Will I be Able to cope, work?

[cookie123]

Hi

Im suffering from anxiety and stress, after a long inner ear viral infection, which knocked of my balance, ihave been off work for 12 weeks with this alone.

I had planned to go back to work on Monday, but my doctor has prescribed me with Citalopram (20mg), i am only on day 2 of this and im feeling awful, shaky, dizzy, sick all the time, it is taking me all my time to hold myself together with the shakes!!

Has anyone used this med, and returned to work after 5 days of starting your course, im fightened i push myself into work, and make myself worse, but at the same time, im stressing over how long i have been off.

ARrrrggg...help :weep:

[Savannah]

My brother was on that drug and it knocked him about for a few weeks but then he settled on it and felt fine.

GIve it time, see how work goes, if you feel you aren't coping go back to see your GP xxx

[snowgoose]

Hi Cookie:)

not got any experience of Citalopram ...........but plenty of when is the right time to return to work worry.

it is important to get back to work no question and it will always be nerve wracking ...even those without anxiety feel it when off with an illness.

But I feel strongly that you perhaps need more time for the meds to settle .
I so understand the guilt of being off for 12 weeks...........the pressure to go back. But another fortnight maybe could make you feel so much better and give the side effects a chance to diminish ..and if you need a month ? well so be it.

you want to be as well as possible before you go back .......you Cookie matter ........your future well being matters .so in the bigger picture having another wee bit time off to consolidate your health is wise to me .

is it possible you can have phased return ? also when I was in similar situation I visited work at lunchtimes to chat and get used to journey and building again . it helped hugely. even if you dont want to go into building perhaps now it is spring you could have a sandwich outside ?
it gets you back in work mode and so much easier to go back .
good luck and take care :hugs:

[shadowgirl]

Hi Cookie 123, I think Snowgoose is spot on with his/her advise. I work with people who have been off sick and try to get them back to work. The people that stay in touch and tell me how I can help them to come back (phased return, missing travelling in the rush hour or more breaks etc) are always the people who have the most success returning. If you speak to your manager or another colleague, they will be really impressed with your honesty and your constructive ideas about coming back.

I know you think you are the only person in this situation but honestly there are lots and lots (the number is growing) of people who have sickness absence related to stress. Companies are really used to it and they will just want you back and at your best!

Give yourself the time you need but do stay in touch with work, it will help it all feel less scary!

Good luck.

[cookie123]

Snowgoose/Shadow Girl

Thanks for the advice, and i know you are right.

I was in at work on Monday for the first time, to see the nurse, and everyone was really nice, (but i was really stressed about it) they have offered to let me come back part time for a few weeks to build myself up, its just with the new meds, im a bit worried that they wont have settled.

I will give them a ring on Monday and expain, if im still not feeling up to it.

Thanks
Cookie :)

[blueangel]

Like shadowgirl, I often have to work with people who are returning to work, as I'm a union rep. Phased returns definitely work better for people, and it's also really important to get yourself back, as even people with physical illnesses find it difficult to return to work after a long period off sick, as you develop anxieties about the whole thing of going back to work.

Also, work is actually therapeutic as it gives you something else to think about other than what's going on inside your own head - therefore it's useful to recovery, but also for your own self-esteem.

I'm on citalopram myself at the moment, and started it not long before Christmas. I managed to get away without taking any time off work, so I suppose I'm on the lucky end of the spectrum.