Giving up work

[Brian1977]

Has anyone had to give up work due to their athritis being so severe

[sylvi]

I had to give up work due to my health. xxx

[Gottarelax]

I am fortunate to have an understanding company. I was able to reduce right down from full time to a 16 hr week and now am up to a 24 hr week. Working from home, at my worst I had my laptop in bed.

[KittyJ]

yes I did after being off 6 months I was assessed as never being able to do the job in the future. They were right.

[Brian1977]

I'm a painter and decorator but last September I had to give it up I couldn't even climb a pair of steps or hold a roller pole. I've been trying to paint my hall but it's taken me 3 weeks already and I've still not got it finished. I get really frustrated because I can't do ot properly. It affects your mental health eh

[Deeb1764 in reply to Brian1977]

it’s hard took me 2 years to accept it’s like grief so be kind to yourself and don’t feel bad for getting frustrated and angry it’s part of the process 🥰

[Madmusiclover]

Yes: reduced hours then retired. Living on private pension whilst waiting for state pension. Failed PIP: haven’t the heart yet to reapply despite being in a wheelchair recently and getting my blue badge.

[Hidden in reply to Madmusiclover]

It’s emotionally draining and debilitating. Break it down into ‘chunks’ before phoning up for the form.

Get copies of GP records and gather medical letters. Get a copy of the PIP legislation and back every ‘point’ you are entitled to with medical evidence. Focus on what you ‘cannot’ do.

Look at ‘majority of the time’ and ‘repeatedly’ criteria. Many DWP staff don’t actually know the legislation they are paid to implement.

Good Luck x

[Madmusiclover in reply to Hidden]

I’ll have another go but not just yet. So fatigued and fed up with it all atm

[Brian1977 in reply to Madmusiclover]

I had to go to a tribunal to get any help regarding universal credit so much stress but the judge took a look at all the paperwork from doctors and consultants my mental health team and said it shouldn't have even came this far and awarded me full entitlement. Keep fighting they want you to just give up

[Hidden in reply to Madmusiclover]

Yes. It’s very heavy going… 🥰

[TheBoys]

yes - it became impossible to work and when I got a slip disc that was it. Resigned and drew my pension early

[MadBunny]

Yes. I was a teacher. I reduced my hours , and had to give up the head of department job as I couldn't cope with the extra responsibility. It all got to the point where I felt I couldn't really do the job properly due to the workload and fatigue. To add to this, I had a very unsupportive Head teacher who tried his best to get rid of me, as he did with others over a certain age who'd been there longer than him.It was a struggle to manage without my salary. But we did.

I was sorry to leave the job I loved , but 10 years on, I feel much better- and happier.

[AgedCrone]

Indon,t know how long you have been diagnosed, but with the drugs available today…..there is always hope that you will find a drug that will allow you to carry on working.

But RA takes its time to respond to drugs…so do speak to your doctors to explain how bad you are feeling,to get them to pull out all the stops to help you.

[Boxerlady]

Sorry to hear that you're struggling and feeling low. I think that you've only recently started a biological medication so maybe you need to try to give it a bit more time to work before making any big decisions. It's difficult to think straight while you're in pain but maybe a call to the NRAS helpline would help you to decide if you need to give the medication longer to work or to start thinking about other employment options. I can also understand you wanting to do things but maybe trying to decorate is not the best idea at the moment.

[Brian1977 in reply to Boxerlady]

I take my 2nd injection today I keep looking at posts that people say they have felt great after 1 injection I feel bloody worse lol

[Boxerlady in reply to Brian1977]

Sadly these medications don't always (often?) work quickly. Did your rheumy team give you any idea how long they would expect to to wait before trying something else? I've found that emphasising that your capacity to work is being affected often means that they are more eager to help!

[KittyJ in reply to Brian1977]

Brian I’m not sure where you’re seeing all these posts about peoples biologic working after one jab because I think they are in the minority and I haven’t seen any here for a while. Mine took a while to start working 5-6 weeks and it was very gradual, I started to notice little things improving and it got better and better. Please don’t beat yourself up because it hasn’t worked after one jab, I’m sure your rheumy must have told you it’s not an instant fix for most people. Your symptoms can get worse whilst you wait for the med to work so there’s even more reason to not push yourself too hard at the moment, it’s amazing that you are doing your decorating, even if it takes a long time but I’d break it into smaller tasks so you can rest in between. This is what I do, there’s no hurry and I know it’s hard to pace yourself as of course we want things done quickly but as long as you get there it doesn’t matter how long it takes. Look after yourself and I hope you see improvements soon 🤞🏻

[BoneyC]

I was forced to give up work after spinal cord compression requiring neurosurgery. I had RA as a child, worked 22 years albeit with a struggle most of the time.

[Hidden]

I took early retirement just before Covid. Get your Occupational Health involved as if ‘medically retired’ your works pension gets a contributions boost and HMRC are informed making things significantly easier if you need to claim benefits to ‘top up’ your pension.

Maybe talk it over with your GP first.

[Hidden]

moneyhelper.org.uk/en/pensi...

Have a read of this x

[Feank]

Yes. Was referred to occupational health who said I was to retire under ill heath retirement scheme. I was 57. I was in a pension scheme, luckily, and receive a small monthly pension. So miss the company of others though, especially in the long winter months.

[Hidden]

I couldn’t work at all for 4 years when first diagnosed. I then worked 1-2 days for about 5 years before retiring.

It really depends on how severe things are and if you have other conditions to ‘deal with’ too.

Get some counselling and take things (including life decisions) slowly.

I moved cities to be near Family, had a year of one to one counselling, sorted out finances and am now retired. That took 10 years and I feel so much better now.. I think it takes that long to come to terms with everything x

[Otto11]

Yes I had to take ill health retirement at 45. My RA had gone undiagnosed for many years & then hit me like a truck. I worked for the NHS & couldn’t do my job. Simple as. I had been off sick for 6 months. They had no interest in letting me do any other work within in the NHS so had no choice.

[Spin1959]

Yes I retired in March after 29 years as a teaching assistant in a special school. I have a school pension and have been assessed as Tier 1 ill health. I am phoning them twice a week and still not got my pension! I have 2 years until my state pension. Previously I reduced my days to 3 days a week spread to accommodate fatigue. I applied for PIP but was unsuccessful.

[Chrt in reply to Spin1959]

Hi Brian, yes I,ve had to give up work due to RA last Ocober. But mine was very physical work, I had my own dog boarding kennels & also fostered & adopted abandoned dogs for local rescue. I have to be very careful with money but the only good thing is I dont have any responsibilties any more which I dont miss at all. I miss everything else tho, the strcture to my routine, the dogs themselve I miss the most.

What kind of work do you do,also are you self employed or not? It,s hard, Are you thinking of retiring or have you retired already because of RA? Either way it does take some getting used to & if I had a choice I,d stay working for a few yrs more but I loved my work so thats also something to consider. I,m still coming to terms with it even tho I,m older than you, 3mths till I,m 70yr but still I wasn,t expecting to retire just yet. Hope things go well for you

[spartacus101]

I decided that I would resign from work as I had gone from two swollen fingers in February to being unable to move in bed two weeks later. I am now about 3 months in to methotrexate and every movement is an effort. It is as if my muscles are made of tight elastic and they are a constant restriction. People say how well I look and I take the opportunity to briefly explain what it is really like. I regard it as an achievement if I can wrestle a milk carton into submission. It is really frustrating.

I made that choice because I have a financial buffer. Without that a bad situation would have been made even worse and much more stressful, and the benefit system is not designed to make things easy for people who are ill.

Citizens Advice are able to discuss the options if you are still in employment or are self employed. You can ask them to do a full benefit check to make sure that you are getting everything that you are entitled to in your situation and depending where you live, they can often offer one to one support in applying for benefits like PIP, and if they can't do it they should be able to find you an organisation that can. With the cost of living being what it is they are also really helpful with debt advice. And it is all free.

The DWP rate evidence from a medical professional. If you have the good fortune to see a consultant and they are writing a letter to your GP try to make sure that their description of your situation accurately describes your limitations. Claiming PIP does take persistence and detemination but if you are painting your hallway and have RA I think you probably may already have that.

Wishing you well on the route march.

[Leics]

I also was retired on ill heath when I was 49. I absolutely loved my job and spent the best part of 5 years living in agony trying to cope with staying in my NHS job because I felt I was making such a difference to other people’s lives. When I was offered a bank staff position which basically meant that they would only ring me when required and pay me for the days I worked I had to face facts that I wasn’t coping at all. So I was medically retired which meant having to endure a tribunal. It still hurts thinking about how I lost so much but in hindsight I wasn’t given a choice and it was the right thing to do. I still miss it every day but my RA hasn’t improved much in the last 10 years. I hope for your sake that you find a med which helps you to continue working. I would still be working given a choice but for me it’s unrealistic.

[RootsToots]

Not given up yet but has effected my income. I'm freelance so have options but its very hard to keep working.

[oldtimer2]

Could you look at finding a job in a college teaching your skills?

You could also try putting pressure on your rheumy team to improve the control of your disease - it doesn't sound well treated right now!

It's not easy having to accept that you can't do what you used to do, but it may well vary if they can get your treatment right. My joints are better now than they ever have been (since I became eligible for biologics and started on adalumimab) and I can, for example, open jars - something I haven't been able to do for years despite trying to keep my hand muscles as strong as possible with frequent exercise.

[madme1]

I had to Brian, it was a difficult time because I was the only one in the family working at that time and I had studied for 2 years to qualify for the job of a Nursery Nurse. It wasn't safe for me to continue in the job, especially as it involved lifting, carrying young children. I also had to be selfish and think of myself and the impact it was having on me both mentally and physically.I can't deny that it took some getting used to and there was a feeling of letting everyone down. The job itself had become extremely pressured and I'd become disillusioned with it. My dad had not long passed away, and I was told that I was being selfish for grieving because he was in a better place. That was the straw that broke the camels back. I left soon after and the very day I walked out of that building, I felt this explosion in my chest, suddenly all the stress and anxiety came pouring out and although I was crying, I knew then I'd made the right decision. Sorry for the long post, but I hope it helps.

[Brian1977]

My mri results showed inflammation now in my sacroiliac joints

This was my last letter from my consultant

[Mmrr]

Yes, I was medically retired around 6 years ago. I just couldn't manage to work. It was and remains the best decision I made. If your employer has an HR dept best speak to them. Best wishes whatever you decide.

[cuppa69]

Unfortunately, yes. I went to A&E last August after work as my hands had ballooned up and were very painful. The doctor there said he was certain that it was R.A, but I'd need to see the rheumatologist for a diagnosis, which I got a month later. During that time I had to stop work as my symptoms were getting worse.

When I saw the rheumatologist, she signed me off work for four months. I'm still not working, but my medication has finally started to work, as of about 8 weeks ago (I was on pain killing steroids for 8 months). I'm now pursuing voluntary work as a stepping stone in to getting back into work, but I'm having to be a bit cautious in how hard I push myself. You may find that on any given day you'll feel energetic, and get stuck in to tasks, and then the next day you might find that you're feeling a bit flat and burnt out. That's been my experience so far. Best of luck.

[Garnacha]

I did as such, my dad has a training company that I've worked at for over 20 years & was made a director in 2018, 2020 I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis & was in so much pain, I was on so many meds including steroids, as we were in lockdown I had my computer at home to continue working, by May I told my dad I just couldn't do it anymore.

He was fine & just said OK but, as I'm a Director my name is on lots of things so I'm lucky in that I can dip in & out & still get paid. There's no way I could sit at a computer for 40 hours anymore, yesterday I was on it for 3 hours & ended up in pain.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do 😘

[Evie3]

yes unfortunately, 21yrs ago now.. Struggled for years. Eventually after setting the alarm for 5am every morning to ‘get moving’ to get to work for 8.30, I realised the RA had won. Biologics werent around then….if they had I probably would have still been at work. It is a difficult decision.

[KittyJ in reply to Evie3]

Biologics have been around since the late 1990’s, the difference now is there’s many more and they’re much easier to get prescribed, I always wish I could have got them much earlier as my life would have been very different 😔

[Tired-fed-up]

I went on the sick and then gave up work due to ill health. I get UC but didn’t get awarded PIP. I had a mental health breakdown too - it really is hard coming to terms with not being able to do what you used to do. Ive spent the past 1.5 years rebuilding my confidence by taking arts and crafts courses and I’m going back to college in September to do art and design! I’m very excited 😁. My health has improved a lot. I’d say biologics took a few months to start working and then they messed up my deliveries and my prescription so it was more like a year before I felt maybe I could do things again. It’s a long journey but there is hope 🤞🤞 good luck x

[Ritaritis]

Yes, but I'm mid 60's and can no longer type. To be fair, I lost my job through Covid then got diagnosed with RA but I had been losing my typing speed.

[Ladybird25]

I've had to retire early due to struggling to work as a nurse. Sadly there are no concessions in the health care industry and if you can't function at 100% in your post, you're redeployed, which I didn't want. I was struggling with public transport and the lack of support by my colleagues with no 'reasonable adjustments' possible, so made the decision to retire early at the end of March this year. It's not easy getting by on the reduced income (monthly pension), but I'm feeling much better in myself. I miss my senior nursing role, my fabulous patients and the wider hospital community, but I had no choice as I wasn't doing myself any favours trying to continue working without any adjustments in place.

[Flipper12345yellow]

I lost my job working for the NHS!I could have fought and won but I decided to channel my energy on getting as well as I could be.

Luckily my partner helped but had I not had support I can't imagine.

Money is essential but you can't spend it if you're too unwell.

I would have been kinder to my body years ago had I known.

[rabbits65]

Dear Brian, you can at least see by all these many posts that you’re not alone. So many of us had to give up our beloved jobs early.. I was 58 when I had to leave. It is a struggle but hopefully you will see some light ahead.

[Brian1977]

Thanks guys for all your lovely comments 💗💗💗 I'm currently on holiday in skegness for 10 days it's the first time we have been away since last June apart from many hospital visits lol. The journey down from Scotland on the train was a nightmare I could barely walk on Friday night. Then I took the kids swimming yesterday reqlly thinking it would help. But I got out and was in so much pain and I let it get to me. Ive woke up today a bit better and I actually got 6 hours sleep instead of the usual 2 here's to a happy Sunday 💪💪💪💪