Occupation Health doctor today ....grrrrrrr

[loopyloo1]

hi peeps, i know i dont post much, im mostly at work then coming straight home and going to sleep...im not working today as i have yet another OHS appointment...with another bleeping GP!

im working full time as a civil servant and on the whole the department have been good with the reasonable adjustments...im having a access to work assessment so i can get some ergonomic equipment and my sickness trigger points have been raised. \im alllowed disability leave...so on the whole its pretty good. However, i have 3 monthly appointments with the OH nurse. on my last visit she felt i was masking the severity of my illness...i have joint hypermobility syndrome as well as the fibro. i sometime take the odd days leave to break up runs of shifts and to give me two days off together....she feels this is masking the severity...DOH....i told her it is MANAGING IT not masking it. so the upshot is that she wants me now to have a assessment from a doctor...the rheumatologist is the expert in this field, they have all the info from him and i trust him, i like him and he is an EXPERT so why go and see another useless GP ??... what a waste of time and money. on the referral she said she felt i was jittery and anxious...really? you dont say? she knows i have JHS, we all know anxiety is comon in JHS jeeze its bad enough dealing with this stupid condition without the added stress of having to be evaluated again, prodded bended and poked..so i have to drive miles away to relay all the info they have already! i have a feeling im going to burst into tears there..i hate going to the doctors, try to avoid it i always get stressed, start sweating and feel shaky......i want to say...LEAVE ME ALONE AND LET ME DEAL WITH IT IN MY WAY...Im managing it, Im not costing you anything, losing you money so leave me alone! And, NO i dont want a cocktail of drugs, and no i dont want stupid CBT...sorry for rant...just sick of it.

lucy

[Hidden]

Hello

Don't worry about the rant, if it makes you feel better. I think some nurses try to act above their station and like to think they know everything. Having a break is hardly masking the illness, what does she mean?!

You never know this doctor maybe be on your side. Fingers crossed for you.

Piggle hugs xxxxxxxx

[loopyloo1 in reply to Hidden]

hiya...she thinks i would be sick more if i didnt take leave....errrr yes but i take leave to avoid becoming sick..stupid moo. you are right, she was a nelly know it all lol

(((((0)))))

[Hidden]

I am full of admiration for you! It seems to me that you are doing a wonderful job of managing to juggle work with your ill health issues. I have also found some experiences with OH folks baffling to say the least. I suspect that your OH nurse is actually covering her own back here by referring you up the chain. Try not to worry too much though as PP says above, it is entirely possible that the OH doc will see how well you are managing your condition and just give you a pat on the back.

Good luck and don't forget to let us know how you get on. Take care. Jane x

[loopyloo1 in reply to Hidden]

hiya,

back from the visit to the OH doctor- she was really nice but totally clueless and had to look it up on the internet??!! when she had spent 10 minutes reading the DWP stuff by the Proff Graham ...she was amazed and thinks i am managing it very well. she has made some recommendations to improve my working environment...like not doing shifts. taking regular breaks, using disability leave instead of sick leave...she said that i am fit for work with the adjustments...she thinks working part time would be the best way forward but i really cant afford it....so back to the grind.....

xx

[Hidden in reply to loopyloo1]

Thanks for letting us know and I'm glad that the doc was supportive, in some ways at least. Having to look the condition up on the Internet probably didn't inspire much confidence though. Take care! Jane x

[loopyloo1 in reply to Hidden]

it was excruciating watching her read the blurb on the JHS/EDS.. she knew about fibro, anyway, she was on my side

[maggie61]

Hi I have hyper mobility and fibro as well I work full time in local govt, struggling at the moment I asked if I could park closer to the office as I get stressed at having to get in work early especially when on amytriptolene I had to be assessed by oc health who allowed it for six weeks, can you tell me about the extended triggers for sick leave. I struggle into work when poorly for fear of hitting the dreaded triggers, I know I am not alone in this. I have changed to nortryptaline as less dopey in the morning but still struggle.

[loopyloo1 in reply to maggie61]

hi maggie,

If you are diagnosed with joint hyper mobility syndrome and Fibro and have symptoms effecting your daily life then you are covered under the equalities act. the employer is obliged to make reasonable adjustments to help you do your job. one of my reasonable adjustments is extended trigger points...in central government we are allowed either 6 incidents of absence or 12 days in a rolling year, which ever come sooner..so if i go to hospital for an op and have two weeks off i will be given a warning at stage 1. because of the increased chance of me hitting those triggers sooner they have been extended to 18 days or 9 incidents....they shoud be extending your triggers as a reasonable adjustment...also check the disability policy, if local gov is the same as central gov then you should be allowed to take disability leave. we have 12 weeks disabilty leave in a rolling year i take it for physio etc, a day a week for 12 weeks for example... it can be pre booked or emergency. you should always be alllowed to park closer if this is available. you will not suddenly improve, its not like you have broken your leg or anything...i think you will need to read the policy on equality and then ask for another OH appointment and go armed with the knowledge. i have spent years fronting it out, but i just cant anymore...i need help to stay at work and i am entitled to it...and so are you

hugs XXX

[maggie61]

Thank you so much for this I really do think I am being very nieave when it comes to my health, I am really good advising staff of their rights for support but not pushing it for myself