HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Are People Able to Work ?

Support Forums
>
Lyme Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 9/7/2013 8:44 PM (GMT 0)
Am on a short term leave until Sept 20th. I was getting very optimistic about returning to my high stress job but am realizing dizzy spells, blurred vision, pain in my neck and shoulder and arthritis are going to make that difficult.

How long before you were able to return to work full time, if ever ? yikes.
Posted 9/8/2013 12:04 AM (GMT 0)
I haven't been working or driving since February and it is now September. I will have to go back this year, somehow. The dizziness and vertigo have made it nearly impossible to be a normally functioning member of society.
Posted 9/8/2013 12:38 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for responding. That is exactly what worries me. I start to think Im making good progress then things like that happen. It makes me wonder. I was waiting for a pizza today and had to leave the place due to dizziness. I had to take my child into the car and put the seat all the way down and lay there. You're right. I too am not a normal functioning member of society. The pain today is really getting to me. I do have some sick time but wondering if this illness will outlast it and will return to work with none. I believe you can also use the Family Medical Leave Act or ADA but those would be unpaid.
Posted 9/8/2013 1:35 AM (GMT 0)
I got really sick mid April, I was on sick leave for a month. Then again got sick July for two weeks, my problem was dizziness and vertigo. I notice that my symptoms are worse in the morning and they go away during the day. I am also having problems driving long distance because of the dizziness and anxiety.
Posted 9/8/2013 3:58 AM (GMT 0)
Some people here have had good results in temporarily reducing the dizziness and vertigo by using Xanax or antihistamines. You may want to ask you doctor about it. Both can be addictive so if you do go that route, use with caution.

I have taken Xanax and it has helped a bit in reducing the dizziness for a short time, however, the only reason that I have taken it is to control my occasional panic attacks. I noticed by chance that whenever I took the Xanax my dizziness went away. The dizziness does come back once the Xanax wears out though.

The antihistamines have also helped me on occasion, and also helped with the ringing in the ears, ear pain, and they temporarily reduce my chronic fatigue. My problem with antihistamines has been that they make me hyper and anxious so I tend to shy away from them and only use them to control the hives that I get now and then.
Posted 9/8/2013 11:51 AM (GMT 0)
I have been able to work throughout my Lyme saga, I'm a teacher(mostly older children) and we get lots of holidays here in Germany.

My main symptoms have always been pain related, my brain has always been able to function " relatively" normally smilewinkgrin

So I sat down alot although quite often I didn't make it back on to my feet.

Had I had more neurological symptoms,work would have been totally out of the question.
Posted 9/8/2013 12:07 PM (GMT 0)
I am a elementary school teacher. I want to return to my job but worry about missing many days due to appointments and relapsing to a worse and less functional state. The symptoms that worry me are mainly the dizziness, cognitive problems, (ie., memory loss which has improved somewhat) and pain and arthritis.

I am seeing the dr on Monday and a nurse practitioner Wednesday. The nurse runs a lyme clinic. I have had to wait 1-2 months to get appointments with these people. The lyme clinics are generally 2 months minimum wait. Many people ill here. Will have to discuss it with them esp the nurse. When I see the nurse she will give me an idea what to expect. I'm also wondering if she will want me to do the IV antibiotics due to late stage symptoms.

Sociai Security sometimes will allow disability claims. You need to prove that your disability is severe. Lyme is not listed as one of the categories but they do allow immune type disorders. I think based on what I read, the SS criteria for severe is being ill for at least a year and also needing 3 IV type treatments during the 12 month period.
Posted 9/8/2013 1:16 PM (GMT 0)
I was "forced" to go on sick leave in mid-August, which was upsetting to me at the time, but in retrospect, my performance was pretty poor the whole moth prior.

I was thinking a week or two would be enough for me to rest and get better. Wishful thinking! I am now hoping to get back by October.
Posted 9/8/2013 1:52 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks sunny. I spoke to a woman yesterday who said her aunt had it and it took her a year to recover. She tried to go back part time to a desk job but even had trouble with that. But I guess everyone is different and it depends on what you do. Obviously keeping health insurance is a priority. Im thankful to have this site because the people here are really the only ones who can understand the complexities of this disease.
Posted 9/8/2013 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hey BarnGurl. I was out for a month. I tried doing 40 hours a week and I crashed. So in March I filed for FMLA. I took one day off a week from then through May to tend to doctor appts and rest. I then bumped it up to a half day a week which I still currently do.

The paper work isn't hard. Your part is like 2 lines and the doctor fills out the rest. If you need more than one day then tell your doctor. It helped greatly.

I'm still not out the woods but that one day off helped me get one foot out of the woods!

This way you're protected too! Also do they have telecommute options?

Hope this helps. Praying for your healing.
Posted 9/8/2013 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Wryter thanks so much for your kind words. Im about a month into this and cannot even think about working. Most days I feel like crawling under the bed and never coming out. Its like a nonstop stream of pain and worry all day. I fear I was infected long ago and never caught it. I fear I am late stage and going to have a heck of a struggle coming out of it. And thank you for your prayers. It reminds me to lean on the Lord for strength during times like this. :)
Posted 9/9/2013 6:56 AM (GMT 0)
I had to quit my job in 2000 due to severe nerve pain from what I know now as Lyme & Bart.

Tried working again in 2006, but by then my gut had gotten so messed up from the Lyme/Bart that I didn't know I had at that point...was counting the days until the end of my contract (early 2007), because I spent nearly every week battling some kind of cold or flu or other problem that whole 6-month contract...

Late in 2007 is when I found out I had Lyme, and then it all started to make sense. There is no possible way I could have a job now. The fatigue has taken over my life, as has insomnia and a whole host of other issues. And now with the TPN because I can't eat, who knows how long it'll be before I could ever work again.
Posted 9/9/2013 7:37 AM (GMT 0)
It's mostly the fatigue that keeps me from working.

Heck, it's the fatigue that keeps me from participating in life as I knew it.

mad
Posted 9/9/2013 10:58 AM (GMT 0)
I had a quiet day yesterday. Sat outside in the sun and it was not hot. Im usually pretty good if Im doing nothing. I have been having some heart palpitations chest pain and also a shooting pain under my rib cage. I took a short nap yesterday to deal with it.

Last night I didnt take my antibiotics as directed. Today I am going to dr to change the meds. I woke up at 3 am with a horrible shooting pain under my ribcage. I took 2 Alleve and antibiotic and it went away. There are so many issues throughout the day no one aside from you people can understand it. Then I woke up around 6:30 to take many of the supplements for the day. Im okay now but glad I am not going to work. Hope this new dr can help.
Posted 9/9/2013 11:02 AM (GMT 0)
There is never a dull moment when you're fighting Lyme,is there? :-)
Posted 9/12/2013 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
Tomorrow makes a month that I am sick and every week I have a new symptom. I was lucky enough to be on vacation the last 3 weeks but this week I am out sick. If they give me the IV who knows when I will go back. I am concerned because my job is hands on with the public and there is no light duty. I will be devastated if I have to take FMLA.
Posted 9/12/2013 12:46 AM (GMT 0)
Hi simply frustrated. I to am mulling over what to do about work. So many variables every day. But I guess dont go back unless you feel confident you can handle the workload. You dont want to return to have to leave again. I totally empathize with you and hope you get the right treatment.
Posted 9/12/2013 6:20 AM (GMT 0)

I'm still working, but I know I would be healing better staying home. Can't afford it to have a part of my income cut off because of insurance (that's how it works over here). I sit at a desk all day, alone in my office. I worked on bringing down work related stress, which is good. My boss is understanding, and lets me go home if I don't make it through the day. Like last week: had to stay home for 2 days, but I didn't need to go and see a dr for a sick note. Some days I am productive, other days I do (almost) nothing. But the work gets done. If my speech is bad or I can't make a sentence, I just laugh and say I'm having one of those days. One of my colleagues is mean and sadist (tries to stress me when I'm really not feeling good), but I don't pay any attention on him, he's just a frustrated person with no personal life wasting his energy.

There is nothing else I do besides working: no social life, husband does most of the household (!!) and he often cooks. Just me and my sofa, we are best friends :-) . I don't move during the weekend. The perfect weekend for me is not having to step out my door.

Razzle, sorry to hear that you're still not off the TPN...

Posted 9/12/2013 6:55 PM (GMT 0)
I have been off of work since January this year, I was working 45 plush hours a week, then went down to 30, and finally I couldn't even do that. I was throwing up daily at work, and having seizures.

I hope by next year to recover, but I am not sure, my company terminated me when I applied for short term disability so at least I get unemployment while I am trying to get better. I wish I could work, and drive, I miss those two things most of all.

I hope we all get better so we can get our life back.

justme
Posted 9/12/2013 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
I am so sorry for everybody who is unable to work. I have been contemplating taking a leave of absence since I call out often for illnesses and have used up all my sick time for the year already. I have a feeling I will be getting a write up. Can they write you up for being sick? That's my question...
Posted 9/12/2013 8:46 PM (GMT 0)
I think you can be written up for absences. You can use the family medical leave act I believe. There is also short term disability. I am using sick time.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply