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how many people manage to keep working?

Posted , 7 users are following.

georgina23664
georgina23664

Have been diagnosed for 10 years and been well enough to work consistently the whole time.  However I am now suffering a serious degeneration in health and have been off work for a month.  I am beginning to wonder whether I will be able to go back at all. How many people ultimately have to give up work... how did you cope if it happened to you?  Thanks xxx

1 like, 16 replies

16 Replies

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  • RMRS214
    RMRS214 georgina23664

    Posted

    Hiya, 

    ive not been able to work so far, (diagnosed in December last year) I've been off sick since the beginning of September, each attempt to return has been buffered by a flare up. touch wood everything works out well as I'm back tomorrow on phased return. My jobs very demanding so it's going to take a while to find a balance! 

    • georgina23664
      georgina23664 RMRS214

      Posted

      Thanks for sharing your story,  very best of luck with the return.  
  • connie49452
    connie49452 georgina23664

    Posted

    Hi, I know from the FB RA group I belong to that it's equal numbers who do or don't work. RA's a condition that's sometimes difficult to prove to your employer that it's affecting you working. I worked f/t till last year when I was made redundant. Fortunately financially I was ok, but without work you may suffer and lots of people find they can't claim the new PIP either. Get some advice or look on the NRAS website as they have lots of useful information on there.
  • connie49452
    connie49452 georgina23664

    Posted

    Hi Georgina, I belong to 2 : Rheumatoid Arthritis Information which is an international group and my favourite group called Rheumatoid Arthritis Wonky Club. This is a more light hearted group that's UK only. We used to all belong to another group but they got too heavy & serious so some of use started a breakaway group. We're called the Wonkys after a children's story book about a wonky donkey. Hope one of them might be useful to you. If you ask to join the Wonky group say you heard about it from me. 
  • poemsgalore55
    poemsgalore55 georgina23664

    Posted

    Hi, I was diagnosed in 1987 when I was a full time mum with five children. When my youngest started school I got a part time job working in a school for disabled children. Sometimes it was difficult, but the meds I was on enabled me to travel to work and back on a push bike. I did have to leave eventually, when in my late 50s. Not because of RA, but because of Bronchiectasis and breathing difficulties.
  • CA-Lynn
    CA-Lynn georgina23664

    Posted

    Georgina, the key is to get aggressive and appropriate medical treatment from the start. Very few people with RA must discontinue working and it's been my observation that those who delay treatment or don't get to see a rheumatologist right off the bat AND see a rheumatologist every 6 months, have the hardest time of it.

    Remember, most people who post here are having issues. By and large, the vast majority of RA patients [in he US at least] are on drugs that work and are out playing and not visiting these forums.

    • georgina23664
      georgina23664 CA-Lynn

      Posted

      Hi there, I have had regular rheumatology appointments through the years, and have been on a range of drugs, most recently on humira which stppoed working for me so have now started on rituximab as well as staying on high dose mtx and leflunomide... have been well and worked for 10 years with disease but it is very agressive now and no sign of rituximab working yet! I will take your comment as a good sign that it will start eorking for me soon and I will be able to go back to my job! Thznks
    • CA-Lynn
      CA-Lynn georgina23664

      Posted

      Gosh, I really hope so.

      Incidentally, the RA forum in the US [I can't post the link because the moderators don't seem to like that] that I'm a member of is moving to a new website.  But you might want to join up. It's a great source of information with lots of people with years of experience.

      Just copy/paste the term below in your browser [which I have truncated in hopes of it flying past the moderator]:

      Emis Moderator comment: It didn't fly past me. If you want to exchange links such as these please use the Private Message service.

  • bill12447
    bill12447 georgina23664

    Posted

    hi Georgina

    I have had RA for about 16 years and have tried all the mess, I am now on Etanercept (Enbrel) before that Infliximab. I honestly believe that without the biological drugs I would have had to give up work. they have been a godsend and I can only hope that they continue. I could not imagine having to give up work. Have you tried any of the newer biological drugs?

    Bill

  • frances85589
    frances85589 georgina23664

    Posted

    Hi there Georgina,I have had RA for 2 years and had to give up work.My job was a cook.I cannot do anything with my hands without them swelling and in agony.I really miss the contact with people.I can no longer drive due to my condition with alienates me. Hope you can find meds that will help you.
    • georgina23664
      georgina23664 frances85589

      Posted

      Thanks for your story,  sorry things have been difficult,  best wishes for you too. 
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