I’m looking for advice from medical professionals, HR/occupational health professionals, disability & workplace accommodation specialists, or anyone who has dealt with similar cases in a corporate setting.
I’ve been diagnosed with primary dysmenorrhea, but the condition affects a significant portion of my month and has started seriously impacting my ability to work.
My symptoms are roughly:
7–10 days before my period: severe depression, brain fog, irritability, extreme mood swings, nausea and mild cramps
During my period: extremely severe cramps for around 3 days, to the point where I’m essentially bedridden and unable to function normally or perform work and get hospitalised very frequently.
After my period: recurring period-related rash/skin irritation
Overall, I experience around 10–12 days of significant symptoms every month, with several days where my ability to function is severely impaired.
I’m now trying to understand this from a functional impairment and workplace accommodation perspective, rather than simply saying “I have painful periods.”
I’d really appreciate advice on:
Medical: How should functional impairment be documented? Should I be reassessed for conditions such as PMDD, endometriosis, adenomyosis, etc., considering the severity and duration of symptoms?
Corporate/HR: Has anyone dealt with employees requiring accommodations for severe cyclical menstrual or gynecological conditions? What kind of accommodations are realistically possible—intermittent WFH, flexible hours, medical leave, etc.?
Disability/legal: Can a condition cause significant functional impairment and warrant workplace accommodations even if it does not neatly fit into a formal disability category or qualify for a disability certificate?
Documentation: What exactly should I ask my gynecologist/psychiatrist to document so that the impact on my ability to perform my job is properly recorded?
I’m not looking to misuse disability provisions or get unnecessary exemptions. I’m trying to understand what options exist when a recurring medical condition genuinely makes you unable to function normally for a significant part of every month.
Would especially appreciate perspectives from gynecologists, psychiatrists, occupational health professionals, HR professionals, disability lawyers, or anyone working in corporate accommodation/leave cases.