When do you know it's safe to go back to work?

[Arclite]

At the start of December I was signed off work for 7 days due to Phobic Anxiety and perscribed Citalopram 10mg, but I am due to go back into work tomorrow (Tuesday 3rd January).

I suffer from a fear of vomiting which means I get panic attacks and anxiety around food, indigestion, burping and being in social situations where I feel trapped (meetings, supermarket queues).

I have been taking Citalopram for three weeks now, and although I am much better than I was was I first started taking them, I am not back to how I was before I started on them. I don't feel in control enough to return to work. I can't survive a trip to the supermarket without having a panic attack and I'm still not fully comfortable at home. I still feel constantly on edge...

The thing is...what do i do about work? Realistically I can't see me being able to work until I have this under control, but that could be weeks from now. How long will they wait for me? How long can the Doctor sign me off for? At what point will I know it's OK for me to go back to work?

[trac67]

Hi,

It is good to hear that your feeling a lot better than you were now you have started on citalopram.

Your doctor can sign you off from work until he thinks that you are ready to go back, this is something that you will need to discuss with him.

I found with my anxiety the quicker I got back to my normal day to day routines the better I felt. Only you really know if you are ready to face returning back to work though.

Take care
Trac XX

'Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'

[alexis]

Hi, I think you have said it all yourself, you are not ready to return to work, it is early days.
Like Trac said the doctor can continue to sign you off.
You need to feel in control, Im like trac, better at work but I have understanding work colleagues which makes it so much easier for me, if things get real bad I can take time out or go home, having this safety net means I hardly ever use it.
Take your time but keep motivated.
xxxxxxxxx


love from Alexisxx

If I help one person today it was worth getting up.

[nomorepanic]

When I was at my worst I was signed off for a month and I worked at home as I was feeling very agoraphobic but didn't want to let my work colleagues down so they bought a computer round to me so I could do some work.

I then went back part-time for a couple of weeks just working afternoons then I went back full time.

If I waited until I was completely better then I think I would have been off work for about 5 years!

I used to panic at home and panic at work so I figured I may as well go to work and at least get paid. There was no way I could afford not to or I would have had to give up my house.

I think the doctor will probably sign you off for longer if you want but make sure you use the time constructively. There is no point taking time off and sitting around waiting to get better as that is unlikely to happen on its own.

Would they let you go back part-time like they did with me? This way I felt that I was contributing to the company and job but also allowed me to build up to full time again.

You have to find a fine balance between helping yourself and also keeping some normailty and routine in your life - i.e. work.

Maybe take another week off and review it then. I do, however, suggest you discuss things with your employers as well and see how feel about part-time etc.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Nicola

[Tomimo]

Only you know how you feel. If you aren not ready to go back to work then talk to your doctor and I am sure that he will be sympathetic and will sign you off for some more time.

I guess you need to think about whether being home alone and avoiding your fears will make it better or worse.

I have been really bad over Christmas but I am looking forward to going back to work because I think that the routine and normality will do me good and I sitting at home makes things worse for me.

Don't put yourself under too much pressure to go straight back. I hope you begin to feel better soon.

Annie x

[devon_guy]

Your Doctor wont let you back until both they and you are happy that you are fit to go back. I guess you being off all depends on what sick pay conditions are like where you are, I get 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay. Also have you a good or bad sick record?? If you haven't been off sick for ages, maybe now is the time to take some time off to fully recover, you are not swinging the lead, you are genuinely ill. Better to be off sick for a bit longer now then on and off for the next couple of months. I know last year when I was ill, my employer was far happier for me to be off for 6 weeks than on and off.

[henri]

Hi there,
I was signed off for six weeks when my panic first started. In my contract, it said that i could be signed off for up to six months (and still receive full pay), but everyone's contract is different so you would have to check.
Like Nic, I did some work from home, although not very much. It was one of those awful things where the thought of going to work made me panic, but the thought of staying at home and what people thought of me, how would i catch up etc made me panic too. It was a catch 22, really.
I think you should allow yourself a few weeks off to just get used to the citalopram and get things sorted in your head a bit more.
Take care,
henri x

[freakedout]

Hi Arclite,

You have had some interesting replies here. I am currently off work sick with similar problems and have been for a while now. Are you considering any other support than medication? It may be worth discussing your options with your GP. I say that because I wish I had sought more help years ago, things may not be so difficult now.

Hope you get well soon, and good luck with whatever decision you make.

Take Care,

[Arclite]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I decided not to go in yesturday and visit my doctor for his advice. Unfortunatly the surgery was only seeing "Emergencies" so I have an appointment to see him at 8:30am this morning (Wednesday).

Strangly, I am starting to feel better. The last two days I have felt much more my old self. My appetite is returning and I'm almost Hypoactive at times, laughing at the strangest things (breaking wind is banned after last night). But when I do start getting anxious the panic attacks are still present and worse than before, I'm assuming this is the start of the Citalopram kicking in...

All that's changed is that I've started taking the Citalopram in morning instead of the afternoon.

When I phoned work yesturday though I felt like I was bunking off :(
There isn't anything wrong with me, I feel fine. I will only start feeling crap when I'm put in a certain situation. Due to th enature of my work though, those situations come up daily...

In the past year I have tried Counselling and Hypnotherapy without much success. I have now been referred by my GP to a Psychologist, it's now just a matter of waiting for the appointment to arrive in the post.

[Meg]

Glad to hear you are feeling better these last few days.

Hope this continues


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[looby]

i hope everything goes ok.

when you feel ready is the time you should go back to work, but don't leave it too long as it will be awful going back after a long time.

Good luck
Looby
xxx

[sal]

From personal experience there is no right time. I have done it many ti8mes and no time felt right but sometime you just have to bite the bullet and do it.

The longer it takes the harder it is but then agan after just a week i struggled. No one can tell you the best time and even you cant but in harsh reality it comes down to trying and seeing how it goes. It is hard but i think trying shows how far on you are and if you fail at the first try doesnt mean that you cant try again





Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.


"Life is a distance and to travel that distance you were given the strength and guidance to do so".