should i go back to work???

[andrea thompson]

hi everyone.

i have been going through a bout of panic / anxiety and depression since sept last year. after havng a miscarraige. i am on citalopram 40mg and definatly feeling better although my panic and depression is now subsiding i have this really bad health anxiety. i have had it before and eventually it has passed. i am probably only thinking horrible thoughts about 40% of the time. but still if i get a weird little pain or anything i am worried sick by it!
over the last months i have been off work for weeks at a time. i am at the drs this afternoon and dont know if should be going back to work or not. i want to be normal and back to my old self - but i am worried introducing stress will take me back to how i was before. i am a tutor and work with 14 - 19 year olds so it aint easy and i deal with conforntation everyday in my job.

what shall i do? if anyone has had similar experiences i would be gratefull to hear any advice..

andrea x x:ohmy:

[smudger]

Hi. One of the ladies on here is going back soon and she is doing a few hrs to start with. Could you n then build back up?

[pink17]

Hiya i decided not to go back to work,it was making me worse so i am having a career change!feel so much better for it!

[LJL]

Hi

I went back to work after 4 months off and have to say I feel better for it, I must admit I was worried as my role is stressful but I went back with a different attitude (I was wasn't going to push myself too much and just take it easy) I have only gone back 3 days a week and am not going to throw myself in full time straight away.

I think it would be worth a go but do it slowly, good luck

[andrea thompson]

thanks everyone. dr recommended i return to work gradually and not yet. so off for another two weeks with a view to arranging limited hours and building back up gradually... i trust my dr. so thats what i will do!

i feel much better now and dont have the pressure of worrying about inttroducing too much stress all at once.

thanks again - i hope you are all ok - is lovely to have the support of people on here who understand!!!! x x x x x x xx

[JT69]

Hi Andrea,

I am the lady that smudger is reffering to. I have been off for almost 5 months and am going back next Monday. I went in to chat to my manager today about my hours and we agreed that even though I work full-time I am starting on 3hrs per day and increasing by 1hr per week for the following 3 weeks. I then have a weeks holiday and hope to then be ready to go full-time. We will review it weekly and I can adjust accordingly, she is being so supportive. i am in the role of a Manager myself so have a pretty stressful job, but this past 5 months has been a huge learning curve for me I will be taking it a bit easier and not over-doing it, as I do not want to end up where I was 5 months ago.

You will know when you are ready to return along with your GP. I kept thinking I was o.k but I just wasnt ready, you will know when the time is right.

Good luck.

Jo.xx