Just been to Drs following my 2nd visit to A&E in 3 days and Dr has insisted on signing me off for a week. I understand this but I'm having a hard time with my work, I'm already pending an HR investigatory due to my high Bradford score (all asthma related).
I ended up back in A&E last night because work pushed me to go back Saturday after my attack on Thursday.
What's a girl to do?!?
Sorry, moan over, just get annoyed sometimes.....
I can totally understand how you must be feeling about this it is so
difficult to do the right thing for your own health and keep your employer happy.
I went through a similar situation last year where Occupational Health were involved but fortunately for me I have a very understanding employer.
Just make sure you looking after yourself and get plenty of rest
I to have been signed off for a week. I am still on phased return from my last hospitalised attack and have only been back 4 weeks.
Am now discussing with my husband if I should resign. I work for the nhs and despite having 70 days off last year my boss has not yet gone to HR. I am under the care of occupational health but am not sure how much support they can give me.
I understand your frustration and you can moan any time xx
Lisa x
The best thing to do with the asthma is make sure you are 100% ok before going back to work, if you are not 100% then do not go back to work... that way if you have abscenes due to asthma they are in one block, don't go off sick go in for a couple of days, then go back in then go off sick again as this will count as two sickness abscences.
Thanks for your replies, its reassuring to know others have been through the work thing and come out ok.
Malawi ur right but my work put preassure on me, I just need to get my head around standing firm and reminding them (and me) why I must havr time off to recover after a bad attack.
Lisa, I hope you work it out at work, I know what you mean about resigning as my husband and I have had the same discussion. At the moment I think I wipl maybe suggest stepping down from my management role as I can't do the things I need to be able to do with so much time off and the preassure of that is mqking me work.
Making me worse not work! Lol
Asthmagirl, sounds like u have a good understanding employer which is fab news!!!
hi angelica hope you are starting to feel a bit better. i'm with you ""off sick"" as my asthma got worser when work moved me back to my office near the renovation work (that was supposedly finished!? - just dont get me started on that!) My GP gave me a sick note for two weeks (no return to work date given) with instruction to wean off oral predinsolone, upped my seretide from 125 to 250. starting to feel a bit better but still tired if i do much that most people would think is ""normal"".
please dont return to work until your GP states you are fit to return with a date on your sick/fit note. they have no right to pressurise you. yes i understand the principle of the Bradford Score, and yes it can be used in a capability procedure, but you have the right to have a clear explanation, clear discussions with HR and an appointed medical adviser, and if it's work that is making your asthma worse then they have to show that they have made ""reasonable adjustments"" to mitigate the risk of you being absent because of your asthma. (does this make sense - sorry rambling)
take care please. xx ><>
It makes perfect sense spiritedstream!
Sorry you're going through it too, its not nice.
I am starting to get my fighting spirit back so I won't let them put pressure on me again, its been made clear to them that I ended up back in A&E because of coming back tio soon after an attwck.
Fingers x for you. X
Hey did you know you can have your bradford score increase for a chronic conditon and if you were to go of sick then go back to work and then bounce back out within a day or two you can have the two episodes merged together to reduce your points.
Also dont go.back to work untill your sick note state or untill you have got the piece of paper infront of you saying fit for return as you could be disciplined for going against legal medical advice....i was lucky that when i did it my boss was sympathetic and didnt disciplone but it could have gone anyway!!
Xx
Wow charlie_warlie I didn't know that about the bradford score and for me that would be amazing to be able to do that as ny score is so high due to me goibg back to early, relapsing and it turning into two seperate epiodes.
Thanks for that info that's fab!!!!
No worries...only know as i have had it done for myself...they also habe to allow for exceptional circumstances for a long term health condition...so basically it makes it harder for your employer to sack you. And if you get a medical profession of yours working with occy health itll help you even more. Whether it being a consultant or asthma nurse as it gived your employer guidance of how to support you. Unfortunatly a lot of employers dont tell you this as its to much of an inconvenience but thankfully i have a really good employer, occy health dude and HR!!
Also you can ask to go on a stage return on each return back to work to benefit you as even if your not on long term sick, with having lots of broken up sickness episodes it can be equally the same
xx
Thanks again!! This is the kind of info I need to help me wuth ky work as they seem to have no idea hiw to deql with me at the moment.
I will speak to my employer tomorrow and maybe put forward the phased return as u really cant see me coping with a 5 day week at the moment considering how naughty my lungs are being.
Glad you've got good support with your work, I think I need to educate my employer!! Lol x
Put as many suggestions to them as possible as it shows your willingness...
Yes my employer has been great...considering ive not been there.since last april.
Could you even suggest going as supernumery for your first week back so you dont have as much stress and reliablty (another fab member suggested this one to me...)
Xx
hi angelica i know how u feel i just got out hospital less than 24 hrs ago n i just had txt off work asking if i in work tomor , funny thing is i been off since dec 30th due to chest infection n pneumonia , got diagnosed with asthma .
but felt bad from been off work so i asked for phased return and fitness note ends 5th march did two five hr shifts n end up in hospital . 5 day stay n they want me back tomor ,
it the last thing we need stress from work . hope you k and starting feel bit better jox
They make you so vross don't they? Its ridiculous, if anyone else with any other condition had been in costa for 5 days I bet they wouldn't be asking them to go back the next day! Oh its only asthma...... Insane!!!
Make sure you're well enough, if not you'll end up getting poorly again and another trip to costa.
I'm ringing my work tomorrow to ask if I can just go in mon, wed, fri next week and see how I get on.
Take care, get plenty of rest and don't worry about work, u don't need the stress! X
Its not for them to make the decision for you to go back... If you have just got out of hospital and still not right go to your GP and get further time signed off sick.... Where I used to work I had to be signed back by GP as fit to work... no signed declaration, no going back to work...
Ugh I'm sorry work are pushing for you to go back. As the others said, make sure you're properly recovered first. Are you in a union? They would be able to help you with your rights around sickness a capability procedures.
I recently lost my job through work basically not believing I was unwell (it actually says this on an occ health referral, so I showed them copies of all the a&e paperwork from my gp, which shut them up).
Anyway, the union were Fab, really stood up for me, I had the whole branch on my side as they were so disgusted with my treatment! They got me a really good settlement so that I could leave and not be so terrified about money. I'm not suggesting you leave obviously (unless you feel it's best) but a union could be a huge help.
Hope you feel better soon x
Hi all and thanks for the replies!
I went back to Dr today and he hqs signed me off for another 2 weeks due to tracheal infection alongside stroppy lungs.
Dr did raise the question of me needing to consider giving up work but I'm not ready for that. I did compromise as he's concerned about the stress of my management role exacerbating my asthma and he did tell me outright I had to at least change roles.
After a lot of tears and cuddles from my lovely hubby, I decided to bite the bullet and call work. I bypassed my ops manager qs he's been horrible and lacks any understanding of brittle asthma and spoke to HR.
What a difference!!! They were amazing, totally concerned, clear message that they are there to help me and any changes I need to make to ensure my helth.
They are calling me next week when hopefully I'll be a bit better and then I will go in for a chat.
Although its been a hard pill to swallow as I love my job, I know its the right thing.
I just want to say thanks to all of you for your kind words, information and grrrr's, they've all helped me lots! Lol
Xxxxx
After a
Just wanted to say that I sympathise and have an idea how you must be feeling. Although not really due to ill health, I've been forced to leave my job recently and know how frustrating it is not to be able to do what you want to do. Really glad that HR were sympathetic and helpful and that at least you will still have a job there, even if you have to change roles.
Angelica, glad HR are being helpful though sorry to hear you're having to give up your current role - must be so frustrating. But fingers crossed you get something else sorted soon and it's something you can enjoy even if it's not your current job.
spookymilo, sorry to hear you've had to give up your job - hope you get another one soon.
Well, it's done.
Had my meeting with hr and bosses this lunchtime and they have been truly brilliant!!
I am going to have a phased return to work, in my own time, no pressure to do any set hours or days, just that I feel I can cope with. They have agreed to let me change my role and reduce my hours.
Can't believe how lovely they were, I do thimk it helped a bit that my lungs were throwing a bit of a strop all the way through the meeting! Lol
Phew!!
That must be such a relief Angelica!! Enjoy it! xx
Glad they're so supportive! It must be nice to feel valued as well, as they're clearly going to some effort to make sure it works for you rather than just trying to skirt round the regulations. I'm very glad your company seems to appreciate you, as sometimes when people post on here about having trouble with work it seems like their employers just see them as a liability and forget the work they've done.
Hope it all goes well, must be a relief to have it sorted.
Thanks for your replies!! 
It does feel like a huge relief and they went out of their way to tell me how much they appreciated the job I'd done for them (basically turned a very unhappy unmotivated team around) and that although they were gutted to loose me as a manager they totally supported me and understood why it had to be done.
They made me cry!!!! Lol
Bump
going into week 4 of being off work due to my asthma. sorry moan alert.......
feeling really low as i had reduced the prednisalone to nil by the end of last week, from 30mg in mid January to a couple of weeks on 15mg or 10mg, as requested by my registered GP even though i had a really stressful week last week with Islandmedic being so unwell in our local Costa.
i felt really flat on friday and since then have been having night time symptoms but thought i would just battle on.
i've seen a different GP at the practice today, who suggested that since my symptoms were on the way back even with Seretide 250 (2x am and pm) and having to use my reliever each day more than once (especially if you include the nighttimes), that i go back on pred starting at 10mg and reducing down even more slowly by 1mg at a time.
i had hoped to be well enough for some sort of return to work from Monday next week, now there's not a hope as she gave me a follow-up appointment for end of the month with my usual GP, and a two week sick note.
whilst work have only contact me via text, it was kinda nice to hear that they were missing me and wished me all the best, (apparently my line manager looked even more stressed when he received my sick note). however, in my head i'm still not getting away from the fact that this all could have been avoided if someone in authority had listened when i stated that the renovation work was going to make my asthma flare up.
please lungs, when are you going to feel less inflammed and less grumpy, when am i going to get more spoons for each day? i dont want to have to quit work, or look for something different as i am happy in the office that i've been in for the last 4 years, in the government department that i have worked with for the last 10 years. lungs - are you ever going to behave properly, and let me get through a ""normal"" day without feeling soooooooo tired?
i know that at present i am not as bad as a number of people on here, but i'm not sure i want to be forever considering how much i can or cant do.
sorry, needed to let some of the angst and frustration out.
angelica how are things, asthmagirl are you still at work even with the engineering work, could they move you to a different work station? piglet, so sorry you took a big decision, anyone else thats struggling off work and not knowing how they'll fare when they get back - we stand alongside you.
Take care and thanks xx ><>
So sorry you're having a tough time of it spiritedstream, its soooooooo frustrating not being able to just get on with life isn't it?
I totally understand where ypu are coming from, but as im trying to learn, patience os definitely key to recovery.
I am back to work tomorrow bit with phased return for 4 weeks which wilp be weird but the number of spoons I have each day at the moment demands this! Lol
Dr has now put me on maintenance pred 10mg and is chasing up urgent referral to respiratory consultant.
Its going to be strange going back to work as I'm no longer going to be in my management role .......see what happens tomorrow.
Take care spiritedstream and just think about the good days.
Big hugs xxx
Time off work
Asthma, work, and bullying
Time off work
Here we go again!!!
