How can you tell you're well enough? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

StellaLuna · 02-05-2008, 08:53 AM

I'm typing this from my comfy, semi-quiet bedroom in the middle of a workday. When Ratbastid's parents came to visit, they brought some crazy nasty cold. I stayed well for a few days, then got sick as hell. I have bronchitis and a throat infection and am on antibiotics and codeine cough syrup (hate). I was out sick most of Thursday, all day Friday and Monday, and tried to go to work today. A supervisor sent me home after finding someone to cover my workload for this afternoon. I thought I was well enough to go, but apparently coughing so hard you break a sweat is indicative of being really really sick.

How do you all know you're well enough to go back to work?

vanblah · 02-05-2008, 09:06 AM

My wife and I had that cold/flu combo. It started in my sinuses and moved to my throat.

I actually got a stomach virus that had me in the hospital for two days (dehydration and anemia). I suppose my immune system was already weakened by the upper respiratory infection. I usually don't go to the hospital for throwing up ... but I couldn't stop and after 6 hours I would have done almost anything to stop. On the plus side I got morphine and donnatal to control my nausea.

I never got the bronchitis part--maybe because I never took the cough syrup and was able to expel the mucous. I also took a lot of Mucinex. I think that cough syrup is a little over-prescribed. It's great when you need to sleep, but taking it all day is bad (my opinion, YMMV). Your body is coughing because it's trying to get mucous out (usually). If you have a dry, unproductive cough that's different.

My wife however is still coughing and fighting with bronchitis. This has been going on for a month now. We both got sick around New Year's. She is on a steroid inhaler and antibiotics.

The doctors that we see have both told us that this is a particularly nasty one. It starts in the head and sinuses, and by the third week people are either better or they have bronchitis or pneumonia.

I usually go back to work a day or two AFTER a fever stops ... or when my doctor says I can. My only concern is with infecting other people.

snowy · 02-05-2008, 09:50 AM

I find the policy for a local daycare center to be pretty helpful.

Quote:

CCCC shall not admit or retain in care a child who has any one or
more of the following:
• Fever of 100°F or more
• Diarrhea (more than one abnormally loose stool per day)
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Severe cough
• Unusual yellow color to skin or eyes
• Skin or eye lesions that are severe, weeping, or pus-filled
• Stiff neck or headache with one or more of the above
symptoms
• Difficulty breathing, or wheezing
• Complaints of severe pain

A child may not return to the center until the symptoms have
subsided without the help of medication for 24 hours. (This does
not include antibiotics).

A child who receives a prescription for antibiotics may not return
to care until 24 hours after the first dosage is given. A child who
is on antibiotics and continues to show signs of the above
symptoms may not return to care until symptoms have subsided
without help of medication, other than antibiotics, for 24 hours.

These policies are in place mostly to keep other kids from getting sick, which is something that adults don't seem to take into consideration when they evaluate whether or not they're well enough. Nobody wants to be around an ill coworker, even if they're no longer contagious, and therefore they don't really want to be around someone with a severe cough.

ratbastid · 02-05-2008, 10:56 AM

Good thing too, snowy--those day care centers are just bubbling with illness and infection.

snowy · 02-05-2008, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratbastid

Good thing too, snowy--those day care centers are just bubbling with illness and infection.

So are most workplaces...but adults never seem to stop and think about that.

ratbastid · 02-05-2008, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onesnowyowl

So are most workplaces...but adults never seem to stop and think about that.

I don't know... I can't tell you the number of toddlers I know who were never sick a day until they went to day care, and then seem to have permasniffles ever after.

StellaLuna · 02-05-2008, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onesnowyowl

So are most workplaces...but adults never seem to stop and think about that.

Unfortunately, most toddlers don't have to worry about running out of sick time by staying home from day care.

02-05-2008, 08:53 AM	#1 (permalink)
StellaLuna Psycho Location: hiding behind wings	How can you tell you're well enough? I'm typing this from my comfy, semi-quiet bedroom in the middle of a workday. When Ratbastid's parents came to visit, they brought some crazy nasty cold. I stayed well for a few days, then got sick as hell. I have bronchitis and a throat infection and am on antibiotics and codeine cough syrup (hate). I was out sick most of Thursday, all day Friday and Monday, and tried to go to work today. A supervisor sent me home after finding someone to cover my workload for this afternoon. I thought I was well enough to go, but apparently coughing so hard you break a sweat is indicative of being really really sick. How do you all know you're well enough to go back to work? __________________ Screw tradition!

02-05-2008, 09:06 AM	#2 (permalink)
vanblah Junkie	My wife and I had that cold/flu combo. It started in my sinuses and moved to my throat. I actually got a stomach virus that had me in the hospital for two days (dehydration and anemia). I suppose my immune system was already weakened by the upper respiratory infection. I usually don't go to the hospital for throwing up ... but I couldn't stop and after 6 hours I would have done almost anything to stop. On the plus side I got morphine and donnatal to control my nausea. I never got the bronchitis part--maybe because I never took the cough syrup and was able to expel the mucous. I also took a lot of Mucinex. I think that cough syrup is a little over-prescribed. It's great when you need to sleep, but taking it all day is bad (my opinion, YMMV). Your body is coughing because it's trying to get mucous out (usually). If you have a dry, unproductive cough that's different. My wife however is still coughing and fighting with bronchitis. This has been going on for a month now. We both got sick around New Year's. She is on a steroid inhaler and antibiotics. The doctors that we see have both told us that this is a particularly nasty one. It starts in the head and sinuses, and by the third week people are either better or they have bronchitis or pneumonia. I usually go back to work a day or two AFTER a fever stops ... or when my doctor says I can. My only concern is with infecting other people.

02-05-2008, 10:56 AM	#4 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	Good thing too, snowy--those day care centers are just bubbling with illness and infection.