Happy New Decade to all and many thanks for all the support, informations, tips, and love this blog gives to all of us.
I have been following Dorset Lady tappering program very carefully and took on all the advicesthat people with GCA have been giving. I have been responding very very well and was down to 13mg. Thank you to all of you for sharing my breakfast every morning. Every story counts.
I am going through a nasty experience at work with our new boss, who is a bullye. In my case, I ended up in a unwarranted nasty Informal meeting, with a colleague as a witness. I went back to my duties but an hour later, collapsed and went into a panick attack, so I was told by the paramedics as I never experienced anytbi like that before. I went home with a massive side headache, which I had not had for a while. Took 5mg to stabilised and up my daily dosage to 16mg. I still feel wobbly and my GP has signed me off for 2 weeks for stress at work.
Since diagnosed with GCA, as I mentioned I think althought the journey has been hard, I have been lucky, and pretty much carried on my life as usual except for the evenign outings which had to stop due to fatigue. Nomreading for a while, no ciniema...But in 14 minths I only took 6 days off work altogether.
I am now being asked to go in for an assessment by the occupational health at work not even 48h after my collapsing and my sick note. i am not really fully fit to go and also feel I am not given much time to breath and recup.
Arewe as GCA sufferers taken seriously in the work environment? I feel that because our illness is not visible and totally unknown we are not considered ill or fragile or vulnerable. The medications that we have to take are also a hurdle in themselves. Sleep deprivation, high anxiety, hearbeat going up...
I feel they are treating it very lightely and not taking the condition seriously. i ve veen there for 4 years, excellent work report, never an issue. And I certainly never made my condition a burden to them.
Anyway, I, have witnesses to say that what I am accused of “unprofessional behaviour and unfit for a workplace” simply because I burst into tears one day was totally exagerated by my boss and almost an opportunity to try and get rid of me..And certainly did not warrant a disciplinary.
It is a big natuonal institution I work for, praising themselves on being freidnly to disabilities, mental health issues etc... have anyone been unsupported at work and felt it might be better to leave.
Again, this passive aggressive behaviour toward me is totally new to me. Ive carried out my work as best and many people are unaware of my condition. Any experince sharing and where I stand would be appreciated.butit is not the workload the issue but my senior management making my life very difficult. The stress building up has really pushed me back.
Any experience to share I am keen to hear. Any suggestions, welcome.
Thank you ZOZOI
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Zozoi
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I am sorry for your awful situation, but it resonates with my sister who experienced something similar....I hate to have to admit this but it was a union official that helped her enormously, They made the company follow the rules etc...and with doctor's reports ect it helped. Do you have a union if not I would try HR or citizens advice. It's a very stressful situation, make sure when you are ready to go back to work you feel well enough to cope.
Your boss and their attitude is clearly impacting severely on your Health and their unsupportive or unhelpful attitude has got in the way with your ability to control your symptoms and continue work at the moment.
As you have witnesses whom are happy to support your claim of being treated unfairly you are in a strong position to put a complaint in to your Area or Company Senior Management Team or to ask HR to advocate on your behalf with this issue.
It may be that this meeting with Occupational Health , however , is not being organised for your Bosses needs, or in their favour , but by the Company as a whole in support of your needs in the workplace to help you continue in your job with better support.
Sometimes a narrow minded Boss can make complaint and actually find that they are quietly told that it is them whom are in the wrong and that now their behaviour has caused the Company to step into action to prove that they will do the right thing to support an Employee with Health related work needs.
The timing of this meeting , however , is wrong for you if you have been signed off work legally on Medical Grounds . You do need the time to recouperate before returning to the Workplace , even if the things being discussed at that meeting could be for your benefit and to build a better working environment for you.
With this in mind , perhaps you could contact the person in charge of the Occupational Health Meeting and ask to rearrange this on a day closer to your return to work , explaining that although you are very interested in discussing how you can work together to make your work space more Chronic Illness Friendly you are still sick and would prefer to do so when you are more able to work with them to help you.
This is definitely not an unreasonable request and if it is not treated with approval you are again in your right to make a complaint higher in the Company system about the way you have been treated.
Unfortunately , many people whom remain in Employment with " invisible" Chronic Health Conditions experience this sort of ignorance and intolerance at Work. It took long enough for Employers and Work Colleagues to finally begin to accept and happily include people with visible Disabilities and Mental Health issues , in terms of our types of illnesses , the workplace can have some way to go yet. Even Doctors aren't really that knowledgeable or sensitive to our particular Self Care needs .
If you need extra help , use a work colleague or Representative to advocate for you , and come and sit in and witness what happens in these sorts of meetings in future. If you are still unhappy with the way your Boss has treated you put in an official Complaint. After some rest , try contacting your local Employment Advice Bureau , Work Agencies and even an Email to the PMR/ GCA UK charity to request what information they can help you with would be of benefit so that you will understand your rights fully and what your should expect to have fulfilled at a Work Health Assessment. If you know your rights at the meeting you will be better positioned to petition for what you are allowed .
If you do find that working is seriously hindering your recovery you may need to take more time off work arranged via GP sick notes or through your Company long term sick leave policy.
Good luck and please let us know how you get on or if you need any further support
Which may be the underlying problem - getting all the official support available from the outset may prevent such a situation developing. It does sound as if this bully is picking off the easy targets - and you may find that in the long run remaining will depend on a you or them decision. Stress will never help and for some people it has a greater role to play than for others.
Get the union onside - if only to establish your rights under disability discrimination legislation.
Sorry to hear you've been placed in this difficult situation. Totally agree that you should delay the meeting with Occupational Health until after your return to work. You are off on medically approved and medically required leave.
Secondly, make sure you take someone with you to the meeting and have them take notes for you. Typically this would be a union rep if you are represented by a union. Ideally, the person should be an advocate as well as a witness and have some knowledge of PMR. The Occupational Health Representative should be a neutral party and be there to support you in your successful return to work as well as arranging any work place accommodation you may need to make that happen.
What a dreadful situation to be in ....GCA is bad enough without the additional aggravation you are facing.
As others have suggested you need to get your HR section on board as well as the union (even if you’re not a member, they will help, and if you have to join it may be more advantageous than you realise).
Can you also get some documentation from the GP - or do you think that might play into your employers hands if they are trying to imply you are not fit to work?
One of our contributors is well versed in this field, so hopefully she be along to offer further advice idc.
But I wanted to say my GP was not very supportive. My consultant however would be appalled, I am hoping to see her sooner than planned. She also has asked me to pass her your tapering program as she was intrigued but inevitably had to admit that it has worked really well for me. So some of them are all ears.
Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of this forum. Good on your Rheumy, hopefully she will support (if necessary) with medical info.
It’s always good to have a “corporate” helper when you need to get the facts across in a rational and commanding way. Had to call on my son a couple of times during my GCA foray with medical profession.
Hi there it’s Sunday and since Friday I feel I’ve hit a brick wall never had this before No engery and I mean NO energy is this due to adrenaline Not working I canT do anything at moment except sit as I fall asleep in an instant hips and legs so sore Not sleeping got letter re dexa scan bit late but they are check my bone density. Talk about new sparing drug but I’m so afraid it will be as bad as mtx as I can’t go through that again. With gca do we need additional drugs or will Pred be enough should I explain how I feel to doctor. Hope your well
Im not sure how to reply to you all. Thank you for all the very eloquent, helpfull advice and support. I am part of the union but I am also going to consultwith a discrimination lawyer. My new boss was already in breach of equality act 2010 when he refused to allow a recording of the “informal disciplinary”as reasonable adjustment to my specific learning difficulties, and suggested a colleague could take notes forme. Later I found out that my GCA being a long term illness also comes under Disability. I will take all suggestions on board.
Ithink sometimes we need to make noise so people understand better.
Thank you all and I am putting a grievance in. My husband helps me with the emails and his corporate background and ability to write in a “ legal” manner should alarm HR without threatning them. My HR dot is very much for defending the bosses but at one point it makes them accomplices of any wrong doing.
It is my duty to fight so others and myself can change the regime we are suffering since this man has taken over.
Just to let you all know that I have put a grievance against my boss for Intimidation and Threats. I quoted how he used my medical condition as leverage to make me accept his terms and conditions during our “ informa disciplinary” ( wether formal or informal, in my mind it was a disciplinary). And relieved to say that I have 8 colleagues who have written statements confirming that I did cry that day in the office but I did not shout walking aroind the office in an explosive behaviour unfit for an office environement and was certainly not an embarrassement for the whole office as per his accusations.
Im back on friday and he will be there knowing about the grievance. i ve also found a good discrimination lawyer in case HR tries to hush it under the carpet. The union have been supportive, but luckily my husband works in a corporate legal environment and has helped me wording my grievance.
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