful I'm feeling that day. I have a long commute, I need to be office based two days a week, and the idea of sitting in a very busy office while I'm feeling nauseous or getting cramps and having to run to the loo, just doesn't fill me with joy.

You don't sound fit to return yet.

A decent manager and workplace won't care about an extra week or two. They should be more interested in you returning when you are well enough to be there. It's less disruptive if you stay off until recovered than trying to return still unwell.

6 weeks in the context of 30-40 years of working life is entirely forgettable. Keep it in perspective.

She suggested a phased return and her employer said no.

Yes I think call your manager and say you aren’t fully well so not coming in, but will be speaking to the GP to look at phased return recommendations for next week.

I really feel for you, I am having a similar debate as although I am signed off next week I said I’d be back tomorrow and now I’m not feeling well enough for that.
I get a PP saying if you’re really unwell you’d not have guilt, but there is an in between phase where I feel I could drag myself in, but a full week of commuting and working would make me pretty ill again.
Its awful feeling you’re letting people down, and I’m embarrassed too, but in you’re case an extra week after 5 isn’t going to make any difference and I think the fact you’ve had a great record before helps.

Try and set aside guilt it’s not a very productive feeling! Maybe make plan A and plan B for the morning depending on how you feel.

Then she needs to request an occupational health review.

@spukalili you clearly are not feeling well enough to commute and return to the office. I also imagine it would be hellishly exhausting just to launch back into a normal week.

I would be requesting a phased part time return to work and no office working for a couple/ few weeks. Does your company have an occupational health dept/ service?

You had fever diarrhea and vomiting for 5-6 weeks ? I’ve never ever heard of this. What did the doctor say it was?