Are work supportive of your thyroid condition? Do we have any rights?

[Giri88888]

I'm due back from mat leave next year and worried that if thyroid isn't sorted will be going bk not 100%

Are your work supportive? What were they like if you had to return from mat leave? I wants to go part time as think full time with two kids and an overactive thyroid will be too much 😩

[Rmichelle]

I am goin through this at the moment and it does depend on where you work basically but you do have rights and if you are sick you will need a gps note, i have been of now on my 3rd month as i am not able to go back to a very busy civil service court office which is very pressurised and busy.

You are hyper and should be resting as much as possible. I have got to say that my managers were a pain at first but with docs notes and occupational health gicing their notes from the telephone conference i had with them- work has been told that correct maintenance dose is still to be sorted and also having 2 auto immune diseases there is no estimate of a return date as thyroid conditions are not a quick fix and can take several months to a year from diagnosis to be regulated. Have you had antibodies tested to see if you have a immune disease as this can have a impact on your health and i belive that hashis or graves comes under the disability act.

First thing to do is to go to docs and tell him to sign you off- tell him your symptons and worries. Your work place should be supportive but that isnt always the case especially when they are short staffed and also they dont know anything about thyroid disease- mine thought at first that you just took tablets and that would make you ok- i have to have regular month lt meetings with work and give updates on my health.

You havent seen endo yet either to try and keep your levels stable and has you are aware it is trial and error taking different doses etc until it suits you!!

Your workplace also needs to put in any adjustments to your working needs and also consider different working patterns to suit you- i have just told work that when im ready to come back i will be reducing my hours again to come in later in the mornings.

Last thing you need is to go back before time and end up in hospital- i understand we need to work but we need time to put ourselves first sometimes and as a busy working mums we dont do it and then wonder how we got to be ill.

Good luck and be kind to yourself.😊😊

[Rmichelle in reply to Rmichelle]

Also one thing that work will probably ask as they did me- whilst on maternity leave was you poorly throughout and just say you were not on maternity leave would you have been well enough to come come into work?? I was asked this same sort of question as i was on annual leave at the time of being diagnosed.

Also do youre workplace know you have been poorly? You need to i form them. But their is alot of help out there to protect us. Cant imagine they will be happy about you going part time after being off a long time anyway but they need to just get on with it. Sorry for long ramble.😊😊 just want you to know your rights.

[Clutter in reply to Rmichelle]

Rmichelle,

Specific illnesses do not "come under the disability act". It is how the illness or disability affects your day to day living which determines whether the illness is treated as a disability. Graves and hyperthyroidism are usually managed either with anti-thyroid drugs, surgery or radioactive iodine ablatement.

[Rmichelle in reply to Clutter]

Hi there clutter the occupational health officer from work has stated that my celiac and hashimotos is a disability. Bit confusing then, also i think that on the gov.uk site tbere is a list of disabilities and hashis isvone of them. Apologises but only going by what i was told by occ health and what she wrote on my papers.😊

[Giri88888 in reply to Rmichelle]

Thanks both, I've told my manager but defo think they don't take it seriously...

[Rmichelle in reply to Giri88888]

Well they need to take it serious- its because they do not know anything about it and how dangerous it can be- without meds people used to die.look after no1 and thats you, after all if you werent there anyway they would replace you. Harsh but true.