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Why I Pretended My Migraine Was Just a Headache

And how DoctorSickNote.us helped me finally put my health first

Why I Pretended My Migraine Was Just a Headache

And how DoctorSickNote.us helped me finally put my health first

I’ve suffered from migraines for most of my adult life. Not the “just take an Advil” kind—but the ones that leave you seeing flashes, nauseated, and curled up in the dark, praying it ends quickly.

And yet, for years, I called them headaches at work.

Why? Because the word “migraine” sounded like a weakness. A luxury illness. Like something that couldn’t possibly justify staying home.

So I pushed through. I showed up to meetings with sunglasses on. I smiled through stabbing pain while trying not to vomit. And I always feared that saying the word migraine would label me as unreliable.

Why I Pretended My Migraine Was Just a Headache

And how DoctorSickNote.us helped me finally put my health first

“Hey team, I have a little headache but should be back online later.”

But one Monday morning, after spending the weekend with my head buried in a pillow and no sleep, I cracked. I couldn’t move, couldn’t drive, couldn’t think. But I still started to write a Slack message that said:

That’s when my husband stopped me and said:
“You need to rest. And you need to be honest.”

So I took a leap and visited DoctorSickNote.us.

Within 10 minutes, I had a real doctor’s note. No interrogation. No video call. Just a clear, credible document stating I needed time off for a medical condition.

The moment I sent that note, something changed. My manager said, “Take all the time you need. Feel better.” That’s it.

Getting that note wasn’t just a formality—it was a permission slip to stop minimizing my pain.

If you’re like me, suffering in silence with an invisible illness, please know: you deserve rest, too. DoctorSickNote.us made it simple to ask for what I needed—without guilt, without shame.

The Time My Mental Health Wasn’t ‘Enough’ to Call in Sick

How I learned that burnout counts—and how DoctorSickNote.us helped me prove it

Three months ago, I stared at my laptop for two hours and did nothing. No emails. No Slack replies. Just… blank.

I wasn’t sick, technically.
But I was empty. Drained.
Burnt out from caregiving, deadlines, constant bad news, and pretending to smile on Zoom.

When I finally messaged my boss and said, “I think I need a day off for mental health,” she paused, then replied:

“Sure, just mark it as PTO.”

But it wasn’t PTO. I wasn’t “taking a day.” I was trying to function.
I realized then: if I didn’t frame it as something physical, it wasn’t considered valid.

That’s when I found DoctorSickNote.us.
I didn’t need to fake a fever or pretend I had the flu.
I simply selected “stress and mental health” as the reason, and a licensed provider gave me a clear, confidential doctor’s note for a few days off.

No judgment. No questions. Just support.

The note gave me the space to breathe. And ironically, it gave my manager the “proof” she needed to take it seriously.

Mental health is health.
And you shouldn’t have to burn out completely just to be believed.

DoctorSickNote.us gave me a break when I didn’t think I was “sick enough.” But I was. And maybe you are, too.

When My Kid Got Sick and I Lied About It to Keep My Job

Juggling parenthood and work is hard enough—getting help shouldn’t be

My son spiked a fever the morning I had back-to-back client meetings.
Daycare called. He needed to be picked up immediately.
My husband was out of town. I was the only one available.

But I was also terrified. I’d already missed a few days that month because of school closures. My boss had made a passing comment:

“It must be hard having a kid and keeping up with everything…”

So instead of telling the truth, I said:
“I’m sick.”

I pretended I had the stomach flu so no one would question me needing to be offline for 48 hours. And to make it “real,” I panicked and Googled where to get a doctor’s note online.

That’s when I found DoctorSickNote.us.

They made it shockingly easy. I explained the situation, honestly—my child was sick, and I needed to care for him. They let me choose “family emergency” and gave me a doctor-signed note that covered two days.

No judging looks. No long holds on the phone. Just help.

And suddenly, I didn’t need to lie anymore.
I could show up as a parent and a professional—because DoctorSickNote.us had my back.

We shouldn’t have to choose between our kids and our jobs.
Sometimes, life happens.
And when it does, getting a sick note shouldn’t feel like another impossible task.