Stupid Occupational Helath Advisor

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

Sorry for the length of this posting but I am upset and cross.

I have just had an Occupational Health consultation at work. My line manager

arranged it as I asked him if I could have a parking space on site.

For the past 11 years I have had parking a few yards from my office – but in

December the office moved and I was denied a parking space at the new site.

Going on the bus to and from work has worn me out. I find it difficult walking

up the hill to the bus stop and waiting until it arrives. My back hurts waiting

at the bus stop and the lurching and swaying of the bus makes my back worse -

and the excessive heat under the seat makes me almost faint. I am either too hot

or too cold from what I am wearing. By the time I get to work I am exhausted.

It takes 45 mins to get home – and by that time I am really exhausted.

When I was able to drive to and from work it took me about 15 mins each way. I

always had extra clothing in the car in case I got cold. I had a fan in case I

got too hot or I could take a layer of clothing off. I always carried water and

extra medication. I didn't have to walk up a hill.

The Occupational Health lady (I was told later that she was a nurse) did not

seem to know much about hypothyroidism and the T3 or NDT I was taking. When I

told her that I was taking 40mcg of T3 she assumed that I took it all at once in

the morning. It took me about 5 mins to get her to understand that I took it in

4 divided doses. She asked questions that did not seem relevant and did not seem

to understand what I was explaining to her. The 45 min meeting was a waste of

my time. She told me that it might be a good idea to get my GP to refer me to

an endocrinologist in London who could better diagnose me and help improve my

health. I don't know why she suggested that.

If it had not been for being able to drive to work for the past 11 years, I

doubt if I would have been able to keep my job. Public transport is all well and

good but it does not pick me up from my house, keep me in an ambient temperature

that I can tolerate, drop me at work after a smooth journey and do the same in

reverse at the end of my working day.

Hypothyroidism affects people in such differing ways. To some people, I am

whinging, I should be thankful that I have a job – but if I am exhausted when I

get there my working quality of life if being compromised.

I am managing my hypothyroidism. I just hoped that the Occupational Health would

understand a bit better than she did about my difficulty in getting to and from

work. She made me feel such a fraud and near to tears.

I doubt I will get a parking space.

B

[Guest guest]

, i am in a very similar situation as yourself! I managed to get a car

parking space so there is hope for yourself!

The lady i saw at occupational health was actually a doctor for me tho, she

understood that i was hypothyroid and with other complications.

In the end it got decided to give me a car parking space under the " disability

act " but it does not mean that im disabled, and also my hours were reduce by 2

as that was what all the extra time added up to since the office move as its

further away.

Steve

>

> Hi All,

>

> Sorry for the length of this posting but I am upset and cross.

>

> I have just had an Occupational Health consultation at work. My line manager

arranged it as I asked him if I could have a parking space on site.