kariann12
04-14-2009, 01:05 AM
I am trying to decide on my lifes path and am having trouble because I need to work finacially, but I have tried to work full time and my body just cant handle it...Im just wondering if any of you still work, if so how does your body do it? What are some jobs that would be good for fibro suffers?
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sophie56
04-14-2009, 02:41 AM
Hi, I teach school. It's not easy. I have missed so many days I am worried about my job security. Unfortunately, I have no choice about work. I have 2 children in college.
Sophie56
Sophie56
Nell11
04-14-2009, 05:16 AM
i am having to make a decision at the moment weither i should stay at my job and live with the pain and the emotional turmoil, i come home from work so stiff and sore and in tears, it just doesn't feel like it's worth it.
EStevens64
04-14-2009, 09:56 AM
I have lupus and fibro. I work full time and it is not easy. I miss alot of work. We get 15 days a year and my goal is to not go over those days. I thought I had it last year but had ended up in the hospital for a week the last week of November. It has gotten better though. When I first got sick I missed 30 days that year.
Working is hard, and that is that...but I really feel that if I stop working I won't continue to push myself. I know that if I did that I would go down hill fast. Alot of dealing with this is mental. I take pain meds along with my other meds and then the meds for the side effects of the meds... but I also know that mentally I am fighting with all that I have and frankly, that is the only way to get through this. I need to work for financial reasons as well as needing the health insurance well ...to live. But it also gives me something to take my mind off the pain and keep me feeling I am contributing. I had to move in with my mother last year because the chemo meds were kicking my butt. I worked through it, but that was all I had.
I still have days where I am not sure I will be able to drive home, I am in so much pain... but like I said, not working I think would be the end of me.
Working is hard, and that is that...but I really feel that if I stop working I won't continue to push myself. I know that if I did that I would go down hill fast. Alot of dealing with this is mental. I take pain meds along with my other meds and then the meds for the side effects of the meds... but I also know that mentally I am fighting with all that I have and frankly, that is the only way to get through this. I need to work for financial reasons as well as needing the health insurance well ...to live. But it also gives me something to take my mind off the pain and keep me feeling I am contributing. I had to move in with my mother last year because the chemo meds were kicking my butt. I worked through it, but that was all I had.
I still have days where I am not sure I will be able to drive home, I am in so much pain... but like I said, not working I think would be the end of me.
martinka
04-14-2009, 04:04 PM
I have fibro (diagnosed in 1988) and have always worked full time. I'm an admin assistant for a Director with a 400 person organization. I have no choice because I am single and don't have the extra money coming in. So my day is going to work, coming home and doing pretty much nothing else because the fatigue can be so bad. But I think if I stayed home I wouldn't be happy because I need the social interaction with others. Maybe if I was able to work part-time, but unfortunately, I cannot afford that either. Good luck.
JacquelineH
04-14-2009, 04:17 PM
Hi, I don't know how you guys do it, Barvo!. I really don't think it is possible for me to go back. I would not make it more than a couple of hours. I don't know what kind of job I could handle. I can't stand or sit to long. I can not reach very well or lift anything heavy. With the fibro if that is what it is (still waitingfor dx) I am tired after 30 minutes. Even to do dishes makes me very tired. If I don't get accepted for my CPP disability I don't know what I will do. I am lucky that my husband is still capable of work but he has no job right now. After yesterdays appointment with the ortho (a new one), I don't think it looks to good for disability. I think he does not believe in Fibro. He said it is labling everyone. I didn't like this Dr. at all. Never shook my hand nothing. He just said I didn't need surgery on my back and pretty much walked out of the room. I see a Rhuematologist next month and then a urologist. Good luck guys. Have a great day!
Jacqueline
Jacqueline
Pammyann
04-15-2009, 03:17 PM
I work full time. Fortunately, I have my own office and I can pace myself. However, there are days when I need to run around much more and it is hard. Some days I just pour myself into my job and then when I come home, I am done.
I have just started taken adderall which helps some with the fatigue.
I have just started taken adderall which helps some with the fatigue.
newbrunswick45
04-16-2009, 08:51 AM
I went onto short term disability in January 09. I am preparing the Long term disability forms right now to get accepted. My primary seems to be understanding that trying to work and be productive while dealing with an illness is not working. However, I've also been diagnosed as Major Depressive Disorder as well, so I think that the combination is why she is accepting of MY decision to not work. I basically told her that it is taking away from the quality of life to work and live at the same time.
Two years ago I also went out on disability - there was a time that I had no income coming in - had to go get welfare when Long term was dicking around with approving/disapproving my claim. I used to earn 46,000 a year - I now get less then 25,000 a year. I've changed how I value things now. Going out to eat has been off the cards for a long time now whereas before it was a weekly thing. We have 1 car - clothes are second hand never new. To me, I had to decide that money was not as important as the quality of my life. If my primary decides that she thinks I should work, I will again tell her that "I'm unable to work in a substantial way" and that it is taking away from the quality of my life to work and be exhausted all the time. Why would I want to put myself into a position that I have to call in sick all the time, unable to be fully productive while at work. It actually adds to the depression when you feel like crap and can't do the quality of work you are used to doing. What employer will accept someone who can only work a portion of the time. We only get 6 sick days a year. I used mine up in the first month of the year.
Yes, I'm back at the beginning applying for disability, but this time, I have more knowledge and understanding of this illness and will not accept someone else telling me that I should work. I just ask them if they are hiring - would they be sympathetic about only being able to work at 25% of my capacity?????
I do keep busy with other things though - I do watch TV, but go on regular walks with my dogs, have a house to keep up and other things that don't require a set schedule to be completed by.
Hope this helps.
Two years ago I also went out on disability - there was a time that I had no income coming in - had to go get welfare when Long term was dicking around with approving/disapproving my claim. I used to earn 46,000 a year - I now get less then 25,000 a year. I've changed how I value things now. Going out to eat has been off the cards for a long time now whereas before it was a weekly thing. We have 1 car - clothes are second hand never new. To me, I had to decide that money was not as important as the quality of my life. If my primary decides that she thinks I should work, I will again tell her that "I'm unable to work in a substantial way" and that it is taking away from the quality of my life to work and be exhausted all the time. Why would I want to put myself into a position that I have to call in sick all the time, unable to be fully productive while at work. It actually adds to the depression when you feel like crap and can't do the quality of work you are used to doing. What employer will accept someone who can only work a portion of the time. We only get 6 sick days a year. I used mine up in the first month of the year.
Yes, I'm back at the beginning applying for disability, but this time, I have more knowledge and understanding of this illness and will not accept someone else telling me that I should work. I just ask them if they are hiring - would they be sympathetic about only being able to work at 25% of my capacity?????
I do keep busy with other things though - I do watch TV, but go on regular walks with my dogs, have a house to keep up and other things that don't require a set schedule to be completed by.
Hope this helps.
djl
04-16-2009, 11:03 AM
Hi,
I was dx Dec of 2008 with this condition, and I do still work. I am a secratary, but I work for my husband, so I am very lucky. Honestly the hardest job I have is taking care of my step children.
I leave work at 2:30 pm to meet the kids off the bus. They are 9 and 12. That is a tougher job then my office work.
But I do miss work with this Fibro thing. Sometimes I cant get out of bed in the morning and the pain can get so bad and I get so nauseas I cant make it in to the office. I try to do some work at home, but that is difficult too.
I feel like my whole life has totaly changed.
Hang in there, your not alone.
I was dx Dec of 2008 with this condition, and I do still work. I am a secratary, but I work for my husband, so I am very lucky. Honestly the hardest job I have is taking care of my step children.
I leave work at 2:30 pm to meet the kids off the bus. They are 9 and 12. That is a tougher job then my office work.
But I do miss work with this Fibro thing. Sometimes I cant get out of bed in the morning and the pain can get so bad and I get so nauseas I cant make it in to the office. I try to do some work at home, but that is difficult too.
I feel like my whole life has totaly changed.
Hang in there, your not alone.
ruzalily
04-16-2009, 08:50 PM
i work full time, i'm a high school administrator. my job is extremely stressful, my hours are long, and activities in the evening are frequent. sometimes i don't know how i put one foot in front of the other. if i didn't have an understanding boss, i don't know what i would do. he has been an absolute Godsend and i couldn't be more blessed to work with him. a benefit to my working is that the kids at school help me put my pain aside moment to moment, and working can sometimes be a distraction from my never ending pain. but at the end of the day and especially in the morning, it's all i can do to drag myself out of bed and force myself to get ready, put on a happy face, and do my job. i would love to work 10 to 3 or 4, but it just doesn't work that way. with the economy the way it is now, i will have to continue to work no matter how i feel. needless to say, i live for the weekends. lily
KirstMi
04-17-2009, 10:39 AM
hi Guys
i am new to this dicission forum thing joined yesterday. i still work full time and study it is really hard and sometimes i just break down cause i can t handle the pain and constant feeling that i am going to fail at eveything. i have a stunning partner who tries to understand but sometimes he gets so angry cause he cant understand how i work so hard then give up.
i find that being around ppl that are well makes me fell well so i love going into work even though i sit at a computer all day and when i get up to go home i feel like my whole body is going to give in. I work for a brokerage and can be stressfull but couldn't imagine sitting at home, I need ppl around me to stay sane.
thanks for listening!
i am new to this dicission forum thing joined yesterday. i still work full time and study it is really hard and sometimes i just break down cause i can t handle the pain and constant feeling that i am going to fail at eveything. i have a stunning partner who tries to understand but sometimes he gets so angry cause he cant understand how i work so hard then give up.
i find that being around ppl that are well makes me fell well so i love going into work even though i sit at a computer all day and when i get up to go home i feel like my whole body is going to give in. I work for a brokerage and can be stressfull but couldn't imagine sitting at home, I need ppl around me to stay sane.
thanks for listening!
kimmy46
04-17-2009, 03:35 PM
Hi I'm no longer able to work with my fibro, my symptoms are very severe, I'm getting ready to get SSDI after waiting for about two years. kimmy46