That's it, I'm done working

[Griggser]

Just a quick update to say I have just retired on ill health grounds due to PMR. Still on 13mg of steroids after starting at 15mg 2 years ago, have been up and down in between and also taking 10mg of leflunomide. Hopefully I can settle into retirement and manage this illness a bit better. I still struggle to pace myself well enough but I keep trying. Off for my first Bowen therapy treatment later today so I'll see how that goes.

[betty1943]

Well done Griggser.  I think you will find when you are able to exercise and rest when necessary you will recover in leaps and bounds, and no work to think about.  All the help from all of us around you will help also.  Keep on keeping on!

[11caroline29]

Hi Griggser. Glad to hear you have retired and will have more time to look after yourself. It takes a bit of time getting used to it. Let us know how the Bowen therapy goes. I am starting physio next week

[suzieh]

Hoping retirement will ease your stress and consequently the PMR will start to subside. Best wishes

[lesley2015]

Good for you! I hope it speeds up recoverery - please let us know. I am still struggling and working with PMR/GCA - just cannot afford to stop and to get another less stressful job when I look like a bloated poorly hamster is not easy! Rest and chill now 👌

[Runrig01]

Good luck with your retirement. I would be interested to see if it helps recovery, as I'm also working. Unfortunately at the age of 50, and a daughter to support through university retirement is not an option yet. Good luck xx

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Welcome to the club! Enjoy!

We took early retirement some years ago and then carried on doing translating/consultancy for a few years here in Italy but for the last year and a bit have both been in receipt of pension, me from the UK (at last) and him small ones from Germany and Italy (you qualify on total EU years paid here, not only age). His UK one comes this summer. Our initial income wasn't as high as it was when we were working in the UK - but our QOL was infinitely superior. Life is less expensive as a retiree - clothes last a lot longer for a start! 

You'll wonder very soon how you had time to go to work!

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Griggser, let's hope that this is just what you need to finally get on top of PMR, so that you can soon make the most of retirement and enjoy every minute - meanwhile good luck with the Bowen therapy.

[Rose54]

Good Luck

Take time to rest and hopefully get the PMR under control

Best Wishes

Rose

[HeronNS]

Best of luck with your new circumstances.  Forced retirement isn't easy, but you'll find lots to occupy you and hopefully you have supportive family and friends.  I don't think I could have got as well as I am now if I were still working, so after a rocky start I concede that retirement has been a good thing! ☕🚶😎🎶

[pmrdec112014]

Fantastic Griggser! Enjoy. If this illness was for life I would seriously consider retiring but again at 52 it's  not really an option particularly as pmr is meant to burn itself out???!!!!!

[Polywotsit PMRGCAuk team member in reply to pmrdec112014]

Hang on in there!

[Slowdown]

Good time of the year to retire, Griggser.  Without the pressures and pace of work I hope you soon feel the benefits of leisure time when you can focus on your health - time for you now.  I found Bowen effective both mentally and physically and am going for a top up this week after 3 sessions a couple of months ago.  For such a seemingly light-touch treatment the results were remarkable.  I  hope you find the same.  Very good luck, get the deckchair out in the sun!

[Griggser]

Thanks for all the comments. The Bowen treatment might have done something, I do actually feel a bit better today! You would think the light touch would not be effective but I felt like I had a heat lamp on my back after a short while. I have booked up two more sessions and hope this will be helpful. Of course I also finalised all the paperwork and handed back all my work stuff today so that was like a weight being lifted.

[Jackoh]

Yes good time of the year to retire! Must have been hard decision but well done you for making that step out of your comfort zone. Lets hope and pray  that you will now be able to pace yourself more and rest and exercise more and continue on that road to recovery. I am retired and it did take a bit of readjustment. Have a lot of respect for those who need to work with this chronic illness.  Jackie