Time off work

[Mandy635]

Hi, I recently visited the doctor and was told I had borderline pneumonia, this has flared my asthma in a way I haven’t had for decades. Anyway, i was given steroids, oral and inhaler, and antibiotics (1 week of amoxicillin and then a further two weeks of doxycycline) and I signed myself off work for the first seven days and the doctor signed me off for an additional ten days, I’m a Reception class teacher. I finished the antibiotics on the day I returned to work nearly two weeks ago. On Friday I returned to the docs to see the asthma nurse to find my peak flow had gone down to 110-160, it was 180 when I first had flare up and that one of my lungs is still crackly. I’m now back on doxycycline, prednisolone and have a serevent inhaler, as I was taking up to 10 puffs every 4 hours of salamol. I’m still wheezy and breathless and my peak flow is at 200-220. I don’t feel fit for work but am concerned about whether I can sign myself off again so soon! Any advice? Sorry for the rambling post!

[hypercat54]

Hi sorry to hear this and I hope you feel a lot better soon. If you are not fit for work then your doctor will give you a note exusing you from work. There is no limit on this if you are unwell whether it's the same illness or a different one.

[elanaoali]

Firstly thank you for the job you do teachers need to hear this. Secondly you need to be completely betterto do your job and I aappreciate it's Christmas end of term. I hope and pray you are better soon.Ln Look after yourself if you aren't well then you are no good to any one including yourself. As a mum that took me a long time to learn that. God bless and I hope and pray you are better soon.

[katie-astrophe]

It sounds like you’re getting good healthcare help - I would just say get plenty of rest (I was off sick too recently, I know how hard it is! Took til end of second of three weeks off to properly relax!) and make sure if you need adjustments to return to work then it is on your fit note. Don’t feel bad about taking the time you need, the kids might miss you but they’d rather you were properly well again before coming back, deep down (as will your colleagues)

[Hidden]

Hi mandypking. Hope you are well. It is important you are well before going back to work. It is important that you get better otherwise you are at risk of further more severe relapse. With every relapse I find the asthma exacerbation is a lot worse and I end up needing high doses of steroids for longer

Your a teacher and you going to be exposed to kids with coughs and colds - this will trigger further and worsening asthma exacerbations. Sometimes the sequelae of viral infections can last for months. Please make sure your asthma back to baseline before you go back. Also make sure you good doses of oral prednisolone - and needs to be continued until the symptoms are controlled - this may need to be for few weeks. If the airway inflammation not fully controlled then the next relapse is going to longer and more severe and steroid resistent. It sounds like this is what has happened to you.

I hope that you get better soon.

[Mandy635]

Thank you everyone for you kind words and advice! I spoke to the doctors surgery today and I can sign myself off again for 7 days as I had been back to work. Then I can get a doctors certificate if not well enough after self certification ends.

Mandy