is anyones still working while having PMR?

[diana-mc]

After suffering from PMR and GCA, centrelink suddenly refuses my medical cert. from my Rheumy and want me to work or do volunteer work....don't know if i can though. They have said if i dont do it they will stop my frotnightly payment. ( I live in Australia)

[Vickie50]

Hi I have PMR and GCA and still work 30 hours a week as a psychiatric nurse but in the UK, it is hard some times but I feel that if I give in I will become very old very quickly, I am 51 now. Try some volunteer work it may actually help!

All by best

[Hidden]

I was working with this undiagnosed for years and years and it was a struggle but when it became unbearable (along with panic and anxiety attacks) I stopped work,. I too was refused sickness benefit and with the condition still undiagnosed I had to go to the JobCentre every fortnight and they made me apply for 3 jobs every week until my retirement date. I would work now if I could but am a little too old to be employed in the UK at almost 63, I must give way to the unemployed youngsters.

[soojay]

I worked with it undiagnosed until I was 60.Undiagnosed until I was over 70.Between those years I did volunteer work for 7 years,and finally had to give up,under pressure from "beloved".I miss it so much ,but heh ho ,still breathing and filling my days as much as I can with LOVE.Be of stout heart.God bless you and keep you .

[hannmorr]

I am still working part time. At 70 I still want to keep on some consultancy work for financial reasons mainly, but I certainly found it very difficult when I was first diagnosed...I am now on a very low dose and coping better but I couldn't possibly work full time with PMR! Won't your doctor give you any stronger support with Centrlink?

[Hidden]

Hi Diana,

When my specialist diagnosed PMR, he looked at me very sternly and said that he hoped I was not going to go on working and that he thought I should retire. I was 65 and had been a care assistant for 8 years. He said that in order for me to go on working as a carer he would have to prescribe a dose of steroids that would damage me. I said I would do computer work instead and he said that was fine.

As long as your conditions are well controlled and you feel reasonably stable then I think that part-time light work would be OK, but have a good talk to your rheumy first. He should have some input when you decide what you might do.

Pats.

[Pipistrelle]

I still worked (and continue to work) full time with PMR and didn't take any extra time off. For me that worked fine but everyone is affected differently. If pain isn't under control, or side effects are debilitating, I'd definitely return to your rheumatologist. Maybe some improvements could be made that would help. On the other hand some have too great a level of exhaustion and other symptoms to manage to work full or part time and also working really depends on the job. I could not have done a lot of manual labour when the pain was at its height.

So really there's no definitive answer to this.

[diana-mc]

Thanks everyone for replying......I quess I will try do do volunteer work....hope I can manage that....as I have good and bad days....although even on the good days my day start with a coffee and a Panadeine forte....lol

manual work is out of the question of course but I'm sure there will be other work.....it might take my mind of my pain anyway.

Best wishes to all

[Lawrie]

I still work full time, I travel every week for my job. I find for me that stretching and when I can a light work out. I push through the pain, say A LOT of Prayers, and try to sleep when I can,I am driven because I am the bread winner for the family! (Fun times)

I can do all things through Christ who strenghtens me, and I beleive that.

I have good days and bad days bad days I am exhausted just going up the steps!

[diana-mc in reply to Lawrie]

Thanks also for replying Lawri. Guess you're lucky you have your faith to get you through.

I also try to push through the pain but at times it's not easy.

I also have a lot of leg pain. My Rheumy doesn't think it's from my PMR.

Don't know what causes it. Too much walking or not enough. Lol

The last few days it's pretty bad and am taking panadeine forte (30 mg of codeine) as that is the only thing that works. Have to take it several times a day.

But hey.... I'm still alive so I shouldn't complain as I'm sure there's a lot of people worse of. Guess my antidepressant has kicked in lol

Best wishes.

[diana-mc in reply to diana-mc]

By the way....I'm 54 years old. So practically a spring chicken. Haha.

[Lawrie]

Well I am 51 and I also had terrible leg pain I found out that my knee caps had shifted so I went to PT and it really helped, My knee caps are back in place,

[diana-mc in reply to Lawrie]

Good to hear your knees are fixed.....My legpain is in my whole leg...both of them...it feels like mucle pain.....some days its gone and some days its bothering me day and night.....wish i knew how to fix it...am taking enough painkiller as it is...feel like a junkie sometime

[Lawrie]

I am so sorry that you are experiencing such pain, Did you have any X rays or MRI to see if you could pin point where the pain may be coming from. Because I did find other issues that I had by going to my PT person. I was blessed to have her, she was great, She took care of my back pain and knee pain that radiated down my legs and also my foot pain inbetween my 2nd and 3rd toes. I pray you find some relief soon!

[diana-mc]

Went to see my GP yeterday and he suggested to go up to 6 mg of prednison..just to see if that would help......time will tell.....and no I havent had any Xrays yet....but might have it in the future.....

Thanks for replying.....Take care....<3