Telling work I'm ill and on strong meds
Discussion
Never had a health issue thats impacted my work before but I do now and wondered how I should officially tell work can I just tell HR and have them tell my boss?
It's a chronic pain condition and the only thing that helps is gabapentin a class C drug. As well as sorting the pain though it makes me feel a bit high or on something. My boss knows there is a health issue as I have been for so many tests but I think he is a bit dismissive as to the impact on me, I understand this as unless you have suffered chronic pain its hard to appreciate the impact, my pain is in my face I have trigeminal neuralgia but its pretty much perminant. At moment I feel ashamed and embarrassed by it all, I hate taking the meds but have no choice, they probably saved me from doing something stupied as at times I have been in so much pain.
It's a chronic pain condition and the only thing that helps is gabapentin a class C drug. As well as sorting the pain though it makes me feel a bit high or on something. My boss knows there is a health issue as I have been for so many tests but I think he is a bit dismissive as to the impact on me, I understand this as unless you have suffered chronic pain its hard to appreciate the impact, my pain is in my face I have trigeminal neuralgia but its pretty much perminant. At moment I feel ashamed and embarrassed by it all, I hate taking the meds but have no choice, they probably saved me from doing something stupied as at times I have been in so much pain.
Edited by PostHeads123 on Tuesday 21st January 21:20
A few years ago I was in a similar position, (with a Class B drug on prescription). I told HR and they were very understanding and had heard similar before.
I was nervous about telling HR, but with the benefit of hindsight it was the right thing to do.
I have now managed to get myself into a better place, but I remember what that level of chronic pain does to you.
I was nervous about telling HR, but with the benefit of hindsight it was the right thing to do.
I have now managed to get myself into a better place, but I remember what that level of chronic pain does to you.
My view as a manager has always been if I don't know about it how can I help you or make reasonable adjustments.
Don't be scared if they say 'lets chat with HR & Occupational Health' if you have an equivalent. I would want to do the same to protect both parties - Ensuring that adjustments are formal and on record and not just some 'local agreement' that could be revoked by the next manager who isn't so understanding.
Don't be scared if they say 'lets chat with HR & Occupational Health' if you have an equivalent. I would want to do the same to protect both parties - Ensuring that adjustments are formal and on record and not just some 'local agreement' that could be revoked by the next manager who isn't so understanding.
I wouldn't fear telling my work if something like this was the case with me, and from the perspective of the company, surely they want someone who can do the job you do without having to recruit and train someone new to get to where you are?
Reasonable adjustments to ensure you can still work will probably have less impact on them than they expect, and unless there is anything safety critical that you can't do because of your meds - heavy machinery perhaps? then it's got to be better that you can remain productive than not?
Reasonable adjustments to ensure you can still work will probably have less impact on them than they expect, and unless there is anything safety critical that you can't do because of your meds - heavy machinery perhaps? then it's got to be better that you can remain productive than not?
Thanks for feedback going to tell my boss today and that I'm going to log it with HR. HR might ok with it but I work in a matcho environment and I fear colleague's will won't look at it so well. Problem is the meds make me at times go a bit loopy, forget stuff or suddenly go on big email send out. Had to take Mon and Tues off this week as tried to cut down the meds but the pain was too much hoped it would settle but didn't.
Its a horrible illness its taken my life from me its made me very depressed and the drugs make me feel Im not in reality. I had a period of a few months late last year it went I thought it was over then it came on again. Still going for tests etc for them to see if they can find the pressure point on the nerve, had 2 Mri's and lot of other tests. Honestly if this is going to be my life I'm not sure what Im going to do, I feel like its game over.
Its a horrible illness its taken my life from me its made me very depressed and the drugs make me feel Im not in reality. I had a period of a few months late last year it went I thought it was over then it came on again. Still going for tests etc for them to see if they can find the pressure point on the nerve, had 2 Mri's and lot of other tests. Honestly if this is going to be my life I'm not sure what Im going to do, I feel like its game over.
PostHeads123 said:
Thanks for feedback going to tell my boss today and that I'm going to log it with HR. HR might ok with it but I work in a matcho environment and I fear colleague's will won't look at it so well. Problem is the meds make me at times go a bit loopy, forget stuff or suddenly go on big email send out. Had to take Mon and Tues off this week as tried to cut down the meds but the pain was too much hoped it would settle but didn't.
Its a horrible illness its taken my life from me its made me very depressed and the drugs make me feel Im not in reality. I had a period of a few months late last year it went I thought it was over then it came on again. Still going for tests etc for them to see if they can find the pressure point on the nerve, had 2 Mri's and lot of other tests. Honestly if this is going to be my life I'm not sure what Im going to do, I feel like its game over.
The guy I know was at almost pro-athlete level in his sport - big, fit, fast, strong. Widely admired for his sporting prowess, and liked as a nice guy. That 6 month period, he totally withdrew indoors, didn't train, socialise, go outside. He isolated himself because he was driven past the brink of despair and desperation to the point of contemplating suicide, just to stop the pain in his face.Its a horrible illness its taken my life from me its made me very depressed and the drugs make me feel Im not in reality. I had a period of a few months late last year it went I thought it was over then it came on again. Still going for tests etc for them to see if they can find the pressure point on the nerve, had 2 Mri's and lot of other tests. Honestly if this is going to be my life I'm not sure what Im going to do, I feel like its game over.
Look after your mental health as well, OP. Get some MH professionals lined up now. You've got a big enough battle with just the physical side of trigeminal neuralgia without having to battle the mental side as well.
Good luck to you.
As a Manager I couldn't help if you didn't tell me. I take meds for my diabetes so do 2 others in the team, one wants somewhere private to inject the other doesn't give a monkeys. We all need appointments for blood tests/eye tests/doctors, so long as I know when it is I don't care, everybody puts in enough effort so I don't police it.
I guess the difference is with pain meds, it could be the Heath & safety impact that becomes important. that can't be ignored. If it puts you or those that work around you at risk you need to find a workable solution.
If it just makes you feel really poorly it depends on how understanding your Management is. My take on it is if you are ill you either go home or go for a kip up in the plant room for an hour or so and see how you feel (yes we have a bed there on the QT!)
HR can be useful but they can overcomplicate things. If your line Manager is being a tool, then you might have to approach them but my limited experience is once something is 'official' it's much more difficult to use discretion to reach an acceptable compromise.
Hope you get it sorted. I live with a lifelong condition but as I manage it well, the dark days are nominal. Talk to people about how you feel they might not be able to cure you but they might be able to help keep your mental well-being in a better place.
I guess the difference is with pain meds, it could be the Heath & safety impact that becomes important. that can't be ignored. If it puts you or those that work around you at risk you need to find a workable solution.
If it just makes you feel really poorly it depends on how understanding your Management is. My take on it is if you are ill you either go home or go for a kip up in the plant room for an hour or so and see how you feel (yes we have a bed there on the QT!)
HR can be useful but they can overcomplicate things. If your line Manager is being a tool, then you might have to approach them but my limited experience is once something is 'official' it's much more difficult to use discretion to reach an acceptable compromise.
Hope you get it sorted. I live with a lifelong condition but as I manage it well, the dark days are nominal. Talk to people about how you feel they might not be able to cure you but they might be able to help keep your mental well-being in a better place.
Edited by shep1001 on Thursday 23 January 16:28
A couple of links you might find useful:
https://archive.acas.org.uk/adjustments
https://mrsmindfulness.com/mindfulness-meditation-...
I do find mindfulness works for pain, although it's about balance - I did it for toothache and the abscess got so bad that they couldn't rescue the tooth nor fit a replacement as the jaw bone was damaged. I should have gone to the dentist earlier but I managed the pain.
https://archive.acas.org.uk/adjustments
https://mrsmindfulness.com/mindfulness-meditation-...
I do find mindfulness works for pain, although it's about balance - I did it for toothache and the abscess got so bad that they couldn't rescue the tooth nor fit a replacement as the jaw bone was damaged. I should have gone to the dentist earlier but I managed the pain.
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