Work and ill health retirement

[Swan_Dive]

so the last 2 years have been a struggle. My mental health declined dramatically along with my physical health. I’ve had fibro for 15 years and had flare ups that were manageable with medication. Then my symptoms became worse, due to a number of factors and I went sick from work in November 22. I have now been dismissed due to ill health and my claim for ill health retirement has been denied. I’m doing everything I can to regain some control but feeling very much like I can’t win at the moment. Feel like I’ve been dumped on the scrap heap at 51 with no support at all. Sorry for the moan. But I know most of you understand.

[kimey007]

Hi you are not on your own, my circumstances are similar, i have worked for 25 years really struggled the last 2 years until my health went so bad, after 6 months on the sick i knew i wouldnt be able to carry on working. So i finished work or like you they would finish me eventually ! thought i have worked for these people all these years no support nothing, didnt have the energy to put up a fight ! so i am on the sick plus i claim pip. In the beginning it was really hard not working ,but now i feel its the best thing i done, i know the money is less but mentaly and phisicaly my wellbeing is so much better. i am 59 years old , life is now at my pace i swim meet friends etc all in my own time hope you get what you need this is to show your not on your own take care kim x

[Swan_Dive in reply to kimey007]

Thank you, I know what you mean about putting up a fight. This condition has taken so much from me. Time now to re-evaluate and reflect. So glad you have found a way through. X

[Wendywoo22]

Hi, I’m in exactly the same position as yourselves. Worked for the NHS for 30 years, been off sick with Fibro and long covid. They want to finish me on mutual terms but I’m not happy with that as it’s not mutual the fact that I can’t physically or mentally do my job.

I am at the moment going for ill health retirement but has been basically no chance. So feel like I have other option but to take the mutual terms.

I’m tired of trying tbh but feel really let down by the whole thing.

[DixieDexter in reply to Wendywoo22]

Hi Wendywoo22, what are these mutual terms? I cannot understand why they won't consider I'll health retirement application. I'm similar to yourself. I had to ask the consultant at the pain clinic to write a supporting letter. She explained in the letter that the fibro is irreversible and causes a permanent change in the brain. Is there a specialist you can ask to write a supporting letter for you?

I'm sorry you're having to deal with this. Good luck with it all.

[Wendywoo22 in reply to DixieDexter]

hi, thanks so much. I have been on the sick with long covid, fibromyalgia brought on by that. Occ health basically said that I probably won’t get ill health retirement because they is nothing to say in the future they could find a cure 🤷‍♀️

It’s been ongoing for nearly 2 years now and tbh I’m tired of it all. The gp hasn’t sent me to see any specialist or any pain management. They just give me painkillers and antidepressants as it’s effecting my whole life.

[DixieDexter in reply to Wendywoo22]

I'm so sorry you're being neglected like this!Are you able to get hold of any application forms for I'll health retirement, even though they're not considering it?

Perhaps citizens advice may be able to get you in touch with an employment specialist.

Is it possible to change your GP? Painkillers can help to a certain extent, but don't come close to elevating the pain, not to mention the distress it causes.

I'll have a look and see if I can find any useful information. I'll pass it onto you if I find anything.

I can't get my head around your employers attitude.

Legal help would be good. I know it's horrendously expensive, you might get help with costs?

I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

Sending love and gentle hugs. X

[Wendywoo22 in reply to DixieDexter]

I have got an early retirement form which my manager has filled in but wasn’t going to bother to send it because he said I won’t get it.

I have messaged HR and told them I will take mutual termination.

My gp has also struggled to diagnose me as I hit the menopause to so think they are trying different things but nothing is working.

I am going to ask if I can be referred to a rheumatologist to see what they say.

It’s been a long two years and I haven’t had no answers.

Thank you!

[DixieDexter in reply to Wendywoo22]

I'm pleased that you're going to ask to be referred to a rheumatologist.I really feel for you. Its so unfair. Your manager has no right to stop you applying for ill health retirement!

Is there anyway you could get hold of the form and send it yourself ( being optimistic that your manager is a decent person)?

Long covid has caused so many long and life long medical issues for so many people. Unfortunately, fibro being one of them. It sounds to me that you have many of the symptoms. The rheumatologist should be helpful in providing you with a diagnosis. I'm hoping that they will refer you to the pain clinic.

Please keep me updated with everything. I'll be thinking of you. It's easier said than done, try and keep hold of your determination. It seems some GP's, if they can't give a diagnosis don't want to be bothered.

Sending gentle hugs. Xx

[DixieDexter in reply to Wendywoo22]

Hi, just wondering how you are and how things are going?

[skit]

Hi Swan_Dive, I felt very similar to you at a similar age and circumstance.

I never got medical retired either. However, Leaving paid work was the best thing I have done. I repurposed myself as a volunteer reader of stories to children in the local library , got involved in faith matters( I'm Christian) and help out in an office based capacity for my local hospice. The main thing is look forward not behind. Money is a vehicle not the reason to live. The beauty of volunteering is that there are no set hours ,apart from library, so if my Fibro is annoying I do less or nothing.

I hope you will find your future path to purposeful activity.

[Sleepyhead_]

Hi there I can relate to the scrap heap and lack of support - I hope you regain a sense of control soon & that you start collecting some wins again 🦋

[DixieDexter]

Hi Swan_Dive, I'm sorry to hear you're having to cope with this steaaful situation.I worked in the NHS for 25yrs. I was off sick for periods of time during the last 2 yrs due to fibro.

I applied for I'll health retirement, lots of meetings with occupational health Dr, who didn't think I'd be eligible for I'll health retirement.

I did apply and asked the pain consultant I was under at the pain clinic for a supporting letter.

You gave to make sure the specialist is willing to include that fibro is life long and causes permanent changes in the brain.

Good luck with it all.

[Luckychica]

Hi SwanDive,

Please fight that decision not to award your ill health pension!

I went through the same situation when the (as yet undiagnosed but ongoing for years ) ME/CFS and fibromyalgia became much worse in my mid 50s.

I worked for Local Government.

The same as you, off work sick, GP signed me off while multiple test were run. I physically could not do my job and the council did NOT make my life easy. I had to go through many departmental meetings, then HR, many medical meetings with the council appointed medical people where I ended up in tears because it was just so frustrating not to be believed!

Council said no to ill health retirement “ As it was not proven that I’d not recover and get better within two years” .

I fought back with the argument that the medical assessor was a Council employed medic and thus was not impartial.

I won that one and was able to see a neutral GP whose assessment was that yes I was unable to continue doing my job due to illness and that the improvement/recovery rate for people over 50 was almost nil.

I still met with resistance from the Council to award ill health retirement so, tired frustrated, annoyed and above all wanting some justice, I put my case to the Pension Ombudsman in London. It’s a reasonably easy process online.

It took about a month but an official judgment from Pension Ombudsman’s Office found in my favour.

I cried and laughed all at once when I received that!

As the Ombudsman can only ‘recommend not enforce’ I still had to deal with the Council Pensions Office and they claimed that the pension scheme had just been revised and renewed with conditions that would result in my only being eligible for part of my full pension.

By this time I was so so so tired and mentally and physically exhausted that I reluctantly accepted the reduced pension. I had no grounds to challenge their decision.

You can fight.

I so abhor injustice in any shape or form that I would not have felt comfortable doing anything but fight for justice to prevail.

It took it out of me. I spent many days in bed unable to gather thoughts as to how to proceed at every stage because it all jumbled up in my mind. My mental health nosedived, my tiredness was off the scale, my confidence in myself took a huge battering, I developed other stress-related symptoms BUT it was worth it to finally win.

If you feel you cannot manage to do this alone there are organisations that can help you. There’s more awareness now of Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS than there was 15 years ago when I went through your same situation.

I just hope you find peace of mind and that this long spiel has been worth reading. If it helps you in any way then I’m glad.

Sending you hope for the future. 😁😁😁