checking back in.

[Bracken1]

I had my meeting on wednesday last week I had been struggling I was tired emotional and aching I spoke to my manager she said do the return to work with team leader then the three of us will meet up on Thursday.

I did the return to work it is really difficult to explain about Fibro what it is how it affects me and why I am struggling just now. The next day the three of us met up and I was given the option of going back on sick if I could not manage or a phased return that gives me days off rather than hours I opted for the reduced days I worked Thursday and Friday 8-2.30 instead of till four I am off sat-weds on weds I am doing 8-4 then I am off Thurs and Fri next week I work weds and Thurs sat and sunday then see how I feel I feel that was quite fair I did not expect that I would just be given hours I had 22 hours holiday that needs used before the end of March so they were used towards this return to work.

while we were speaking I mentioned medication and night shift this will; be something that would be dealt with via human resources I will need to see a occupational health doctor and I believe they will contact my GP she is on holiday until the 24/3 so I hope that it will not be too soon as she is the one who knows me best.

I struggle sometimes to put things into words so I am looking to see if you could help me to explain to an occupational GP I have been twice before to one and I felt that they did not understand and they just want you back to work.

My bruises are very black now and I have added bruise I fell up the stairs at work last week I hurt my left thigh. I will get appointment with Gp when she returns.

I hope you are all bearing up. xx

[hamble99b]

Hi Btacken, there are fibro info sheets available from fibroaction - click on the butterfly at the top of the page, or email [e-mail] and copying your email above to it.

I'm sure people will be able to answer you tomorrow.

regards,

sandra.

[Bracken1 in reply to hamble99b]

Hi Sandra thank you I will have a look at the leaflets later. x

[TheAuthor]

Hi Bracken1

I sincerely hope that you are feeling as well as you possibly can be today? Over all this looks pretty reassuring and very good. You genuinely appeared surprised by this? Hopefully now everything is in motion you will not have any real problems being able to speak up and getting listened too, as many have in the workplace.

I was going to suggest the butterflies, but I see sandra99b has beaten me to it. I genuinely hope that you find them useful and that they match your needs? If not, just post and I will get back to you and see what you need?

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken

[Bracken1 in reply to TheAuthor]

Hi Ken thank you for your comments I do feel that I am being listened to and hopefully if I write things down when I see the occupational health doctor I should be ok.

I am still really tired but appreciate the extra days off, i will look at the butterflies thank you x

[Huskybike]

Um it's difficult isn't it bracan 1, I'm in a bit of the same situation, however, I work on my own in a dry cleaners I do 16 hours a week. Thurs 9-1 Friday 9-5 and Saturday 9-1.30, however I would like to cut out my Saturdays as they are so busey. My problem is no one wants to do them! My company is only a small business the owner never comes in so I have to communicate with another girl in the other shop. I have carpel tunnel in both hands and I just want to cut my arms off as they hurt so much if I use them too much, should I get in touch with occupational health and see what they say ? hoe everyone is well hugs x

[Bracken1 in reply to Huskybike]

Hi Huskybite I am sorry about your pain I have known a lot of people who have had carpel tunnel and I know it is painful,is there a possibility of an operation I know they cant do them at the same time? I believe that your work place should try and accommodate you I would ask the owner to get in to contact with you it may well be that there is a solution if you don't get paid any extra for the saturday they may be ask you to cut one of the other days can you afford to go down on your wages? Let me know how you get on.

I live alone and I need to work full time to meet my financial situation so I do appreciate that the management are helping me with a phased return. xx

[Furry]

Hi Bracken,

I went to see oh health GP last week and took a list of bullet points with me and referred to that during the meeting. It really helped, take your time. Got to dash hope this helps. Take care, kath x x

[Bracken1 in reply to Furry]

Furry I am glad you got on well was it for fibro that you saw the occ health?. I will write a list because twice before I struggled although the last one I saw annoyed me from the moment I went in I was off work with a tumor on the ovary I was told by the gynecologist that until they actually went in they would not know if it was cancerous because of family history I decided that a hysterectomy would be the best option for me, the occupational doctor told me it wont be cancerous he was really arrogant I am sure the gynecologist knew better than him after all he is trained to know.

I will note the things that will not help me to do night shift I am going to look at the butterflies to take information x

[Furry in reply to Bracken1]

Hi bracken, yes it was for fibro that I saw oc health dr, I was lucky that he knew quite a bit about it. The list helped, have a think then like you said make a note of all the relevant things. Hope you see a better Dr this time, and hope you manage to get off the night shifts. I found that keeping the points brief I managed to say quite a lot in the time I had. Hope that makes sense. This site is great for information and everyone is friendly and so supportive. Good luck and take care. Kath x x

[Bracken1 in reply to Furry]

Thanks Kath will bear in mind about the brief points, I have just read a couple of things that would be helpful.

it is a good site I was on one that is American it is good but this one is a lot better thanks xx

[Cookie72]

Morning bracken so pleased you are getting your work sorted out, but don't overdo it when you are there. I know that is sooo easy for someone else to say, but fibro is so so easy to agrivate, as you say it is hard to explain fibro to someone else if they don't have it because no two days are the same are they, take care, hope things get sorted for you soon, ...gentle hugs...Dee xx

[Bracken1 in reply to Cookie72]

Hi Coookie I just replied to you but I am not sure if I lost it or if you got it!!!

thanks for your reply I will hopefully start feeling better soon. you are right about explaining symptoms. returning gentle hugs your way x

[Bracken1 in reply to Cookie72]

Hi Dee another problem is that there is another person that works the same as me she has fibro but she has boundless energy I don't she likes night shift I don't. I have depression and an underactive thyroid as well.

The project I work in is fast paced you never get two days the same sometimes you are up and down the whole time that affects the pain in my arms lower back etc.

I am really pleased to get this phased return I am tired but not as tired as I was. I am hoping that I will feel better soon I am not sure how long a flare lasts but this is before christmas that I started feeling worse I just want to be back to normal although I don't know that normal exists.

I have just found this again so I have replied twice xx

[Hidden]

Hi Bracken

It sounds like you had a very productive meeting with an outcome and am pleased some kind of arrangement was made for now. I have never had to deal with this kind of occy health versus work situation as such measures weren't in place for me to take.

There is an abundance of information available on fibroaction.org related to Fibromyalgia and also printable factsheets etc. which may be useful to you

I thought you may be interested in this link to a recent post from the past titled: Problems making the company I work for understanding my fibro

healthunlocked.com/fibroact...

Hope this is useful to you

xxxsianxxx

[Bracken1 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Sian thanks for your reply I do think that the management have been fair I do believe that they know me well enough to know that there is something not right. I will look at the page you have left to get more information for my app with occupational health. thanks Julie x