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Ill health and work

7 replies

Angels1111 · 05/03/2026 13:15

I have had a rough six months health wise and I'm not sure how to handle it at work.

I was diagnosed with endometriosis in August following escalating period pain. Due to where it is, not much can be done about it. Lifestyle factors like losing weight, relaxation, and eating more protein could help.

I'm therefore trying to get fit with a nutritionist and coach. But, every time I exercise (even short little stretches of 10-15 mins) I get loads of pain and fatigue and brain fog two days later, not really sure why and it's being investigated...possible rheumatoid arthritis. This has been going on for years but the GP has ignored my pleas for help, it's only when I got a new one they started investigating properly. The new one is putting me on iron tablets even though the previous one said "I'm in the normal range" so hopefully that'll help....the new one pointed out that I was only just in range and if I'm getting so much fatigue it's possibly low for me.
I have good stamina with exercises I'm used to like walking but new exercises leave me exhausted.

Between these two things I feel like I'm letting work down, as between all of this I'm only energetic two or three days a week.

I work part time already 9-3.

I feel like I need to bring this up with work as it's a lot to juggle....but I have been in between line managers for all this time as the outgoing one was retiring and the incoming one doesn't answer the phone or teams for one to ones.

I guess they're happy with what I'm doing as otherwise they'd have said something? I've opened dialogue with HR instead as it was getting silly. But, I don't actually know what I want work to do about it, this is uncharted territory for me and my old, now retired, line manager would have given me some advice which I feel is lacking in the current team, and I'm having to come up with my own ideas of how to deal with this but am sort of shooting in the dark.

I really just want a few months off to get on top of it all as I feel so overwhelmed :(

OP posts:
overwork · 05/03/2026 13:55

What would you hope work could do to help? Maybe of you have some ideas of what you need, you could propose a flexible working request? Such as work from home days or a jiggle of timings of responsibilities so that it’s even throughout the month etc

page17 · 05/03/2026 14:09

Sounds like PEM. ME/CFS?

ThirdStorm · 05/03/2026 14:14

It sounds like you are going through a horrible time, sorry your new line manager is so absent. I wonder if you could send a note to your manager requesting a discussion, along the lines of you haven't felt at your best due to some health issues which new line manager might have noticed so you'd like to explain what's going on and see if they step up? It sounds like your looking for some reassurance that what you are doing is fine and they aren't suddenly going to performance manage you! Given how self aware you clearly are, you might find your 50% effort is most other peoples 100% so your manager hasn't noticed!

Angels1111 · 05/03/2026 15:04

overwork · 05/03/2026 13:55

What would you hope work could do to help? Maybe of you have some ideas of what you need, you could propose a flexible working request? Such as work from home days or a jiggle of timings of responsibilities so that it’s even throughout the month etc

I don't really know actually I think thats part of the problem. I already work from home the majority of the time. And we basically manage our own deadlines most of the time. Maybe I don't really need anything...

OP posts:
Angels1111 · 05/03/2026 15:08

page17 · 05/03/2026 14:09

Sounds like PEM. ME/CFS?

Edited

Yes I think so although that's through my own googling as GP hasn't been taking it seriously. Coach is suggesting trying a few things first like magnesium salt baths, seeing if iron helps, etc.

OP posts:
Angels1111 · 05/03/2026 15:09

ThirdStorm · 05/03/2026 14:14

It sounds like you are going through a horrible time, sorry your new line manager is so absent. I wonder if you could send a note to your manager requesting a discussion, along the lines of you haven't felt at your best due to some health issues which new line manager might have noticed so you'd like to explain what's going on and see if they step up? It sounds like your looking for some reassurance that what you are doing is fine and they aren't suddenly going to performance manage you! Given how self aware you clearly are, you might find your 50% effort is most other peoples 100% so your manager hasn't noticed!

Yes exactly, want reassurance that I'm not going to suddenly be told off! But perhaps actually he hasn't noticed anything is amiss and I should have kept quiet!

OP posts:
ThirdStorm · 05/03/2026 16:34

Angels1111 · 05/03/2026 15:09

Yes exactly, want reassurance that I'm not going to suddenly be told off! But perhaps actually he hasn't noticed anything is amiss and I should have kept quiet!

You are just being conscientious!

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