Hi,first time on here after reading a few posts and was wondering if my fellow fibromyalgia suffers could help.
Im a gas engineer for British Gas and in feb 2017 diagnosed with fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis by a rheumatologist. Been off work since, occ health have been involved and sent me for an assessment in December. Just got assessment copy back and the physiotherapist who did the assessment is dismissing my fibromyalgia, saying it’s all in my head,now occ health are saying I can return to work on a phased return and should be up to speed within 6 weeks, even though if I over do it I’m bed ridden the next day. even my doctor has said I should only return if I feel able to continue in my role, can a physiotherapist overrule the rheumatologist? Thank you
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Madbarkingdog
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Thanks Amy65, spoke to occ health and they have said that that is her findings and advice, and if I disagree with her findings then I should take it up with Centrica, I just feel that work are trying to push me out. Are we covered by the equality act, I also suffer with occipital neuralgia
This sounds totally wrong to me & how awful to have your fibromyalgia just dismissed like that. I've been told by my OH dept that I do fall under the Equality Act, I have fibro & facet joint problems in my spine. Good luck.
Thanks Horsesgalore, the ironic thing is my go, chiropractor and rheumatologist all agree that it was triggered by a fall down some stairs I had back in 2015, and ever since then it has become harder and harder at work, ended up coming home and going straight to bed each day, and by nov 2016 couldn’t do it any more.
By law your boss has to make reasonable adjustments before considering ending any employment. This could be reduced hours, a different role withing the firm or something discussed and agreed by you and boss.
A physio cannot overrule a dr it is simply not done. Does the physio belong to the Chartered Physiotherapists? I would check on that and contact them and see what they have to say.
The Physio is presumably NOT a dr or psychiatrist and to say it is all in your head especially when you have a diagnosis from the rheumy is in my opinion defamatory..
Personally I would ask your Rheumatologist for a Report and the diagnosis and any x rays, scan reports, blood test results.
Once you have them I would advise him or her what the physio has stated and wait for his reaction.
Is the physio employed by Centrica? Does the physio specialise in Occupational Health matters?
It is well acknowledged in OH circles that back problems are common place in gas engineers due to having to adopt uncomfortable positions in order to carry out their work. Have u been to the Union about this?
Management will hide behind OH and the Physio but cannot arfue with the specialist that is the Rheumatologist. I cannot understand a physio having the nerve to say that it is all in your head!!
Is Centrica worried that you may make a claim for compensation?
I would keep well away from that physio and perhaps consider seeing one privately taking along the Report from your Rheumatologist and keeping quiet about the other physio .
Thanks everyone, much appreciate the response and information, don’t think redeployment is an option ( can’t work from home ) being a gas engineer, but will see what union have to say? Can someone clarify that we are covered under the equality act, so I can inform my management.
Can you contact a Law firm who specialises in Personal Injuries and Occupational Diseases and conditions?
There are lots of firms on the internet . They can at least advise you of your rights if not take up your case as it is work related due to the positioning of your body in order to do your job.
Hi Hun, welcome to our lovely and friendly site. I’m sorry you’re suffering hun but more importantly I’d like to say how sorry I am that you’ve been treated so appallingly!
Omg why do certain physios think they’re above everyone else?! I’m absolutely livid on your behalf. How dare they say it’s all in your head! They have absolutely no regard for your health or your future. I’d personally write to your rheumatologist and let them know what the physio has said. I’m pretty sure they won’t take too kindly to having their diagnosis dismissed in this manner.
I had a physio who dismissed my nerve pain and who also said pain isn’t affected by the weather. He also dismissed it all as just regular aches and pains. I have a benign spinal tumour and have had several surgeries as a result of this!
Please, please take this further before your health is further damaged due to this physios incompetence.
Take care of yourself Hun and let us know how you get on with it all. Feel free to talk anytime you want to as that’s what your fibro friends and family are here for.
Thanks Miss68, yes I have a written report from my rheumatologist and gp. The ironic thing is this has all come about after an accident at work( fell down stairs in a customers house, 2 years ago!) thanks you and everyone for your kindness.
How it is initiated makes no difference. One could say whiplash is initiated by a rear end car collision. And so what?! Sorry but this ticks me off. Good luck MadBD xoxo
The others are right, the physio does not have the knowledge your rheumatologist and gp does, and that one you saw sounds like a quack. Make an official WRITTEN complaint, and complain to whoever it is that registers physio's now.
I believe you are covered under the equalities act. My line manager told me I am recently.
Written complaint to her department head, so they have to do something about it, and tell them you want an answer and written apology that a physio is poo pooing the diagnosis of a doctor.
And make sure your union rep knows his onions!! ;-p
Thanks Jenny57, I must admit to being a little frustrated with occ health, they where given an independent gp report, my rheumatologist report and yet they are going with the assessors report( physioterroist!).
I have read your post with interest, and unless things have changed drastically in the Medical world, a Physiotherapist cannot overrule a diagnoses from any Dr., never mind a Rheumatologist.
You mention that you fell down stairs whilst doing your job and that triggered your Fibro. Could it be that your Company are afraid of you suing them?
Here is a link to the Equality Act 2010. It may help for you to have a look through it.
Thanks Greenpeace, looking at the equality act I would be covered for my occipital neuralgia as well( have injections in my neck 3 times a year). Appreciate the advise, will keep you all posted. Thanks again.
Hi, I'm pretty certain your firm are concerned that you might sue them because you had an accident while at work because of the equipment they supplied you to wear and this is why they are trying to show that your illness is all in your head an not real. If they get you back at work that will show that you are well enough and will then negate your chances of claiming against them.
If it was me I'd get a work related incidents solicitor into it and put a claim in against your firm for the accident you had and the consequences it has caused, because it's highly unlikely you will be able to work full time again and according to your doctors and the rheumatology specialist it was the accident at work that caused the illness you have now.
It's obvious that your firm are not bothered about you and your health and safety, they are just trying to cover their own backs, regardless of the effect it has on you, so why should you bother about them.
See a solicitor and sue them! Also, get in touch with health and safety officers at your work and inform them that should you return to work, like your firm is trying to make you do, you will not be able do your job without injury and therefore it is a health and safety matter. Inform your union that you are being discriminated against under the equality act too.
Your firm have gone too far with this and have opened themselves up to a whole host of trouble now they have gone down this route and if it was me I would definitely make sure they got everything that was coming to them! How dare they try to treat you this way!
Fight them with everything you've got Madbarkingdog, they are disrespecting you and trying to make out you're pretending to be ill and that's just not on!
Sorry for the long post but I'm so angry. Too many firms get away with things like this! I would definitely go down the route of suing them regarding the accident as it happened while at work using equipment they supplied and if you hadn't been using those shoe covers they provided you probably wouldn't have had the accident. Good luck. Jen.
Well let I had the fall in feb 2015, in nov 2016 stopped work due to fatigue, chronic pain...
Went to doctors who in feb sent me to rheumatologist, who diagnosed me, tried to get physio through work in the March, only to be told can’t have it unless I’m back at work, so paid to see a Chiropractor in the March, he took X-rays and said believed I had a parts fracture at l5/s1 of my spine so set about legal procedures against British Gas, using a solicitor through my union( GMB).
After the solicitor sitting on it until September 2017, and then saying they don’t think I could prove the type of shoe covers I was wearing caused the fall( not my argument to start with, my argument was that we have to wear them!) they dropped the case.
Now the trouble is, that you only have three years to put a claim in, and several others I have tried say I have a god of case, but unable to help due to the time scale.(frustrating!).
Spoke to union about the occ healths advise of phased return, and work ability/ limitations, and the representative said they will probable take back boilers, fires, going in lifts etc off me, and possible let me work reduced hours, but that will effect my pay!
It’s all gone quiet this week, I was thinking of leaving( severance pay? If possible) but then think, no why should I.
After the fall I managed to contact the customer, and she has kindly done a statement to say that in her opinion, the fall was caused by the shoe covers.
Spoke to our health and safety officer( friend of mine, thankfully) to see if he could find out that the shoe covers had been tested to be fit for purpose( like most of our PPE is) , when he asked the question, no one wanted to comment, saying they couldn’t discuss it.
So I think some other engineers have had issues.
Just want some answers now, as I said, on I’m reduced pay, in pain and fed up being fobbed off.
This is all wrong! Back in the early 1970s I sent to the hospital's physio dept and the treatment they gave me caused serious back pain. No one would confirm that this was wrong and so I had to undergo tests for Kidney stones among other things. I have been registered disabled since 1980 and prematurely retired since my 45th birthday in 1989. Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 2001 All because of a physiotherapist's mistreatment!!!
I can sympathise with you as a very very similar pattern with myself. I hear many a time and moreso on ESA or PIP claiming that after attending the shambles and disgrace of a medical then our Rhuematoligist expert gets overruled,it makes others like us barking mad (no pun intended upon your name lol) that these morons can overrule the Rheumatoligists grrr.
All I can say hop aboard the lengthy train journey and appeal appeal n appeal... good luck.
Hi there. Sorry to hear you are having a rough time.
You have exactly what i have..fibro and osteoarthritis and I struggled so much i had to take a 3 year career break from 16 year nhs career as i could not continue in my role or do a desk job either (the other option available to me was to loose my job so had to request the career break instead)
Anyway..back to the point. I go to pysio every 2 weeks supposedly for core strengthening training as per my rheumatologist consultant (of which i have seen 2 and both agree on diagnostic. i see them every 4 months) however the girl (very early 20's) who is a pysio technition says to me every time IT IS ALL IN MY HEAD and she is convinced she will cure me. now my knees are hurting where before they were not. my back is killing me and nothing has improved at all since going to see her. She even told me that seeing a Costa Coffee is a trigger for my panic to come on as that is when i reach my walking limit when nip out to local shops for something, which is very rare as i can hardly walk 10 meters before i am in too much pain. she is making me so anxious and upset. i claim both support group esa and pip to which i have enhanced mobility and standard daily living. I am seeing numerous consultants for related things but the pysio is adamant that she is right and is pushing me to the point i am going to blow my gasket at her when she opens her mouth next. I hope you manage to sort things out. Tell work you are not fit to return. best of luck to you and keep us posted x
Hi there Madbarkingdog Nice to meet you and welcome to our group I can not had anything further to the wonderful advice already given by our wonderful members.
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Hi, I see u have many replies so try to keep this short. I was medically retired aged 37, with osteoarthritis. I went through a huge fight (cos they don’t want to pay out my work pension from that age) but I won, so be prepared for a drawn out battle. Secondly, now I am 62, diagnosed with fibromyalgia 6 years ago. So have had 25 years dealing with physio’s, consultants etc. When physio’s are trained they are told that all pain is centred from the brain. It’s the organ that translates the messages of pain. Which is correct. But I think some of them, especially the younger ones, interpret that as ‘it’s all in the mind’, or mind over matter. In other words, you are imagining it all. Which of course is not the case. So, it’s up to you to be firm with the Physio’s, as they are mostly, super fit, body conscience, eat healthy, healthy folk- as a rule. Don’t get me wrong, most have been great, some became friends but it is them that explained their ‘knowledge of training’. A Rheumotolgist is far superior to a Physio so get in touch with him/her for a FULL report, pay if you have to, because that is your only course. Also, go to a orthopaedic surgeon, again pay if you can cos it would be quicker, get a diagnosis from him, and get a letter confirming His diagnosis. Once that is sorted, will open doors to claim your pension, claim benefit etc. Hope this will help you and good luck
Have letter from rheumatologist stating diagnosis of Fibro and osteoarthritis, believe caused by trauma( falling down stairs in customers house due to shoe covers).
Independent doctor sent works occ health his assessment of my medical notes, saying “ in my opinion it would be favourable for me to return to work providing I am comfortable to do so due to his fibromyalgia “
The physio I saw was a middle aged lady who was a specialist in trauma physio.
Occ health have said that they agree I can go back on phased return, which I feel is setting me up to fail. Will stand my ground, as I think work are hoping I just quit.
Thanks for you advise and support, much appreciated.
Get the rheumatologist to review what the physio wrote and ask them to support you against this ruling. Appeal and get CAB disabilities coordinator to help. Present as much information as to how you’re struggling. Occ health gave me a wheelchair,bed rails,a2nd banister rail and rails and seat in bathroom. A commode is helpful if you’re struggling moving around. Get as many health care proffesionals to support your current disabilities and present the evidence to the assessors. They aren’t t living the hell that you are!! Make sure they know it!! Good luck xxx
The local council therapy assessor came and assessed my home, advised and a second stair rail, and as I have trouble getting into the bath, taking the bath out and making my bathroom into a wet room, the most annoying thing about all of this was that my fall at work is the probability cause of my fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis.
Now just trying to collate enough medical evidence to contest the assessor report and show work.
Occ health don’t even admit Fibro is covered under the equality act, and HR when I asked them said they would have to ask Occ health!🤦♂️
Yes, stand your ground. They do not want to pay out your occ pension, which makes sense. As I said, I stood my ground, eventually won but it’s a difficult time. Old luck x
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I can not had anything further to the wonderful advice already given by our wonderful members. 
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