Gallstones and time off work - Feeling guilty!

Hey all!

So on Sunday I was woken up at 3am in a lot of pain (the 3rd time it has happened in 2 weeks) and decided to ring 111 at around 4am (a health advice line). They kind of ran me around a bit a made it feel as if they was dismissing me. I spoke to 3 different people that night. First lady asked me a load of questions which was expected to assess my situation but she was very short and abrupt, when she asked me to explain my situation... I did and then interrupted me and told me to 'get on with it', she then told me a pharmacist would ring me to give me some self care tips - she rang within 5 mins and asked me exactly the same questions to which she told me a Dr would ring me and its not classed as an emergency as i've only been in pain for 3 hours (this was around 5am). I sat around in agony, nothing was relieving the pain and I was going into a bit of a panic. Eventually the Dr rang me and he was helpful and asked my pain levels which at that point was around a 9/10. He told me to go to the out of hours drs which I did. At around 8:30 a Dr saw me and told me it was suspected gallbladder and put me on codeine and told me to take it when I need too.

I took the day off on Sunday and also had my normal day off on Monday and booked a GP app for Wed. I forced myself back to work on Tuesday even though I took Codeine that morning and it was making me feel a little spaced out and sleepy, I was sent home by work as I shouldn't be working and should be resting. When I saw the GP on Wednesday he told me he would be booking me in for an ultrasound and blood tests as they think it could be gallstones thats causing the pain.

The pain has been on and off and luckily, not constant and when it does flare up its not as bad as it was on Sunday but its still bad enough that I need to take something to help get rid of the pain. I feel extremely guilty for taking all this time off work but I can't work while on this medication and/or in pain! (last night it knocked me out! I don't even remember falling asleep). Work have let me know that If I can't make it to my next two shifts that I will need to get a Drs note but I feel like this is me over-reacting and the Dr won't be able to give me one.

I've always been a hard worker and Its rare that I take time off work, when I have taken time off work it's when I physically can't leave the toilet!. So why do I feel guilty!? Luckily today i've been ok but I feel extremely exhausted (god knows how much i've slept) and every now and then I feel really nauseous and sweaty (but haven't vomited yet). The pain normally comes in the evening/night yesterday it started in the morning.

Is it stupid of me to take all this time off work?! My line of work is in retail but i'm part of management on the stock side of the company. So I deal with all the deliveries and stocking. So it includes a lot of heavy lifting and manual work (moving around a lot and being pretty speedy).

Yes, it is completely ridiculous to take time off work when you are in severe pain and getting no rest. You should definitely go to work and move heavy things until you are hospitalized, although that might mean missing more work. This is ridiculous -- you have sick leave for a reason and you are sick. I seriously doubt that the entire enterprise cannot function without you for a few days and you will do them more good by coming back healthy than by coming in sick and being miserable, dysfunctional and making everyone around you nervous. As someone who has had gallstones and my gallbladder out I assure you that the doctor will give you a note -- you are taking codeine, for heavens sake, they are not going to say you are fine to go move heavy things around.

I had only one gallstone and the pain would almost make me pass out when I had an "episode".

Why do you feel guilty? Do you think the place will shut down if you're not there?

I'm being a bit facetious, but come on! Do you think your bosses will think highly of you if you pass out at work because you refused to take care of yourself?

I had one episode of gall bladder pain & it was excruciating. I ended up having it removed & I have not had any issues since.

If you are in this much pain it sounds like stones are blocking the duct & causing inflammation.

Has the Dr discussed removal yet?

Stay home til it has calmed down, you cant work when it is like this

Next time just go to the emergency department of your local hospital. If you had of done that this time, they would have done the ultrasound and given you the results already and even referred you to a surgeon for possible gall bladder removal.

Your GP will gladly give you a note for as long as you need so don't worry about that. He will probably charge you for it though.

I've had my gall bladder out as well and I know how painful an attack can be with the pain in your upper abdomen radiating around to your middle back. I'd go easy on the codein if I were you, I think that is what is probably making you feel like your going to vomit.

If you go to work and have a workplace incident - like passing out or dropping a heavy box and injuring yourself - it becomes a recordable to the company. By attending work, you are literally a liability.

In addition to everything else everyone said.

Take care of yourself.

Not to mention - if I showed up to work on codeine, I could be fired. It’s consider similar to showing up drunk.

You have absolutely no need to feel any kind of guilt with this kind of pain. Pain also tires a person right out. You can't function function properly when your body is sick.

It's not like you asked for this ailment or did anything to cause it.

I hope you are able to have gall bladder removal as soon as possible, being on pain meds will make your stomach worse off and can eventually cause gastritis.

Have your doctor write a note, and ask that he tag on another two weeks so you can enjoy some *non-painful* R&R before getting back to the grind.

I did! And my doctor did, and I did not feel guilty about it either!

Hope you feel better soon.

Delaying proper treatment could lead to sepsis and death.

Do you think your job worries would matter then?

Agree. Taking narcotics is not the solution. A proper workup and definitive treatment is.

Delaying proper treatment could lead to sepsis and death.

I would stop getting jerked around by delays and insist on immediate diagnosis and care. If that means showing up in an emergency unit, then that's what it would mean.

Pain is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong. I'd bypass anyone who's acting as a barrier to that and find out WHAT is wrong.

Laying around feeling guilty isn't the answer.

Hey guys.

Thanks for all the replies. I’ve had a blood test and get the results on Tuesday to see if my liver is functioning properly and checking everything else. I’ve got an appointment for an ultrasound through but it’s a month away, however my Dr has been so lovely and not dismissing me as the others has made me feel. He told me if the pain gets any worse and other symptoms pop up to go straight to the hospital.

So far the pain has been moderate. I have a few episodes here and there over the week but they haven’t been as bad (still painful though). I’ve literally been passed out in bed most of the week, it’s made me so exhausted!

The guilt comes from university and other places where they would make you feel like crap for taking time off because your ill. I once had a really bad uti which they thought travelled to my kidneys but I was made to come into university and “just get on with it” I feel guilty for a lot of things as I feel I’m letting people down but that’s something I need to work on myself and get myself out of that mindset.

Unfortunately I’m still on the codeine to help with the pain which I know is bad but I’m trying to not take it unless I can’t deal with the pain. The drs won’t give me a drs note unless I’ve been off for 7 days or more as work don’t need a medical note until that date. So I have to contact the dr on Monday to get one.

Does anyone have any tips on helping the pain so I don’t have to keep relying on codeine?

B x

Does your doctor know you're relying on codeine to get by? He shouldn't be having you go home if you're needing pain management to this degree.

I personally thought the tests would be a lot quicker given your circumstances.

Zero fat in food for now until you get an ultrasound and get to the cause of this. This doctor doesn't sound that "lovely". You shouldn't be handed narcotics in lieu of proper diagnosis and treatment. Are you asking for these drugs instead of going to an ER/Dr for appropriate treatment? It could be masking things that require prompt treatment. Any surgery or other treatment will be complicated by the fact that appropriate treatment is being delayed and now you're on narcotics for weeks/month.

He told me if the pain gets any worse and other symptoms pop up to go straight to the hospital. Does anyone have any tips on helping the pain so I don’t have to keep relying on codeine?

I agree Wiseman, I can't understand why your doctor isn't pushing for quicker diagnosis. You should be having an ultrasound this week with that kind of pain!

The pain meds will effect your stomach as well so long term isn't good at all, besides the fact that it's a narcotic and is never meant for more than a few days.

Unfortunately, there isn't anything else you can do for the pain if it's gall bladder, which is why your doctor should be doing things as quick as possible at this stage.

The only thing really to take the pain away is to have it removed.

I had a doctor who wanted to take the "conservative" approach. So he too doped me up. Finally, when my boss at work found me slumped over at my desk, I went to a different doctor. She arranged for me to have my gallbladder out the next week.

I felt like a new person once the darn thing was out of my body!

And I get the pressure from work...the boss who found me slumped over complained incessantly because my doctor had signed me out for a week after the surgery. She said she knew people who had their gallbladders out and they bounced right back! Came back to work after one day off! Well, goody for them, boss. I did come back but left that job soon afterward, mainly because of that boss. No one else, including the owner of the company and the vice presidents, had any issue with me being off for a week.

So, your workplace will go on without you until you return.

The thing is your workplace will go on without you but your health won’t.

So, your workplace will go on without you until you return.

The thing is your workplace will go on without you but your health won’t.

Yep. Consider whether it serves you to cater to whining from people who are obviously focused on themselves rather than you. How important 'must' such people be to you, and is it ever possible to please them anyway?

Maybe once you feel better you'll consider finding a more suitable job and leaving in the dust those who've tried to manipulate you into feeling lousy about Self care.

I hope that you have had the darn gall bladder removed by now. :icon_sad:chi

So far I haven’t had any pain since Friday so I haven’t taken any codeine but my god I feel exhausted - all of the time. I sleep for 9 hours then wake up and after a few more hours fall asleep again

Even just walking to my local shops which is a 10 min walk makes me feel so sleepy and I end up sleeping for a few hours Anyone else has this problem?! I’m trying to get a dr note but reception has just passed it on to a dr so idk when I’ll get a reply All in all I’m feeling fed up n frustrated

And still you won't go to an ER or competent doctor?

I feel exhausted - all of the time. Even just walking to my local shops which is a 10 min walk makes me feel so sleepy and I end up sleeping for a few hours