Signed off work help!

[ADW]

So recently my anxiety has become unmanageable and I couldn't go into work at the weekend. I was supposed to be working Friday, Saturday and Sunday night but I was a complete state with severe anxiety all weekend and panic attacks repeatedly so couldn't bring myself to go in.

I went back to my gp who prescribed citalopram and diazepam and signed me off for another week. But since I work three long shifts as a week, ive only been off work from last Friday 3rd to this Sunday 12th coming - so 9 days. (If that makes sense?!)

I've been experiencing side effects from the citalopram including nausea and insomnia and also don't have much appetite. It's now Thursday and the thought of returning to work brings waves of dread and anxiety through me so I try not to think about it. I do like my job but I work as a nurse on a busy ward so it it very stressful.

I just don't know what to do, I'm not sure I feel ready to go back or if my symptoms will improve over the weekend. I'm due to increase my citalopram dose from 10mg to 20mg on the Monday I return too!

ADW

[Ohforf]

I am sure if you went back to the doctor you would get signed off for longer. The last thing you want to do is go back and make yourself worse because it's too early.

I have been signed off work for a total of 4 weeks. Got a week left to go.

[Bluebll]

Hi there,

So sorry to hear you're suffering with such bad anxiety - it's such a horrible thing. I'm not one to give great advice at the moment (very bad at applying it to my own anxiety!) but just don't put too much pressure on yourself.

It's only Thursday, so perhaps decide on Saturday evening/Sunday whether you're going to go back in? It sounds like a very stressful job, but do you sometimes feel like it might actually help being there to keep your mind occupied? Sometimes I find routine and work is the only thing to keep my anxiety at bay!

Hope you feel a lot better over the weekend! :bighug1:

[ADW]

I just feel so guilty for being signed off and I do think that being back in might help but I just keep thinking what it its really difficult day and my patients are very ill or something goes wrong or I make a mistake because I'm nervous or I can't cope with a complex patient because I'm panicking. My appetite is still 0. I left the house on my own for the first time last night. I went for a walk for half an hour so that was progress I guess. The thought of being around a lot of people is scaring me at the moment, I feel very hypersensitive to everything and feel like everyone's looking at me.

[MyNameIsTerry]

If you have a strong work ethic its normal to feel guilty about taking any time off. It shouldn't be, but it just how we see it. I was the same. Since you are a nurse, your are bound to have very strong opinions on the importance of patient care so its understandable that you would feel this way. But you have to thing about what is right for you or in the long run you can make things harder for yourself.

Maybe talking to your supervisor/manager about adjustments would be a good idea. they should have an occupational health team that can help you with this.