Hi I was just wondering if anyone else has taken early retirement ? I was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer 3 years ago. I went through a hysterectomy and 6 rounds of Chemo and now on Niraparib. I am regularly checked every month and my blood all ok and CA125 is stable. I went back to work two years ago working four days a week full time and have recently reduce it to three days a week. I do however have this feeling of if I had a recurrence what have I been doing working! I still sometime get side affects and feeling of fatigue and just wish I didnt have to work. I keep thinking of taking the plunge and I understand that you can get pension credit. I am 63 years old so still another 4 years to go for state pension. I am not sure I will cope with the less income but I guess I would adjust. Would like to hear of anyone else experience of early retirement?
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Jingles6
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I was diagnosed in jan 2014 and after my treatment i was told i still had something on my liver (they are still there and no change) the consultant said i was then considered incurable so i was allowed to retire on health grounds from my job as a nurse. Obviously i wasn’t on my way out but i totally feel it was the right thing for me. I dont miss the job and i still keep in touch still with my work colleagues. My question would be why did you drop your hours? Because if you feel it was that you just dont feel well enough to work so many maybe you need to have a conversation with your consultant and see if she will support your application to retire? Also i would get some advice as to what you are entitled to from a benefit point of view, or are there any redundancies where you work? But if you are asking am i happy i did it then 100% yes. I was 50 then and 60 now
Hi, I was diagnosed in stage 3c HGS in January 24. I’ve finished frontline treatment and now on maintenance. I’m currently not in work and in the process of requesting early retirement due to ill health. The drop in income is worrying, but for me I want to take it easy and spend time with family and friends. Do you have a work pension? It might be worthwhile contacting macmillian advisors they might be able to talk through the benefits . Sorry not really answering your question, I’ll be interested too in others experiences, lm in a similar position. Best wishes xx
Hi Jingles. I am going through the process of medical retirement through work. I'm 62 so some way off state retirement so it will be a drop in income. I had my consultation with the occupational health doctor and he has endorsed my claim as my cancer is incurable and I am unfit for work. It has been as much a mental decision as a financial one as I loved my job and didn't want to leave. Cancer robs one of so many things but I have now come to terms with it. Macmillan have been great in supporting me so definitely approach them. Good luck xx
My circumstances are very similar Jingles, except I'm 56 and my cancer did return this year. I've just been through another six rounds of chemo. I went back to work after the first time and threw myself back into it. Not this time! I've just applied for early retirement and it's been supported by occupational health. My remission might last 18 months hopefully and I'm not spending it working this time. I'm going to do some travel, concentrate on getting strong and healthy again and spend quality time with people. If you can afford to do it, then why not? Good luck!
Hi Jax68I will be doing the same. Diagnosed with stage 4 clear cell a year ago, at first my plan was to return to work full time at some stage. However NED lasted only 3 weeks (if I was ever NED atall) & after bowel obstruction, further surgery & now more chemo, I'm utterly shattered. I'm only 57 but although I loved my job, I now value my time more, as you say spending quality time with friends & family, looking after my health best I can etc. Money will be tight, but to me it's the little things that matter, for which you don't need money. If my retirement fund allows, I'd love to travel a bit, even more short breaks in this country, so much still to see and do xx
Yes, I took ill health retirement once my sick cover came to an end and had the support of my oncologist. I'm Stage 4b and in Remission still on parps til January, officially finished work December last year at 52. I think it's the best thing I've done and I still keep on touch with all my colleagues, I had benefit help and my private pension payed out early. If you can do then I would and enjoy x
I was diagnosed with HGS 3c in December 23. I have had four chemo followed by adjunct surgery and three more chemo. I am now on Niraparib(200g) I am 58. I am exceptionally tired and hope this passes when my body gets used to the niraoarib.
My consultant supported my ill health retirement because my cancer is treatable but not curable. I was in the teacher pension scheme and I officially retired in June this year.
Like you, I thought if my life is shortened, why would I spend it working in my all consuming job as a headteacher instead of making the most of life and spending it with friends and family. I worried that the stress of the job would make it harder for me to recover from a recurrence. I was also struggling with brain fog from the treatment and just wasn’t up to the job physically or mentally.
Financially, it was hard to sort things out initially but I managed it and haven’t looked back. There is no way I could work because I am so tired all the time and have to rest during the day. I really hope this eases over time!
You should investigate PIP (personal independence payment) from DWP which is not income or savings related. I found I was eligible and receive this. This made all the difference to me. My consultant supported my application - you need medical evidence.
100% the right decision for me. I miss going to work and interactions with children, colleagues and families but I needed to retire to give myself as much of a chance as possible of fighting any future recurrence.
Talk to your consultant/specialist nurse and macmillan.
Hi jingles, I to took early retirement, I'd moved down to Devon with my husband to start a new life and I'd started a new job cleaning at a local school then corvid came so because of my age I was 62 then I was told to stay at home. So I took opportunity of seeing my doctor because I needed my pressery changing. Pressery is something that holds up your womb. My doctor suspected something wasn't right, hence I found out I had ovarian cancer. Treatable but not curable. I had a small private pension which I withdrew as a lump sum and also my husband had a fairly decent private pension which he could draw from plus a bit left over from the sale of our house we had sold. We'd bought a small flat in Devon. Planned getting jobs till our retirement and enjoying having a bit of money behind us for when we retired. But everything went pear shaped with my diagnosis. My husband couldn't work because he had to look after me. So we just managed to live off both our pensions until we actually reached pension age. We couldn't get help because we were always just above the cut of point money wise for help. But we managed to stick to our budget. And we've enjoyed just being able to do as we please when I had good day's. So yes if you can manage your finances then take the time to do the things that make you happy and enjoy your life ♥️.
Hi, I have HGSOC stage 3c and have undergone the same treatment as you, currently still on niraparib. I have taken ill health retirement from local authority job and was granted tier 1. I am 54. It took a while to complete but I'm so glad I did. I was unable to return to my post due to the lasting side effects of chemo , current treatment and mental/cognitive capacity so I made the decision. It doesn't mean I'll never work again but for now I am able to focus on rebuilding myself Good luck to you 😊❤️
Hi, HGSOC stage 3c, I had break in time of treatment, 6 months. Now on Olaparib, still working and I'm happy with it. I don't imagine to stay at home full time. I came back to my "normal life" of course I've changed some details. I don't know how it will be in future, in time of reccurence maybe, but now I plan to work. I like it. For my mind it's better. We are different. Make Your decision as better for You. Good luck.
You should absolutely do what feels right to you. I was diagnosed just shy of 45 and post treatment I took a year off. I enjoyed it so much I was thinking retirement. Hubby and family were super supportive. Then along came an awesome opportunity and a boss who did not bother about the diagnosis and gave me a fair interview. So I am working now, full time, while on olaparib and doing fine. I type this while on the way to the hospital to pick up my yearly pet ct scan 🤞. You do you, so long as all other things like finances etc support the decision
I was made redundant 8.5 years after finishing treatment and it really made me re-evaluate everything. Up until then I'd enjoyed my job and was happy being able to return to work. But instead I started up a little gardening business, made half the money I'd made in my job but had double the job satisfaction (lots of knowledgeable elderly lady clients who preferred to have a woman coming into the house rather than a man!). I had some overseas pensions which I could have sorted out earlier if I'd really set my mind to it, but I felt there was no rush. I finally retired properly when I reached state pension age earlier this year. Do what is right for you, take financial advice from Macmillan (who have financial advisers) and Citizens Advice Bureau, and be happy!
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Sorry to keep moaning.
Start date for Chemotherapy at last
Avastin side effects?
Had my ultrasound & they confirmed I have a 10cm Cyst.
Ummm i'm in the wrong place but any help would be great!
