Need advice ladies.. work & pain..

[helen979]

Hey ladies I'd really like some advice I don't know what to do for the best. I work as a staff nurse on a really busy ward and the last 2 months or so my endo pain has flared back up again (had my lap diagnosing endo in Nov 2013 and have a 10 month old now) I only do 2 night shifts a week but I'm struggling with the long shifts on my feet as my pain is low down in my tummy pelvis and groin area/upper thigh area. I have an appt with a new endo consultant on the 12th Oct but that seems like a lifetime away when I'm struggling so much at work and to run around after my son. My family really want me to stay off work while I'm in pain but I lost so much time off work when I was being investigated for my pain 2 years ago that I am so nervous about going off sick. My work were not the most supportive and would ring me constantly asking when I was fit to work even though I had sick notes covering me. I felt so pressured to go back that I had 2 weeks off after my lap and still didn't feel ready to do my duties as the ward is so heavy but I felt I had to go back. I'm stressed out my head atm I'm meant to be on shift tonight but don't know if I can face it. If I go off now I'll have to stay off as if I go back and then was off again it would count as multiple episodes and ill be in more trouble. Just need some advice and some reassurance I think xx

[sjgardiner]

It's so sad that your work in healthcare and yet they're not concerned about your health! You really need to listen to you body, I would go and speak to your doctor, is there a way you could reduce your hours for a short period until your appointment? Or be moved to a different job which your not on your feet?

Also speak to your doctor about your appointment, I researched private hospitals who took NHS patients and spoke to my doctor about changing my appointment through the choose and book system to them and I was able to have my appointment 3 weeks earlier, that could be an option for you to help?

I hope you feel better! Xx

[helen979 in reply to sjgardiner]

Thanks so much for the choose and book suggestion I've been able to bring my appt forward by 10 days xx

[helen979]

I know you would think they would be supportive but they are quite the opposite. Unforuntately I know that they wouldn't allow me to drop my hours without me using annual leave to do it and I don't have a lot since I only do 23 hours a week. I feel like I should be coping better as it's only 2 nights but it's still hard. I will definately look into the choose and book system though hun thanks very much xx

[ails84]

Hi I'm nurse aswell and the best thing I did was speak to occupational health and hr they were so helpful and if work can support you they endure they do, I wouldn't of got my new job because of sick time if I hadn't been to OH they back me up when it came to justifying my sick time and what needs to be done from the employers point to help,

Don't know if that helps,

[helen979 in reply to ails84]

Thanks hun I did speak to occupational health when I was off sick not last year year before and they advised my ward not to put me on back to back shifts but before I knew it I was back to doing long days in a row and that was after first telling me that they hadn't even received anything from OH. Plus after my op I was supposed to have a OH review before going back to work which I never knew and the ward never advised me on. They are just useless to put it blunt. I will speak to HR though hun I think that might be the best thing to do thanks for your help xx

[l0rik]

Hi I am Lorraine. So sorry you are experience this from your employer. I too suffered with Endo when I was 14 up to 29. Fortunately for me mine went when I had my son. or so I thought. Got other symptoms years later. Was diagnosed with fiber mylagia. People with Endo are more likely to get this painful condition. Before that I too had lots of time off due to this condition. When I gave my job. My results of being off so often. They sacked me.due to the fact I could not give. A return to work date. Was happy to go as I had just lost my mother. Was still having symptoms of other things which I did not understand. Became bowel incontinent. So even going back to work was not an option. Now asit happens Endo has all my insides stuck together. Have a bowel blockage. Monday coming will now if I get a bag for life or until I recover. All down to Endo. I do not remember having follow up appointments after I was diagnosed at 16. please all keep up with appointment. Don't be bullied by employers.