Advice regarding going back to work

[Sedaw1]

Hi everyone - I started 20mg 21 days ago and have had 3 weeks off work (pre-planned recreation leave for Christmas holidays). I've got another weeks off yet. I am visiting the doctor in a few days time. At this stage I'm not sure if I should be going back to work given the fact the tablets aren't working yet. I have a stressful job dealing with sick and injured people (anything from a toe sprain to terminal cancer). I know it's good to try get back to normality, but I am starting to worry that the stress of the job may push me a step backwards.

Any advice would be great!

[Pipkin]

Hi there,

Perhaps the answer is somewhere in the middle. I'm sure work would rather have you back so could you ask for some light duties or reduced hours for a couple of weeks? I would always advise getting back to work as soon as possible as I believe this is the best way to get some normality and structure back into your life. Having said that, don't over-stretch yourself as you could set yourself back.

If you think it's possible, have a word with your manager. I'm sure he/she would understand.

Take care

Pip x

[Sedaw1]

Hi pip - unfortunately you are either in or out. I was was working 1/2 days 2 weeks before I went on holidays because I had mono but I had to do my full time job working half days. The stress tipped me over the edge.

[Anti-socialbutterfly]

Hi Seedaw,

I've been on citalopram now for almost 4 weeks, and have been off work since taking them. I'm due to go back in on Monday so I completely understand your concerns and anxiety about going back :-(

I'm dreading Monday to be honest, but I had a meeting with work before Christmas and told them I'd start on Monday so I'm committed now. Having said that, I'm hoping that returning to work will prove a distraction for me and stop me thinking about being anxious all the time, so it could be a good thing I suppose. I think you'll realistically know if you're ready to return, go with your gut feeling and if you're not ready see your doctor and ask to be signed off.

I hope you start to feel better soon! X

[TRISTAN]

I was off for 3 weeks when mine first started and if it wasn't for my wife pushing me out the door I would never of gone back , from my opinion the longer you are off the worse it is and the anticipation of going back is always worse than what it is , been back 8 months now with one day off and it's still hard but when I'm there it's not so bad

I got flexi time when I went back and it helped as would get tired very quick lye but at the end o the day you have to do what's best for you and your health and only you can decide that

Take care x

[DELIBY99]

I agree with Tristan. I actually never took time off. I think if i had of stayed out I would have found it impossible to go back. There were days when i literally had to drag myself in but i believed it aided my recovery. If i had of stayed off I would have had more time to think about myself. Work was a welcome distraction once I managed to get myself in every day.

[TRISTAN]

The first day is the hardest but once you have done that I just keep saying to myself I did it yesterday I CAN do it today but deliby is right it's a good distraction and being off was harder x

Good luck

[citalopram1]

I had 3 months off work and i found it harder to go back to work the longer i left it. Certainly take some more sick leave if you still are having nausea or great difficulty in sleeping because you just won't have the energy if you try to....but my advise to you would be try to go back as soon as you have the energy because staying at home will just give you more time to think and you will feel much worse when you go back after a long absence.

Do your collegues know what you are off for ofcourse you do not have to tell them it'a your own business but i chose to tell them as i found it to hard to hide it and because of all the questions as i had been off for such a long time.

Believe me though as soon as you have got that first day over with you will feel so much better and each day gets easier and easier from then on.