u/exquisitedespair

I’m hoping to hear from people who have experienced something similar because this level of fatigue is very different from anything I’ve experienced before.
I’ve been dealing with significant fatigue. It started randomly in January and has been pretty persistent. Sometimes my eyes feel extremely heavy, I feel like I’m walking around like a zombie, and my energy can feel completely depleted What’s confusing is how much it fluctuates. There are days when I feel like I’ll be able to mildly function , and other days where I feel overwhelmingly exhausted and literally want to sleep in the bathroom at work. I’m desperate to get this figured out I’ve been to the er 3 times now, my primary doctor, currently being evaluated by a neurologist, a therapist and even joined allara hoping someone can help me figure it out. The only thing blood results have flagged are low normal iron and low normal vitamin D and B1. I’ve been taking supplements for the D and B1 for about 4 months and the iron for about and month and nothing has changed. I just had a brain MRI 2 days ago and it’s getting the point of me thinking it’s cancer or something very serious because it’s been persistent for 8 months. I had a stretch between may and June where It did let up a bit and I was out shopping again ect but my energy reserve is so low I come home everyday and immediately find the couch. I come home during my lunch break too everyday and also lay down on the couch. Has anyone experienced anything like this?

We get 5 paid sick days per year, and those five days have to cover everything: actually being sick, doctor’s appointments, specialist appointments, bereavement, etc.
Once those 5 days are gone, the only option is to use PTO. We accrue a maximum of 6 hours of PTO a month, so it disappears fast. The company also does not allow unpaid time off under any circumstances, so if you don’t have sick time or PTO available, you’re basically out of options.
I’m dealing with ongoing cardiac issues right now and have monthly orthodontist appointments, so I have to see doctors pretty regularly. I got sick this month and had to miss two days of work. Next month I already have three days off approved for an out of state wedding. I found out today that because of how everything is counted, I basically can’t afford to go to any more appointments or even visit my mom, who just had emergency spine surgery, until I’ve accrued more PTO.
It just feels so backwards. This company constantly talks about caring about employees and promoting work-life balance, but if you have a chronic health issue or an unexpected illness, you’re forced to choose between taking care of yourself or saving what little vacation time you have.
What’s even more frustrating is that I pay around $200 a month for health insurance with a $2,000 deductible, yet I can barely use it because I don’t have enough paid time off to actually go to the doctor without sacrificing my personal time.
Am I overreacting, or is this a genuinely terrible leave policy? Is this normal where you work? How does your employer handle sick time, doctor’s appointments, and unpaid time off?

So I got a bad cold this last week and had to use all my sick time, we get 5 days a year. I’m also a person that’s goes to the doctor frequently due to braces and cardiac monitoring so I may be out a few hours a month. I was told today if I don’t have sick days or PTO (which we only get 3 hours a month) that if I need to take off even with a doctors note there will be disciplinary action against me. And to my luck my mom just got rushed to the hospital this morning and is having emergency back surgery and I cant even take off to drive 3 hours away and help her or be by her side. Is this a normal policy? Is anyone else’s job similar?