A job with fibro?

[Ruth_lderry]

Is it possible to have a full time job with fibro and these pains? Off on sick ATM but most days am kilt, my job involves lifting and standing 4 long periods not sure what to do.

Ruth

[Betty67]

Hi Ruth

Don't think I could your job, I do work full time six weeks a year in an office job and usually collapse as soon as it is over but we are all different so you need to decide your self. All the best.

[Shadows-walker]

Hi I have been off work for 6 months I have fibro and UCTD ,sjorgrens etc and I was dismissed yesterday due to ill health ,I worked myself into the ground I am ok pottering about but as soon as try to do anything full on or walk or stand for any period I can't i take I tall camping stool with me every wear now and I have bought a scooter as I can't walk very fast anymore so need that for dogs ,I still walk I make myself ,I was working for a large national grocery firm ,I worked 36.5 hours a week with a 6.30 start a lot of the time I nearly worked myself into the ground and to be honest I had no energy for anything else instead of working to live ,I was living to work and that's wrong,I had no quality of life at all ,have you applied for pip if you get that you are then entitled to disability working tax credit so can work less hours I knew none of this you can have hopefully the best of both worlds. I have to rebuild myself good luck Chris

[TheAuthor]

Hi Ruth_Iderry

I sincerely hope that you are feeling as well as you possibly can be today? I definitely couldn't do your job, I would be on the floor within an hour! Or maybe half an hour? I do work but I am self employed and can work the hours I want providing I get my work completed.

I think that we are all unique individuals and therefore we all react and respond differently to both our illness and our medications, so it is really a difficult question to answer? I think the only thing I can really say is that the less physical the job the more chance we have of doing it?

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken x

[jaynief]

Hi Ruth

I have CRPS, fibro, chronic chest pain etc and I was an exams officer in a college until 3 years ago (aged 34). I just couldn't manage the additional symptoms or resulting depression that working full time brought with it. I didn't have a physical job, but it was very busy and demanding.

It was the most difficult decision, at my age, that i had ever had to make. I now study from home with open uni. I hope, one day, to be an examiner working from home & marking exams.

As others have said, we are all different and only you can decide if you are able to continue working full time. It is a very hard decision BUT you have to do what is right for you. Yes, financially it is tough living on benefits but you can survive.

Good luck and gentle hugs.

Jayne

[teddybear7]

Hi honey,

I run a pub 7 days a week with my other half. It's hard work but what I can do as I'm self employed is pace myself. Other half has learnt (with a lot of trial & error) that when I say I can't I really mean it. The hard part is days when staff let you down and you have to step in. I couldn't do working for someone else as in my original job. I wouldn't be working at all. Not enough freedom to build in rest breaks & days when you just can't. Xxx

[Artyrosie]

To be shatteringly honest, I don't think this job is going to work for you ... but I think you already know that don't you? Don't push yourself this hard physically because I did, and ended up much worse than I was before. No job is worth that, as I found to my cost, and all because I didn't want to let anybody down! So think hard and be very very truthful with yourself.

[Mdaisy]

Hello Ruth_Iderry

Can I provide you a link see our website about your work rights;

fibroaction.org/pages/work-...

Hope this helps, if you'd like any further information please let me know.

Best Wishes

Emma

FibroAction Administrator

[Chlobo]

Morning Ruth, I haven't been on here long but what i have learnt is how much everyone's pains differ and only you can decide if you can do it.

I work full time in a Bank and it is really really hard at times. I have a lot on and the job is very demanding mentally. I have no physical demands but even so, working all day with customers demands, and internal admin causes me brain ache!!! The tiredness is a killer...i have to delay certain aspects of my job as i don't trust myself to do it right on my bad days.

I am lucky in a way, my team leader agreed i could move my hours from 9-5 to 8-4 as i wasn't coping working til 5, but now i am struggling to work 8-4. I have a daughter to look after too and i will confess i am also debating if i can keep working full time.

I am scared though that if i reduce my hours a bit, it won't be long until i can't do those hours and need to shorten them a bit more and before i know it i will have no work and no way health wise of getting back to work.

It is a really hard decision to make but it is your decision. You have to do what is right for you x

[Ruth_lderry]

Thank yo everyone for reply. I feel now that there is no break from this in sight for me but for now with the help of my partner and family am taking each day as it comes and dealing with it then. As for working I suppose am still in a pickle about it but if am meant to go back then I will . Each day is a new day. I smile each day as much as I can cause as they say (which I truly believe now) if I don't smile and laugh I will cry.

Ruth

[fenbadger in reply to Ruth_lderry]

I agree with much of the above. Physical work and fibro don't really go. I'm boiling up a work related rant at the moment, as I feel I'm being forced - "bullied" out of it.

Shame there are no positions I can do yet are less physically exhausting - like receptionist. I can talk for England if need be

[dobie62]

Hi there,

i have not worked now for 9 years. i worked as a Senior Care Assistant in a Residential Care Home for the elderly. my job ment i was on my anywhere from 6hr to 14hrs depending on shift and staffing problems. the longest shift i ever did and found the hardest was working from 4pm till 8am the next morning. the job had a lot of heavy lifting and no matter how many training sessions you attend made no difference to the pain level. as i have only ever worked in the care field since leaving school i have no formal training in any other occupation. saying that i dont think i could cope now as the pain is more present now and lasts longer.

you will know when to give up as your body will only take so much, dont push it as youcould do yourself more harm than good.

janet

[mitziblue]

I did it for as long as I could then had to give it up as I couldn't do it anymore. You have to know your limits and go from there. It's sad and I miss working but know I just couldn't do it anymore. Hope this helps sweetheart. xxx Mitzi

[Sparklecaz]

I am currently off sick atm been off three weeks but before this i had a good 1yr spell with no sickness taken! Its made me very down as i have taken on loads of overtime because i needed the money but this has taken its toll on me and now taken me down and have been unable to walk very far at all atm.

So from my point of view i dont think my fybro can take full time as well as being a busy mother of two under 5's.

Would your full time going to within the same job roll as you are in now? If it is see if you can have a trail run of extra hours and see how your body takes to it as from what i can tell fybro is very hard to predict and everyones bodies react different! X

I am currently looking into becoming a midwife as im still quite young (24) but i am really scared my legs wont take the amount of standing and long shifts they have to do!