Interested in experiences re Hypothyroidism in the workplace , was employer supportive? Or not ?

[Tigerhenry]

[juliaheppers]

Hia

I can only give u my experience as we are all different and have had different thyroid journeys

In the beginning when I wasn't diagnosed but knew things were wrong and only being treated for depression after the birth of my son for 4 years couldn't work at all then tried to kick myself up the bum and went back to college to do beauty therapy started my own business and after a year couldn't manage it any more felt really bad and still knew something was wrong eventually got diagnosed with hyper with nodules was told to have radio iodine to get rid of the lumps obviously being radio active and at this time working around high risk people had to have 11to 13 days away from work and they were very supportive . I then went very hypo off the scale in fact couldn't walk collapsed body swelling pain migraines the list goes on I ended up in hospital told my thyroid was fine that I probably had a virus!!!!!!!!!! Took 3 days off and again work were very supportive even paid me but then things went from bad to worse when my eyesight was affected with TED I couldn't be any where with artificial lights double vision and popping out eyes and still feeling very unwell I collapsed at work and they were amazing

Unfortunately I made the decision to leave as I didn't know how long this would carry on for and felt bad about messing work around - that was a year ago and I miss it terribly but I'm still so poorly

All I would say is to meet with them and talk to them I was very honest about what was going

on and they really supported me - I loved my job and have regretted leaving

Hope u too get he support u deserve

Take care

Julia x

[Moggie]

My work colleagues (who are all male) just laugh at, and with, me. I get asked "have you taken your pills today" or "are you sure you haven't got Alzheimer's", but never in a spiteful way. I have recently been having lots and lots of hosp appt, blood tests and GP appts and this has involved taking time off, although I try to make up as much time as I can, my boss is great with it and has never once moaned at me.

So in answer to your question - yes my employer is very supportive.

Moggie x

[Tigerhenry]

Thanks , I had to leave my job . Diagnosedin feb 2012 , informal adjustments made , as really unwell . Really struggled with cognitive slowness,muscle,joint pain , real fatigue etc Allergic to synthetic thyroid , off work again . Adjustments stopped . Kept going as long as I could,,really weepy, depressed. Resigned. Still really struggling to get levels right on Dessicated Thyroid ,

Extreme vitamin d deficiency . So a different experience to yours .

[Hidden]

I was diagnosed in Feb 2012. I responded well to T4 therapy and in a few months my health was beginning to get back on track.

Work are just used to seeing me walk really slowly when I have a flare up and need more T4.

Sometimes I struggle with the full day at work but I was told that insurance is such that I must decide in the morning if I can work all day and come in or not and stay off. So, employers have no ability to manoever or accomodate difficulties of the type we hypos experience.

I had time off last March - it went down on absence forms as 'stress'. I have had more absences, but these are laryngitis, flu etc. I know I'm more vulnerable than pre-hypo and think these issues are related but the direct cause is what goes on the absence form. There has been no problem and on a face-to-face level, my colleagues are lovely.

Work also see me stuggle on with knee injuries, plantar fasciais etc, so know I don't take work off every time I sneeze! I just walk really slowly at these times too. Luckily I only have one issue at a time - if it all came at once I'd have to have more time off.

During the last flare-up I was being asked to cover absent staff as well as do my own work (this is usual in school teaching). I emailed my line manager/s and explained my flare-up and difficulties and was given no further extra work to do for the time being. The alternative was that I would need to take time off.

To answer your Q in short - we 'muddle along'!

It has been of great benefit to my Physchological well-being to continue to work. I'm lucky that I work part-time and couldn't really manage more. I'm sorry that you had to give up work - can you consider part-time in the future?

Best wishes

Liza

[tactano50]

I work for a very well known store who trears its customers very well .I wish I could say the same over the last 18months ihave had pyoderma gangerosum, chronic urtacaria angiodema, chronic water infections not to mention debilitating headaches and virusus.and through all this I have had time off but not excessive.i have been bullied by my manager and told they are nothing to do with my underlying illness of underactive thyroid and was given a written warning, I fought this and it was overtuned.weeks after the angiodema worsened and my husband had to call emergency services, I then decided to cut my hours to 2 days, as i cant leave work I need the job.i do 2 long days 1 of which is 8pmfinish .my manager made it difficult toreduce my hours, as he wanted to introduce an 8.30pm finish for all staff.i spoketo manager and said I didnt want to work til 8.30, due to my ill health the way I was treated by himand other managers for daring to ask was appalling and caused me so much stress I was then off for 10 weeks I took out a greivence which was all one sided.and didnt investigate my side at all the other thingwas the store closes at 8 and I explained to them I was very fearful of bieng in a store that is closed with a very limited amount of staffas the angiodema had worsened and I now have to carry an epipen in case of emergency .this was ignored and the appeal was upheld in favour of manager. There where however to cover their back reco endations made 2 of which were I must phone first aider at commencment of my shift to let them know im in store.and the 2nd was I should not be left alone and there would always be 3 or 4 staff working on my floor til 8.30 ha.whist I was off for 10 weeksi hadto have a meeting with another manager to review how iwas getting on .she agreed to reduce my hours to 2 days and not to work after8pm when store closes.however a few weeks after my return .I was told they would no longer stand and he gave me 4 weeks notice to do themas he couldnt see why I shouldnt I was also asked to do overtime even though he has been told I cant due to ill health he still carried asking.anyway to cut along story short as this is a very shortened version y 4 weeks notice was up this week so I had to work when store closed this bank holiday and low and behold there was not another member of staff working on my floor, I dicided to go to the top floor to see a manager there was only 1 member of staff up there and they where going to do cash so would not be with me I was so upset by their lack of concern to take my ill health seriously I just broke down.oh and I forgot to say the number I was givento contact firstaider nobody answers.im just exhausted by it all as im having lots of syptoms at moment , I just want a bit of understanding and humility.

[whyevernot]

i am currently going through an occupational health review due to my TD. I first had Graves disease and was treated with RAI. I have been at work throughout the whole illness but i have come to a point where the chronic fatigue is starting to win, I have very sore joints and severe weakness in all limbs. I will continue to post through the process