How has the diagnosis of RA affected your career? - NRAS
How has the diagnosis of RA affected your career?
161 VotersPlease select one:
was already on a break as husband working overseas when I was diagnosed. Before diagnosis had intended to return to work once back permanently in the UK but think this is now out of the question,.
I am an artist- so you tell me? I am devastated. I am trying to keep going but am finding it very very difficult. I don't know how much longer I will be able to work- not just because I struggle to hold a brush but because by the time I've got the top of the paint I'm exhausted. Oh don't get me started. x
Hello, I'm studying art and know something of what you say. I find it difficult to work big, impossible to stand at an easel, my arms ache etc. I know that working small is good for me, I find working with oil pastels is often easier than paint. But I dont do it for a living, I'm learning, so I'm starting with the RA condition so learning is in that context.
Warm wishes to you, I hope you can keep going comfortably.
I have been unable to work for the last 20 months, but might soon be in a position to seek part time employment (2 to 3 days a week). It is however very unlikely that I'll ever find something suitable in the current economic climate. I have already had a few refusals as soon as they heard the "RA" word!
Was unable to continue with what was a physically active career - was self employed so no employer back up. Have retrained (took 7 years) and am self-employed again - not able to work more than part-time but need the mental stimulation, income, interpersonal contact and self-esteem that goes with employment. I doubt that anyone would employ me with my medical history and being self-employed allows me to pace myself and set my own hours accordingly.
I was a public sector cutback, so my job went and I went with it. I planned to go self employed, but RA has made that nearly impossible. Last year I managed 10 days work - not really enough to count as employed I think.
struggling to maintain employment on reduced hours in a busy hospital pharmacy.. back on phased return/ reduced hours.. was told by personnel have to be seen to fullfilling all duties associated with my banding.. even if it means reducing hours still further . ..whatever that means.
Summer, They have a duty of care that means they have to be seen to be doing something that will enable you to return to work DDA ACT. IE.. aids, adaptations access to work. IF YOU ARE IN UNION YOU NEED TO SPEAK TO THEM ASAP.
thanks zimmie.. hows the measuring going?.. xx
Have not worked for 7 months now..desperate to get back. Loved my job but it is physically and mentally demanding. (Community specialist Speech and Language Therapist) I know I cannot resume my old role but have asked for a role in a hospital setting instead . My boss says I have to have access to work involved and she may not be able to find me a job suitable for my physical needs. Not sure what happens now..in a state of limbo..officially off sick and wanting to return but my emplyers (NHS) making that quite difficult. Have pondered just setting up private practice so I can work under my terms when I am well etc. What happens if I state I want to return but there is no suitable job for me? Do they have to make me redundant? I am only 43.
typical nhs!!! sigh!!
I am now retired. I was made redundant about 18 months before my retirement age. The contract I was on had lasted longer than had been anticipated and was at an end (14 years instead of 2). So had no complaints whatsoever with my previous employers in fact they made every effort to ensure that what I was asked to do, I could actually manage. I was also on full pay for 3 months when off sick due to knuckle joint replacements. They were a very large company which possibly helped.
After I was made redundant I went for several interviews but was unsuccessful in obtaining another job, sympathy was received on occasion from interviewers as they were aware of others with RA (i.e. friends, family etc.). but gave up looking in the end as I felt I was wasting my time what with RA plus my age.
I work on our farm with my partner. Have had to give up some hours and pay son to take over. I am finding it more and more difficult to do the reduced hours. I am in the process of looking at re-training.
What career. Got made redundant nov. 09 not worked since. Wish i could work, if this ever eases off i will try to find work, but not at the moment, still too fatigued.
I'd just finished a PhD when I was diagnosed. Worked for years to get there, only to find that what I could do was very restricted. The Uni was more concerned with students welfare than mine, so I tried to improve understanding that way. The worst thing was fatigue, unpredictability, inability to climb stairs so I couldnt go to meetings in some places. I'd try to arrange my hours so I could go home in the afternoon to rest, then start working on admin /marking from home afterwards. No time or energy for social life or for looking after myself!
So I took early retirement. Moved to a windy northern city with lots of cultural life. I made new friends, took up art seriously. Although I still have aches and pains and fatigue, I do feel much better.
I wish I'd taken a year out after diagnosis to sort myself out rather than struggle to carry on. But I knew that they wouldnt have kept my post open!
Went through the sickness procedure used up all sickness allocation and was then dismissed one month after my sixtieth birthday.
Would not retire me on ill health grounds because there was always the possibility that with the correct drug regime I would get better..............yeah right MTX, 3 DMARDS and anti-tnf later still couldn't even work part-time.
So there I was 60yrs old single, no income, and no home because I had lived in tied accommodation Not best situation to mix with RA!!!
However thank God for Margo the union rep she did a deal and they gave me half pay and took full rent for two months which meant I could then retire on occupational and state pension, she also got me rehoused.
I do appreciate that with our condition we are a managers worst nightmare...but there but for the grace of God..............
I gave up work after the birth of my daughter, now 7. My RA wasn't diagnosed till after this, but I was having symptoms then, which contributed to my decision. Now my job is 'homemaker' or whatever the current term is, but I don't feel that I do as much as I could have done pre-RA. I'm not sure if I'll ever get back into paid work, as I doubt I could manage that and home stuff too.
I am struggling to continue to work, with fatigue being a big problem, along with the problems of fitting in all my appointments.
Also one off my main problems at the moment is by the time my stiffness has eased I get moving I have a shower and get dressed but by doing this on most days I am so knackard that I want/need to have a nap. All this means some days it can be 2pm before I can make it to work, then when I get there some days I can manage 4 hours but other days after an hour I struggle to keep my fingers moving and my eyes open.
So if it wasnt for my employers being so flexible and allowing me to work when I can then there is no way I would be able to contiue working.
Before my RA hit me hard I had just spent 2 years training to become a Nail Technician.
I had just managed to perfect creating beautiful acrylic and gel nails, and I was even better at doing my own.
I had spent a lot on kits, training etc and kept all my recipts as I planned on finishing work to set up my own business and be mobile.
I am so glad I didnt give my job up I would be knackard as I can no longer even hold the brush to create the nails anymore. 
I was employed as Insurance Manager for a large intermediary,however
I went off sick with a huge flare and was brought on by stress of my job.
Returned after nearly 8 months off on a graded return with hope I would
be able to get back to my responsible job. However in the 6 months since I
returned I have only managed to get to 12 hrs pw. So unfortunately although
my Firm with EXCELLENT I have had to step down from a Manager and
now just a Clerk. It has / and still is very strange for me, but I cannot cope
with anymore hours as even on those few I am exhausted.
May get better soon as waiting to start Humira but have been very
ill with infection upon infection, at the moment half way through a 10 day course
of pencillin as diagnosed with a group A streptacocil (wrong spelling)
infection.
So that's me
Rose
l
Being diagnosed 23 years ago at a time when medication was very limited, mainly high dose steroids and anti-inflammatories, it was about 15 years and much joint damage later before any sort of control was achieved.
I was a manager in a Legal Aid office having sprung board my career from a Clerical Assistant to Higher Executive Officer in just 12 years but involving many courses and hours of study.
I was diagnosed in 1988 and was medically retired in 1990 after 18 months sick leave feeling very miffed at losing my career and having a chronic condition to boot!
Heyho ... it's on we go!
Lyn x
My business is going down the pan! Struggling to do even a third of what I used to and have had to make some pretty drastic business decisions. I know I'm going to have to give it up at some point because its very physical and puts a lot of strain on my joints but there's an economic imperative to keep going at present until I get career number 3 organised. Something will turn up I'm sure!
I've had to give up full time work and now work part time with my Partner, I'm so lucky that if I'm feeling under the weather I can stay at home, as we travel 100 miles a day backwards and forwards to work it is getting more difficult. We are hoping to move nearer our Firm so hopefully that will help and also look forward to living in Oxford.
I had to reduce my hours as well as changing my career. Luckily I had a Manager that understood and an employer who facilitated this.
Candy
after reading everyones experinces my own isnt much better did 11 hours work this week aim 17 next week.. if possible.. this poll is depressing reading.. think its a problem ..
Just gone back to work on a phased return, management not being very supportive, they want to know exactly what day's and what hours i am doing. Have had to drop down to 30hrs instead of 37, but am so tired even doing this.
My employers made it extremely difficult to continue, so I felt I had no other option than to take the voluntary redundancy offered following all 'the cuts'. Despite having been assessed by Access to Work, and numerous recommendations made, I did not receive one item of equipment: also, there was little adjustment made to caseload (to be lowered, as per recommendations by Access and occupational health). The real kick in the teeth came when they relocated to another office on the first floor, with no lift access; no way could I do the stairs (an old terraced building with narrow stairs, no support and high risers - you know the type I mean). Well! I could probably do the stairs given one hell of a lot of time, but they'd be looking for MY charred remains in the event of a fire, and I couldn't have gone for a wee unless I used the paper shredder! The upshot is, I don't know what I will turn my hand to now. I tried as an RMN & practised for a few years. It didn't suit, so I did a degree in philosophy (I don't know now where I thought it would lead to, but I adored the subject!). Trained as a welfare benefits advisor, the only specialist at my current place of employment, which I thought they would have found immeasurebly valuable, but I've been treated like the proverbial leper. I'm not sure yet, but I'm confident I'll eventually find something entirely different. I have a game plan: will find a work placement via the Shaw Trust, prove my substantial worth, and find something worthwhile that I like. I just don't know what that is!
I gave up working in childcare/pre-school education three months before RA symptoms started to be a full time Mum...I struggle now to look after my own children (!?) so I very much doubt I'll ever return to the environment I trained to work in and enjoyed so much.
Was off sick for 9 months then got a new job with less hours and less stress. Financially I can't afford not to work. Some days are really hard but I've had to adjust my life so that I rest as much as I can when not at work.
I'm a Travel Consultant which is a sedentory job, but your mind has to be alert ther's no way your client wants to be arrive in Venice Florida, when they wanted Gondalas and spaggetti in Italy. So pain meds must be limited, I had to reduce my hours after 6 months of RA that was 2 .5yrs ago then January this year I had to go off sick we only have 10 days full sick pay then it's SSP I still get paid my loyalty bonus as I've worked for the firm for 5 years. My directors are being very helpful and understanding so far but how long will that last I wonder......
We can afford for me not to work but I LIKE my job, I could work from home but I also like meeting people. it's hard.
I've been very lucky to be able to remain in work. I was off for 6 months after a truly explosive onset left me all but paralysed from the jaw joint down, and then had a 3 month phased return to work. I found Access to Work to be totally useless, and am still waiting for a height adjustable desk and other adjustments to be made. Currently I have to ask people to open doors, carry files, fetch printing etc for me as the workplace is not at all wheelchair friendly.
Having said that, the support from most colleagues (you always get a few who think that you've lost your brain cells along with your mobility) has been fantastic and enabled me to keep going. I've been honest and upfront with my team about what support I need and how RA affects me.I don't think anyone can truly understand what it's like unless they've lived it, but the small gestures my workmates make on a daily basis to help me are greatly appreciated. I think it has a lot to do with your immediate colleagues, as they are the ones that can make or break your return to work.
I work in the retail trade which involved a lot of heavy lifting and carrying. I have been off work for two years after my ankle joint broke down and had to have the joint fused i don,t think i will be able to go back.
I can truly empathise with people's experiences ~ having been there, done that several times, and feel really sorry other people have also experienced the ignorance about RA that just seems far too widespread in the employment world...
One thing I would love to see is a poll of where the best places to work with RA actually are, as unfortunately i havent been able to work this one out yet
I'm currently searching for a career change that works with my RA - anyone want my CV? 
xx
i worked 12 hr shifts in retail but have had to cut shift times down.so i now work between 4 and 6 hr shifts over 5 days.i have moved shop and now am only 6mins.from home.this has helped me a lot as the tiredness and fatigue with RA is as bad as the pain (well for me anyway) it takes me at least 2 hrs to unstiffen in the morning and when im tired its not too far to go home.this was done by my supervisor to help me carry on working because i did have a bit of time off when starting new medication.he has been very helpful to me but the company...well im just a number.we work on computerised tills all day and this is hard on my hands and fingers cos sometimes they dont work the way i want them to,but i can take frequent breaks and the girls are understanding..well ones not shes got arthritis too she says.i try to tell her its not but she wont listen!! but on the whole my working life is not bad,a bit scared though cos RA only gets worse .
i worked with my employer for over 11 years, i'd always worked very hard and loved my job i only needed time off sick from work when I was diagnosed, i returned to work on phased return, I was so glad to be back a work then I experienced bullying, and harassment from colleagues and managers, (the only thing I can think of this happening was because of the adjustments I was having to my desk) I have had a nightmare of a time since then, had to raise a grievance, which was all admitted but my companyy decided not to take any further action against the concerned people, I then had to go off sick again with the stress of everything which then aggrivates my RA, to date they are still not supporting me and stopped my pay etc...let's hope i will get justice in the Tribunal and I will be able to show that this can not and will not be allowed to continue in the workplace with ignorent people and raise more awareness for RA and how much it affects you mentally and physically and the lack of support in the workplace needs addressing!!
i wish you all the luck in the world with your tribunal, bullying should never be tolerated in any form of life, do you have anyone who is prepared to confirm your accusation tho? that was a problem i had when i went to tribunal with same, it never even got to a hearing,
Would love to reduce my hours as I get sooo tierd but not financially viable at the present. Work full time as a Midwife and because I live on my own there is only my income coming in. Any ideas would be gratefully received Thank you
Hi i am also a nurse i know the feeling managed to change my role to teaching but still hard going 10-15 in a class over four days I sleep most of the time when i arrive home this is no life
work sleep no time to enjoy anything have to rest on day off and week ends to get through the rest of the week . the thing is we look normal to look at no one understands the pain tiredness and the diease it self
hmmmm problem here kath,,,,,,,, ok i have a solution, try baadoo on facebook, i think its a dating site and find a partner, make sure you vet him 1st, orrrrrr win the lotto and sack work sticking 2 fingers upto them who may have knocked you in the past but what ever you do kath,,,,,,,, keep smiling, it works wonders honey 
I had already retired from work due to previous strokes when I was diagnosed with osteo and rheumatoid arthritis
I continue to work full time but aspects of my job are increasingly difficult. My emplyer is sympathetic to making reasonable adjustments but the things 'access to work' suggested were impractical and very costly. My employer would pay for a voice activated software system but i don't want to be tied to being at the office until late at night so this is still to be resolved.
I have gone from full time to part time. I now work Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This really works for me as I can rest between work days. My employer is keeping my full time post open for a year while I decide what to do as I am only recently diagnosed and have not started dmards yet. Due to start methotrexate soon..
I run my own business and had just expanded (bought a very expensive machine) when I was diagnosed 6 years ago. Have just expanded again (another machine) and the last rituximab didnt work. I just about cope most days but I have a good team working for me and that helps.
I was laid off when symptoms first started. When I got the call back letter I tried to return but was unable. Machinist job can be demanding. They put me on disability(no money) and told me that I had to be able to do job as listed.Problems with pain and fatigue have increased even with upgrade on meds.
I was out of work when diagnosed with RA but had fully intended to work until I was 65. Unfortunately I have had to retire early as my occupation was a data inputter and my hands will not work properly nowadays.
i have not worked for a few years due to bringing up my family and then caring for terminally ill parents. I went back to work as a care assistant in March and had to leave after 2 months due to pain. I am looking for a job again but its not easy to find one available that fits in with RA. I was on Incapacity Benefit, but due to the coalitions new benefits shake up i was deemed fit for work by ATOS. I also have AS.
I would love to work but my body keeps shouting no wayy lol
Debby, you have a right to appeal the ATOS findings, and i have read that more often than not you will win your appeal, they have made a hash of their scoring system from what i have read on the net, try googling how they ascore people, there have been a couple of documentaries on it, where they were even found to be unfair towards the people they were scoring
I tried to return to work but my boss made it totally impossible his idea of help was to say I had to work from 7.30 am have an hour for lunch and finish at 17.30 Monday to Thursday in order to have Fridays off to attend Physio and other health appointments. I wouldn't of minded but it was due to two accidents at work in 2006 that caused the awful flare ups. Then one day my body couldn't take any more and locked up totally. Then he pushed and pushed until they decided to sack me on non attendance! wow! So no money. I am now trying to pay for a solicitor and barrister to get me a pension because my sickness was caused through my work. Ho Hum! Bev
hey bev, didn't you sue your ex boss for industrial accident? and what about work related stress while we're at it?, and then lets go the whole hog and have him for constructive dismissal, worth a try, with regards to solicitors.barrister, even terrorists get legal aide
good luck
At the moment I still work at 35h week at the local high school, the senior technician and the senior management team at the school are great with me giving me as much time as i need to attend any appointments. I has Health and Safety do a survey on me last week. I have been banned from using any kind of step ladder and any attempt to lift things off the high shelves. Same for the very low shelves. They have modified my computer workstation and reallocated jobs that i would normally get to do around the school to another of the team. I know I will not be able to keep this job going but I am not giving it up without a fight. Thank god for critical illness cover on my mortgage.
I work 37 1/2 hours plus, and have to do one on-call per month...I work early shifts and late shifts...I seem to suffer flare ups every 6-8 weeks and last tyime I was off work for n4 weeks till I saw consultant and had a steroid injection. I cannot see how I will be able to continue working for the next 10 years or more...
when i was 1st dianosed with RA i was only a child aged 8, it did improve somewhat, and i was able to live a pretty much normal life, including having spent 8 years in the armed forces, although i never informed anyone of my condition, it was very managable at that stage of my life, then not long after i left the army i was struck with ankylosing spondylitis, which i think caused a flare up in my RA, i have tried throughout my life to continue in manual construction type work, but it has become totally unsuitable for several years now, and i have since been on incap benefits, and with the deteriation of my condition i am now also on DLA.
I wish there was some training offered with a gurantee of a job afterwards, i would be far happier working in an office, i have tried to train myself in off type work, but when i put it to the test in practice i wasn't upto scratch
I reduced my hours from full time to flexi part time (25 hrs a week) still unable to cope now giving up from 31.03.13
I still work full time in a large retail company, my manager has been really supportive she understands about RA and my limitations with my hands and feet. I did change job roles within the company before I was diagnosed 8 months ago (someone is looking out for me)
My job is purely around training which is hard for me because I have always been a hands on manager. But we have to adapted to the chanllenges in life. I do feel really lucky that I can continue at the moment it is hard and I do get very tired.I feel I will go part time in the next year.So many sad stories above, I have been with my company long enough to know what process I will have to go through if it comes to it.
When I was diagnosed I worked part time, two years later I started full time work which I continued for 21 and a half years. I retired last year at 61 years old. I would say it never affected my work. I think my mobility now has been helped by the fact that I kept on working even when in pain.
