work question

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I have hashimotos and low ferritin (5), and adrenal fatigue (high cortisol). I

just started

Armour 3 weeks ago, currently on 1 grain and going to start iron supplements

for the

ferritin.

I'm haven't been able to work in 2 months, but need to go back because I am out

of money.

Just wondering if other people find it difficult to work and how they do it. I

feel like I'd really

need to just push myself to go and It's just so hard to get the energy. Am I

crazy to feel I

can't work?

thanks.

donna

[Guest guest]

......Am I crazy to feel I can't work?

Donna

No! It's the lack of treatment and recognition of our condition which

is crazy. In fact it's scandalous.

Having to work when you feel so rotten is hard. Don't beat yourself

up. You can only do the best you can. Pace yourself and don't take on

anything you don't have to.

I lived that nightmare but I did come through with the help of Dr P and

this site..and you will too.

Good luck

Pen x

[Guest guest]

I too have had long spells off work. I was on incapacity benefit for

a

time before I was diagnosed. I have done contract work for much of my

career as it afforded me the luxury (necessity in fact) of weeks or

months to rest between contracts.

I work full time at the moment but only beacuse I have the most

amazingly supportive boyfriend who does all the shopping, cooking,

washing up and helps me with my laundry. We also have a cleaner.

Fortunately my office is very close to home as commuting would finish

me off.

Even so I don't manage to keep up with household admin tasks, nor

have

I seen my friends for the last 18 months or more. I have to rest all

evening and go to bed early. When I gained weight it was a struggle

to

get myself out at weekends to buy bigger clothes.

I have worked four day weeks in the past and I am about to start

making

arrangements to do this again for the coming months. The company I

work

for is trying to save money so they have offered staff reduced hours

in

order not to make redundancies. I was thrilled when I found out as I

have been meaning to broach the subject of a four day week for some

time.

The struggle to keep working became very depressing for me as I don't

especially love my job

and

it has been taking everything I have to keep it up, leaving me

with nothing left for the things in life which I enjoy.

Thanks for posting about work - it feels good to get that off my

chest.

I should add that I am improving on HC and T3 and feeling hopeful.

Jane

>

> .....Am I crazy to feel I can't work?

[Guest guest]

Hi Donna,

I'm undiagnosed and have struggled at work all this year. You're not

crazy at all. I've applied to reduce my hours, far too early in life,

in order to try and achieve a better work life balance.

Good luck, try and keep smiling,

x

>

> .....Am I crazy to feel I can't work?

>

> Donna

> No! It's the lack of treatment and recognition of our condition

which

> is crazy. In fact it's scandalous.

> Having to work when you feel so rotten is hard. Don't beat yourself

> up. >

[Guest guest]

Hi

Donna

Welcome

to our forum where I hope you will get all the support you need. Please ask any

questions at any time and we will do what we can to try to answer them.

When

you start taking iron supplements (or any containing calcium) always remember

that you must take thyroid hormone replacement and iron/calcium as far away

from each other as possible. Remember that you should not increase your Armour

for around 3 to 4 weeks and then only by half a grain at a time. Also, with adrenal

fatigue you need to treat these first with adrenal supplementation for at least

a good week (longer if possible) without taking thyroid hormone replacement and

then introduce your Armour then. Many people have been forced to give up paid

employment when they become hypothyroid and have to live on State Benefits for

a while, so you are not alone by a long way, but we will do what we can to help

you regain your health.

Do

you have any thyroid function test results you can show us, together with the

reference range for each of them?

luv -

Sheila

Hi,

I have hashimotos and low ferritin (5), and adrenal fatigue (high cortisol). I

just started

Armour 3 weeks ago, currently on 1 grain and going to start iron supplements

for the

ferritin.

I'm haven't been able to work in 2 months, but need to go back because I am out

of money.

Just wondering if other people find it difficult to work and how they do it. I

feel like I'd really

need to just push myself to go and It's just so hard to get the energy. Am I

crazy to feel I

can't work?

thanks.

donna

[Guest guest]

I had to leave my job 5 years ago. At the time I was so ill that I

had no other choice, but I hoped that if I gave myself 6 months off

I'd be able to get back on my feet. It didnt quite work out like that!

I have tried in the intervening years to do part time work, then I

tried working from home but ultimately had to stop those too because I

was too ill to continue with them.

I personally find it demoralising to be totally dependant on someone

else to put a roof over my head and food on my table, not to mention

having to watch every penny you spend, but most of the time I am able

to accept that this is how it is for now. It's also very isolating; I

am totally cut off from society and am alone all day.

That's not ideal, although since I spend so much time sleeping and

resting, I dont have many other options.

I dont know what to say to you except I know how hard it is. Its a

tough call.

[Guest guest]

Hi Donna,

You are not crazy to feel you can't work. I have had about six weeks

off work in the past three months due to Hypo and problems with T4

only treatment. I am back now but still really struggle with energy.

I think I don't look ill, so it's difficult to understand.

If you have to work try to take as good a care of yourself as you

possibly can. On your days off really try to take it easy.

Take care,

Ali

Am I crazy to feel I

> can't work?

>

> thanks.

> donna

>

[Guest guest]

Poor you Donna. I know exactly how you feel...but I struggled for

years feeling unwell and had time off so often that I was passed over

for plum assignments and promotions....eventually I gave up work to

do a teaching course and struggled through till I was on my last

placement...6 weeks long...I made 4 weeks before I collapsed and I

didn't manage to finish. I tried again 4 months later and crashed

again after two weeks. I have also tried to work part time since and

made myself so ill I was bedbound for 2 months. I need to redo the

placement in March or I need to forget all the work I have already

done towards the course.

I haven't done anything now for a year...too unwell. But I have

decided to give myself a break - I am unable to work because I am

ill. I struggle financially (I am a widow with 2 teenage boys still

at school) with no partner and no income apart from DLA and a small

widow's pension...a far cry from the £24000 salary from before. I

have had to see a debt counsellor but I have worked my whole life and

have done my best with two kids on my own. If I don't take this time

to get well I am never going to have any quality of life at all and

any job I take on will only end in my being off sick again.

If you are struggling to pay bills, let them know...it may be a pain

and you may end up with a ruined credit rating but at least if you

get better you can try to turn that around.

Recently I took on the ECDL computing course (free cos I am on DLA

and done distance learning with the option of going into college if I

want) I feel as though I am doing something...though not what I wish

I was doing of course but I am determined to get my health in order

this time. I refuse to live a half life, struggling to work and

feeling awful all the time. People have lost fortunes, been left

bankrupt and managed to pull themselves up again. That's going to be

me.

I sympathise with you...you must do what you feel is right for you.

My advice? Take advantage of the fact that the credit crunch has

made being poor socially acceptable...and be good to yourself by

getting well. I send you my best wishes.

x