Calling in sick - help!

Question

My gastric ulcer is acting up (pain, throwing up)

I'm calling in sick but I feel weird leaving a voicemail because I sound fine =|

What should I say? Should I even say my ailment? Like

"Hi I'm not feeling well enough today" or "My gastric ulcer is acting up"???

And should I call her when she gets there too on top of the voicemail?

Answer 1

If this is a preexisting condition you probably should have mentioned it in the past to your boss, esp. if it could keep you out of work if its bad enough. It's too late for that so leave a voicemail, follow up with an afternoon phone call and a medical note if you take an additional day.

Answer 2

Call in and just say what ever makes you feel comfortable.

"I'm sick, I have a condition I have to get checked, I can't come in to work"

and def. go to the doctor!

Answer 3

Don't fake cough.

Call her and leave a quick generic message and try and call her again when she should be in and tell her more details then.  Unless you're someone who is always out, she'll understand.  

Get well soon.

Answer 4

I would wait until she is there to speak directly to her.But if you are feeling that awful call now and try and sleep.Just try and sound sick too.Or sleep a little while and right when you wake back up call then.You will sound all groggy and bad.

Answer 5

You Company or Department should have a policy about this.  Clearly, if you're not sure about what to do that policy hasn't been communicated you.  If that's the case - call and leave a VM saying that you're sick and then later this AM call and speak directly with your Manager and say that you weren't aware of the proper policy on letting him/her know about sick time and ask how it should be handled if it happens again.

You sound like me - even if you're bleeding and unable to walk, you still feel a little guilty about not being at work!  Please take care of yourself and don't hesitate to contact your dr because it sounds like your symptoms are serious.

Lastly - I wouldn't go into too many details about what's wrong - sometimes those things come back and bite you.

Answer 6

I understand how you feel, but remember that not all conditions that prevent you from going to work would make you sound ill (broken leg, stomach flu, etc.).

Leaving a voicemail is always a courteous thing to do so that she may get the message as soon as possible. Also, there's a time stamp.

I personally try to spare the details, especially in voicemail, firstly as a courtesy to the person who may not be interested in your biological functions and secondly because you never know how they may work against you. It's always a good idea to give a general reason though, so that they understand your judgment in terms of what you felt warranted calling in sick.

I would keep it vague, especially with something like a gastric ulcer, as they may worry that this will happen in a chronic fashion when it may in fact be an isolated issue.

Example: I'm having digestive problems and am not in a condition to be productive at work.

OR

I'm very ill and will not be able to come in today.

Make sure you apologize, and if you can't talk to her in person because she's not in yet, you can always call again later in the day to talk to her directly, but it's not necessary.

The next time you go in to work, go see her in person and apologize. Reassure her that this doesn't happen often and that you appreciated the time off. If she asks what happened you can give details like you were throwing up or even that it was indigestion. I would avoid mentioning a chronic problem like an ulcer which may cause her to worry about it happening frequently.

Another thing you can do when you call in sick is ask if they require a doctor's note. This shows that you take your work seriously and that you have nothing to hide. They usually won't require one, but I always feel better offering it and having them say it won't be necessary. It shows me it's not a big deal and sets my mind at ease so I can take the day to rest and go back to work in better shape.

Good luck!

Answer 7

I always leave a voicemail, then call back and speak to the person later. You don't have to give specifics on your illness and it's just not a good idea to give too much personal info. Once they know you have any ulcer, someone may begin to watch how you eat, etc. Just say your stomach is bothering you, or anything that is general. Unless they require a excuse from a physician, there's no need to go to the doctor.

Answer 8

What are you scared of?  If your really sick, you have nothing to worry about right?  That's probably why you have ulcers in the first place.