Osteoarthritis: I've been to the pain clinic... - Pain Concern

Pain Concern

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Osteoarthritis

JeffMett profile image
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I've been to the pain clinic and was told that the pain I was getting from my neck down to my fingers and any were between was nerve pain caused by having tender nerves and if I carried on working I would only get worse. I'm on 20 microgram butans patches of morphine, Oramorph, Gabapentin, Paracetamol, and Amitryptiline. I've just come back from the hospital on Bus which hurt me quite badly. I have to work 16 hours on Checkouts which is still causing me a lot of pain so of the items are to heavy for me, but I have been told if I stop working I will get next to nothing. My brother does all the house work and garden and he never complains. I lost my trade as a Cabinet Maker in 2000 due to doing a job in 1985 for a year which put to much stress on my hands. At that time you could only get competitive stress injury unless you had been typing for 30 years, so I did not get a penny. By 2004 I was working at the Supermarket which I am currently at. (I can't say there name because they said we would get the sack if we mentioned on the Internet) In 2005 I jarred my neck getting a box down and had two weeks of sick, when I got back I got a warning so I told them I was going make a claim which I won because they didn't want a judge to see the photo's I had taken of me standing next to the loads as they came in. Years later I find myself with Osteoarthritis in my neck. I've been trying to get work with The Work Company and Futures to try and get some further training so I can get into Administration but after 18 months there is nothing out there. I am willing to go back to working full time and not be a burden on society but the government for does not want to get back into full time employment. Is there anybody out there who as any ideas of what I could do about this situation as I don't think it will be long before I pass out with pain or strangle one more nasty customers we seem to get like the one who threw my closing sign on the floor because I had finished my shift. By the way I'm pretty big and you can't tell there is something wrong with me by just looking at me.

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JeffMett
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4 Replies

That's a lot of pain relief. I can't imagine a checkout job is anything but agony for you. Have you had support of any kind from someone at this supermarket by conducting health and safety work assessments? It would probably be of minimum use in itself but help pave the way for leaving due to ill health if they can't make reasonable adjustment or find you a more suitable job within the company. Who said you would get nothing if you left due for that reason? I'm not sure that is true but I'm really no expert.

Could you see CAB for advice? They'd be a good place to try. Would your doctor support you by legitimately signing you off sick and then, maybe as I did, end up leaving through ill health without going back. I was then able to claim ESA. Although that was a while a go and the rules may have changed. I'm not claiming ESA now but I am on PIP. There are schemes that The Job Centre would probably want to send you on in the effort to get you back to work, which for you might be the answer. I'm lucky in that I work part time with my husband on the admin side of his business so have a very understanding employer now!

I don't know if any of this is helpful - I just felt for you as I've been in a fairly similar situation, although a nicer company!

Good luck keeping your mitts off the annoying customers!

JeffMett profile image
JeffMett in reply to

The Company already said there would be no office job for me in fact they found it funny that I asked them. ESA does not kick in until I've gone through the 3 stages of periods off I have been signed of by a Doctor, in the mean time I would get no statuary sick pay because I don't earn enough even though I've got 44 years of National insurance stamps. I've been to CAB they said could not help until I was totally incapacitated. The only way of this supermarket would be if they made me redundant and I can tell you there is no way they would do that. The Work Company said would they would get in touch with the Supermarket and see if they had got a job for me. I'll tell you what I will do and that is to tell everybody the complete story and who I work for. I know now they say whistle blowers should not be penalised but they would sack me if I said anything before I leave.

I will update everybody if I get anywhere hoping it would help others who are in same situation as me.

in reply to JeffMett

Oh sweetheart sounds like you could have cervical spondylosis as it's sounds exactly what I was going through years ago but it's more settled now thank goodness - I was told I couldn't do nursing anymore they were no manual handling regs then - also told I couldn't not do shop work on tills or loading shelves - it was a fluke that I found out when applying for a job that I could do but because I wasn't in receipt of benefits I couldn't apply but what they did tell me was to go and see the resettlement officer at my local job centre - they probably don't exist now but there might be someone there with a different title that can help you - I managed by taking an exam to get into the civil service and stayed there until I retired.

It might be worth you checking this out at your local job centre there maybe something or someone there who can help you. Wish you all the luck in the world - take care and let's know how you get on. 🤗

in reply to JeffMett

Wow - what an awful situation you are in. They laughed?!! That's appalling. Yep, after that no wonder you want to drop the company in it when you are in a place to do so safely. I wish I could think of something more helpful but I can't. Do let us know how you get on. I really do wish you all the best of luck.

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