Has anyone had problems getting your Dr. to write you out of work for medical reasons?

I have had a hard time working full time from the start of this pregnancy, Between the nausua and exhaustion at the begining and the horrible back pain mid way and now the nausa's back along with the back pain and acid refux which has left me with a permanent sore throat. I'm also now having BH by the time I leave work to the point that driving home has been pretty painful. And I am out of breath at the slightest movement it's starting to feel like my hearts beating out of my chest when I try a flight of stairs.

I was trying to stay in work as long as possible to keep my pay coming in so we could get all the babies stuff bought and the house all set with my paycheck (we moved right before I found out I was preggo so we never got all set up...the furniture's coming this weekend :banana: !!!) but today has hit me like a brick wall, I am sitting at my desk sucking on ice cubes to try to stop the nausa, have an ice pack on my back to stop the pain (the heat pads make me more nausa's) and I move it to the top of my belly every now and again so that my little girl will move down a bit so I can breath, I feel claustrophobic and all over crappy and TIRED! And thank god my boss is gone on Vacation for a month because lets just say she hates pregnant people :angry: So I talked to HR to get the scoop on Maternity leave and its if I leave before the babies come for a medical reason I can get on FMLA and Short term disability will pay me a percentage of my pay which would work for me since I've been having to take at least a day a week off with out pay anyways for Doc. Apt's and stuff (all my vacation/sick time is used at this point) Once the babies come I get 16 weeks of maternity leave but only paid through short term disability for 5 weeks. If I can get out of work at this point or within the next week or two on FMLA I would love to, but if not I would rather try to stick it our so I can use those five weeks of pay when the baby comes as a bit of a cushion before we go strait to one pay check.

I have an apt with my Peri tomorow and OB on Tuesday so I want to talk to both of them about leaving work but I'm wondering if they'll see it as medically necesary since My cervix so far is still long and closed and I dont have any swelling or anything yet. I hate bringing it up because so far the dr's keep saying everything is going great so I feel like a baby whining about leaving work this early.

 

I would say that you know your situation best first of all--the financial situation, stress, and how you feel. My doctor did tell me when he was going to take me off work-the timeframe rather, however when the stress of my job became too much I called his office and requested it. Glad that I did, it was the best decision that I made. And we aren't in the best financial situation either, but for my health and the health of the babies since I was so stressed-not eating well, sleeping well, or even functioning like my old self, I felt it was time for me to hightail it out of there. I work for the Government and was getting slack about being pregnant, sad part is Im a civilian that only works for the military.

Do you have a place where you can lay down anywhere, I would find cubby holes and take naps. Sometimes Id go home on my lunch to get a quick nap in or to just rest. Sitting up became hard for me-too much pressure down there. Ive now been on bedrest since March 24--didnt leave work until the 27th but Im glad that I did..

Talk to your doctor about how you feel, what you're feeling, and he can come up with the best plan for you and sometimes you just have to tell doctors exactly what you want and why. Dont be afraid. Good luck

 

I would be surprised if your doc wouldn't write you out. Mine told me that they like their twin moms to stop working at 24 weeks. I was FLOORED! I couldn't go that long without pay! But she said she would listen to me and how I felt, but at any time did I want to leave work, just to let her know, and she would write me out ... As far along as you are, I can't imagine they would fight you on it. Especially if you are having a lot of BH towards the end of the day.

FWIW, I ended up working from home full time from 28-34 weeks, and I went out at 34 weeks. But working from home totally eased my stress, with not having to deal with a commute, not having to walk around, get up, get showered, all that kinda stuff. If I couldn't work from home, I would have gone out much earlier.

 

I had just the opposite happen to me. I wanted to keep working and was feeling great but my high risk dr wrote me out at 24 weeks and won't let me back. I am eating up my FMLA time and then will have 6 weeks at home once the babies arrive.

If you are feeling lousy and ask him I bet he will let you out of work now. What I have found is that the drs do not want to be held responsible and will generally go with how the patient feels.

Good luck to you!
Sheila

 

29 weeks is really not early in a twin pregnancy. My OB said she would write me a note whenever I felt I needed it. At 24 weeks I was determined to go all the way (or at least till 32 weeks), but by 26 weeks I was asking her for a note saying I needed to work part-time. I got a part-time paycheck while I was doing that, then when I went on bedrest at 29 weeks, I started getting short-term disability (50% of my salary).

Then I got another note from the doctor when I had a c-section, so I got disability the first 6 weeks. And I went back to work part-time when the twins were 6 weeks old, so I never even had to take maternity or FMLA leave -- I was on 50% pay that entire time.

 

When I asked my OB for a note to be done with work, he said he had been waiting for me to ask that since 24 weeks. You know your body and what you can and can't handle. I would hope your doctor would listen to your concerns. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

 

Mine let me out at 26 weeks.. I was all armed with 1000 reasons why I should be off work, and had a big speech prepared. Then I told the nurse that's what I wanted out of the visit when I went, and she sent my dr. in with a signed note... no questions asked! My dr. just said 'you know when it's time'... and that was it.

Good luck! Being at work at 29 weeks when you're that sick sounds like NO fun.. and you're just going to get more uncomfortable unfortunately. Being off work made a HUGE difference for me.. I actually felt pretty good for a couple of weeks after I didn't have the extra responsibility.

 

If my Ob agrees with me and fills out the FMLA paperwork for me to get off work for the rest of my pregnancy, will that be enough to get on short term disability? Or are there rules different?

 

I belive all the rule are different. When I went of at 25 weeks I had to start taking my 12 FMLA when that runs out and after a 2 week waiting period I get 66.66% of my pay. After FMLA runs out (hopefully the babies won't be here yet) then I will go on short term disability and be paid at 66.66%. When the babies arrive I will continue on short term disability at the same pay but will have to return to work 6 or 8 weeks after birth depending on natural or c-section.

Different states and different companies have their own rules so make sure that you talk to your HR department. I have been doing everything with my HR department via email so that I have records of what I have been told.

Good luck!

When do you go to the Dr's?

 

QUOTE(sheila185 @ Apr 21 2009, 02:13 PM) [snapback]1282663[/snapback]
When do you go to the Dr's?



My Peri apt is Tomorow and my OB is Tuesday. I dont anticipate my OB giving me to much trouble he's already said wow work must be really tough when he saw me come in in scrubs because I have been so sick lately with nausea and diarhhea. My biggest concern is if my FMLA gets approved by my OB and HR does Short Term Disability automatically happen or do they have the right to say no thats not a good enough reason.

 

Every company is different....I would check with your HR department. Are you worried about not having enought time at home with the babies once they arrive? Or pay? I am in a union so things are pretty much spelled out in our contract EXCEPT for the"unusual" situations. That is why I suggest gettin git in writing!

 

29 weeks is not early! I too had my Dr. trying to talk me into going on disability at 30 weeks but I told him I could work until 33 weeks, like I planned on. Spring break was soon after and I'd return at 35 weeks, too big.

Anyway, I don't see a problem with your Dr. saying no, if not, I would ask another Dr. in his/her practice.

 

I was out before 28 weeks. Thank god. I was sore and couldnt bend or move very well. My doc wanted me out by 24 weeks but I pushed it for a few more. Sounds like you need to be home from now on by your list.