Work with RA ?

[Mariechristine]

Can most people work with RA ? Did you have to quit your job ? Once diagnosed do you tell your boss right away ? I feel it’s and disease that peple don’t care about because it’s not a terminal disease so you don’t get the compassion and understanding you deserve.

[popsmith1874]

Hi Mariechristine yes I had to retire medically from my local authority job after 23 years and yes my boss didn't understand my illness as I've got RA,OA and Angina but I tried to struggle on for a year before I retired but I just couldn't do it anymore and it's the best thing I did and keep a busy life to keep myself occupied xxx

[Hidden]

I think if it's well controlled some folks manage to work. I only work one day a week, and that nearly kills me! I'm hoping things will get better though.

[Maggsie]

I worked for 30 years post my initial diagnosis, albeit with a very good employer who in later years provided equipment and specialist kit to help me stay at work, I was allowed to work from home a couple of days a week and when driving was too painful. Unfortunately I was in and out of hospital in the last few years and when the opportunity arose to take a good voluntary severance pay off I bit the bullet and finally left after 42 years.

Life with RA can be difficult but with good effective meds and a bit of foresight from employers there is hope

[Nicole2000]

Hello Mariechristine,

I have PsA and yes, I do work and have worked throughout the whole diagnosis process and with every treatment regimen. Don’t get me wrong I am no superwoman, at times I have found it really tough and could have easily walked away. But alas, we are not all in a financial position to stop working and I have teenagers daughters who will need supporting at university soon, a mortgage and bills to pay.

I told my in line manger about my diagnosis and treatments pretty early on in the whole process and kept him informed all the way. Luck for me he and my employers have been understanding and supportive (knock on wood). They have supported my need and desire to work and ensured that adjustments have been put into place to support my increase in disability. The decision to stop working is never clear cut. For most of us there will be many factors at play. I am hoping that one day with the right treatment in place I can become more stable (ie have less flare ups) and lead an almost ‘normal’ home and work life.

Good luck and thumbs up 👍🏻 to all those still battling on in the workplace.

All the best,

N x

[BoneyC]

I was dx as a child age 6, in 1971, so school had to be informed and all my employers. I entered work after 10 years of the disease and managed to keep in work for 22 years. With modern day drugs lots more people should be able to stay in work for much longer.

[HappykindaGal]

I don't have an employer as I am the employer (if that makes sense!). All my team know I have RA and a compassionate employer will make allowances I would hope. I would like to add, that there are lots of jobs out there nowadays that are home working jobs. All my team work from home, we don't have an office. Two of them have Crohns and one MS so would find travelling difficult. The days of the 'traditional' jobs are ending, so if you want to continue working, there's lots of stuff out there. I run a Virtual Assistant company, but there are others like Sensee and Retinu that are all home workers too.

[dbestdeb]

It can be done, but it’s no walk in the park. Most do not understand. Thankfully I had a friend that would step up and speak to the boss when I was struggling and suggest solutions, because I had pride problems and was determined that RA would not change my life. But of course it did. I managed to work for a few more years after dx.

[Mariechristine]

I am very confused as a lot of people say you can live « a normal » life with treatments but then a lot responses related to work are very different.

Maybe people are not specific when they relate to work and mean 10 or 15 years after diagnosis, then it does become challenging ?? I don’t understand.

[Millysmum]

Hi, I've been lucky so far, I fit meters and it's quite physical, my boss has been great as I've only been affected since March, diagnosed May. He also has a type of RA, he's had it over 30 years. At the moment I'm buddied up with another engineer, however that can't last for ever, and although I'm walking again, I still can't kneel, (part of the job) so I. Do worry I will end up in a call centre, which isn't me... Just have to see how it goes.

[Mmrr]

I've not been able to work. I went off sick before I received my diagnosis and have never been back, I was medically retired a few months ago. but my condition is not straight forward.