Hi!
I'm relatively new to the forum, and was looking for advice. I'm 38, diagnosed for around 10 years, and having a lot of trouble holding down a full time job. the pain, fog, and fatigue are so bad, working a full 40 hour work week just isn't possible. I've been diagnosed with fibromyalgia; severe frequent chronic migraines (2+ per week); multiple chemical sensitivity, and many more.
My job offers a very nice disability retirement plan, but it takes nearly a year to get the paperwork processed. and the pay I would be bringing in just wouldn't be enough to support my family. I'm the only wage-earner, and my spouse is unable to work and on SSI.
My boss has recently stopped being supportive. she feels that I am "too young to be so sick," and that I should push myself, and be to work on days that I'm only in a "little bit of pain," or that I am only having "a little trouble concentrating." I asked her to please read up on fibromyalgia, that the pain and the fog are constant. Days that I stay home are days that I can't remember things like my own address, or that I am in enough pain that I cannot walk. I already push myself hard enough that my weekends are usually spent in bed.
My job is very high-stress, but it is office work, so no physical exertion. At work, I am also constantly exposed to known allergens, including mold. I have been trying to get a transfer to another office, but my poor attendance is keeping that from happening.
I've changed doctors several times, and the current one seems to listen, although he's not a specialist. He's been changing my medications around, but that's only made the migraines worse without changing the fibromyalgia pain.
how many of you have taken the disability retirement option? and has anyone had experience with disability retirement from a US government job?
Has anyone had any luck with working from home?
thanks
I'm relatively new to the forum, and was looking for advice. I'm 38, diagnosed for around 10 years, and having a lot of trouble holding down a full time job. the pain, fog, and fatigue are so bad, working a full 40 hour work week just isn't possible. I've been diagnosed with fibromyalgia; severe frequent chronic migraines (2+ per week); multiple chemical sensitivity, and many more.
My job offers a very nice disability retirement plan, but it takes nearly a year to get the paperwork processed. and the pay I would be bringing in just wouldn't be enough to support my family. I'm the only wage-earner, and my spouse is unable to work and on SSI.
My boss has recently stopped being supportive. she feels that I am "too young to be so sick," and that I should push myself, and be to work on days that I'm only in a "little bit of pain," or that I am only having "a little trouble concentrating." I asked her to please read up on fibromyalgia, that the pain and the fog are constant. Days that I stay home are days that I can't remember things like my own address, or that I am in enough pain that I cannot walk. I already push myself hard enough that my weekends are usually spent in bed.
My job is very high-stress, but it is office work, so no physical exertion. At work, I am also constantly exposed to known allergens, including mold. I have been trying to get a transfer to another office, but my poor attendance is keeping that from happening.
I've changed doctors several times, and the current one seems to listen, although he's not a specialist. He's been changing my medications around, but that's only made the migraines worse without changing the fibromyalgia pain.
how many of you have taken the disability retirement option? and has anyone had experience with disability retirement from a US government job?
Has anyone had any luck with working from home?
thanks
