Hi,
I would like a bit of advice please, I suffer with stress in my work place. I had a panic attack on thursday, I walked out and drove home. Has anybody with MS suffered with panic attacks?
I have recently been stressed in work, alot people leaving, therefore I am the most “senior” member of staff, I can’t stick up for myself, because the fact is im not the most senior member of staff, I am just the muppet taking on any old rubbish work load. Thursday I had enough and I was trying to stick up for myself, my team leader ordered me to go upstairs to help out on the phones (even though there were other members of staff available) I went upstairs, had my break at 3 pm one of my colleagues from the office gave me filthly looks, told my team leader where I was, she came to get me even though I was on my break, took me into the centre of the building where everyone could see me and asked if I had a problem , I welled up said yes I have I am stressed with the work, she said I was the most senior member of staff and thats why I am having all this work to do. Since being diagnosed with MS last year I have found that I have slown down with my work. I starting blubbing away, told her I can’t discuss this now and cried through the building, had a panic attack upstairs where I got my belongings and walked out.
At the moment I cannot face going back into work Monday. Has anyone felt like this? Have you got any advice please?
Thank you for your time,
Rebecca
h rebecca
i typed a long reply but it wouldnt send so trying again.
panis attacks were always something that other people got but once ms entered my life, i started having them.
stress is not good for anyone but with ms, it’s evil.
does your line manager know about your ms?
is she aware of the disability discrimination act?
i suggest that you see your gp and if he/she offers you a sick note, take it.
find out your rights at work.
look for some legal advice (ms society does this)
carole x
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I suffer from them aswell now used to be in control of most situations but now i am a reck ,took our poorly puss to vets last weekend and could not control the tears and shakes and my husband could not get any sense out of me for a good half hour and i know when i was at work a couple of stressful times i lost control of my bowels ,so i suppose tears is better. Dont know how to help but your not alone
Hi Carole,
Thank you for your reply, yes she knows I have MS she also know I am vulnerable as I have told her this before, but Thursday she didn’t care and just used the fact that I was the most senior member of staff there which is not enitrely true. I was realy worried I was going to have another relapse after thursday as I got myself so worked up, but thankfully I haven’t. I got in touch with my HR and I am not too sure if she is on my team leaders side.She wants me to liase with my team leader, but I can’t face her at the moment, I start panicking just the thought of it already, I don’t want another episode of me walking out again, I have made an appointment with my GP but I have to wait until the 29th of this month.
I am really down in the dumps about this situation and I can’t sleep.
I am hoping my GP will backdate my sick note if I can get one.
Thank you for your advice
Rebecca
x
Aw, that’s really sad to hear 
Im glad your husband is there for you too, I am very lucky to have a supportive husband, infact he is so supportive he doesn’t want me going back to work tomorrow because he is worried about me and he is going to call my work place himself and have a word. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience in work too
I will have to mention my panic attack episode with my GP when I see him, maybe he can prescribe something or advise.
Take care
Rebecca
x
I thought you can self certificate for the first 7 days off sick? Perhaps you can does this that will give you some time to get your head round how you feel, no job is worth getting yourself into a panic attack. Take care.
Thank you, Yes I will be self cert upto Thursday, I will see how I feel tomorrow, hopefully a little better. I could do with a new job 
start fresh so I am not the most senior :p.
I don’t want to go through what I did Thursday again, I just feel weak, when I shouldn’t be I am a mother to a 2 year old, I need to keep strong for my son x
Also remember you need to be strong for you as well!
Becx, you are not weak. You are dealing with a lot of stress and it’s not surprising that you feel weakened by it. Your team leader needs to brush up on the Discrimination Act - if she’s not careful, you’ll have grounds for a formal complaint against her if you don’t already. And if you go long-term sick with stress she’ll be in an even worse position than she is now.
Are you in a union? If so, ask your local rep for support - that’s what they’re there for. If you’re not in a union, contact Citizens Advice for help. If your team leader wants any meetings with you when you do go back to work, take a colleague with you - whether you are in a union or not, you are allowed to have someone with you to listen and provide moral support.
MS is a big enough cause of stress, without people like your team leader adding to it! Take the time you need to gather your strength before you face her again - I’m sure spending more time with your little boy will be good stress relief!