How many people with fibromyalgia don't work?

[smiler22]

my gp told me he thinks ill never work again so havent worked since 2007.

[lauramath]

I work full-time and commute over 2.5 hours per day. My job is not physically exhausting, as it is desk work, and I do not have any contact with clients, so I don't have to be "on". I have managed to plow through the worst days fairly unscathed, and rarely have to take time off due to it. I take B-12 supplements regularly, as a few years ago I thought I would have to give up working (I would go into the bathroom to sleep in the bathroom stall around 2pm I was so exhausted), but I had very low B-12 levels and needed to get injections to get back to normal. It took almost a year to totally recover from that exhaustion. Pain wise, I do take a lot of pain medicine, it makes it possible for me to make it through the day...and it is worth it. I do not do well without a routine, and working is probably the most fulfilling mundane-ness of my life.

[red dragon]

i hane not been able to work for about 6yrs and am getting fed up weith not having the energy to do anything more that the basics
i am only entitled to the lowest rate dla so we are strggling with bills but theres not much you can do.

[normalnutter]

HI, i was told id never work again 2 years ago, I collapsed 5 years ago, I was also told I was a workerholic so I work from home and in my spare time I train health workers how to listen all for free, Im also on low rate its hard, but I TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME

[gill]

I work as a school midday supervisor 1 and half hours a day.it can be tiring and stressful at times.I also dont drive so have to walk to the other end of town and back.45 mins each way.Its taking up a lot of my energy,and feel i couldnt cope with more mentally either.I like working with kids though,and it fits nice with my 8 yr old son,who goes to a closer school.I somehow feel more worthwhile in paid work,but by the end of the week my pain and tiredness are terrible.So for me theres positives and negatives to working.

[velvet]

what a great job gill. the problem i have is as i am benefits if i do any work less than 16 hours a week i have to fill out a load of forms every week so they can "adjust" my benefit - and as soon as they "adjust" the income support it means housing benefit also "adjusts". the adjustments take about 6 weeks and the net result is for every pound i actually earn i am all of 10p better off - with the stress of filling in forms and constant letters telling me i have been overpaid and underpaid and my rent has been underpaid or overpaid 6 weeks after the fact. i really couldnt handle it as i get confused enough over what week it is at the moment.

why they have the stupid 16 hour rule is beyond me - if they kept it simple i would have a much better chance of finding a job i could manage.

[tireesix]

I don't work, haven't for years and it makes me feel ruddy useless and crap. Then again, I have 4 kids who are homeschooled, so at least I am doing summat, right?

[polldoll]

Hi I do manage to work part time, I work for the NHS as a Nursing assistant, but for their bank, so I work when I can if I am having a bad week, Then I tell them I am not available for work.

[fabme]

I haven't worked since the begining of last yr, I ran a busy online retail business, but couldn't keep up with it. So I claimed esa and 12 months on i'm still on assesment phase. My husband ran the business as well as he could. we've shut down the office and moved stuff back home. it's a nightmare, trying to shut things down and get rid of stock, but i'm either too tired or too much pain to keep up with it.

No employer would want someone as unreliable as me, as i've got fibro,cfs and a chronic lung condition - bronchiectasis which means i get chest infections regularly, I wouldn't employ me.
fab

[hamstergirl]

Hi

I worked as a dinner lady for and hour and 15 mins until December. I worked there for 6 years and never had a day of with fm/cfs. I then left that to be a carer which were for 2 days 4 hrs. It was too much and i left, only went twice and i crashed. Took me 2 weeks to get any strength back in my legs.

I am now reliefing at school, just go in when someone is off. I do regret leaving now, yes on bad days it was tough, but i went everyday, even when feeling ill. It did me good and it gave me motivation. I'm worried now that i will start going backwards again. I can get back in school but not until someone as left. Two ladies there are 66 and 72 so hopefully they will retire soon and let me back in.

I'm under connect to work who are looking for work for me, they found me the job as a carer, but its hard for them to understand my illness and what will be suitable.

I make cards just wish i could make enough money to do that.

Lorraine

[Julie Dean]

I work 6 hours a week over 2 shifts, I am always ringing in swopping my shift as my pain has been relentless the past few weeks. I am lucky they have been good but I feel it must be very annoying for them changing my shifts every week. I work in an office calling people up and filling in surveys for speed cameras, councils and NHS. I like the work as I get to talk to some lovely people and my work mates are very kind listening to me moaning all the time. Not sure how long I can go on as my pain has increased so much I have spent the whole weekend crying and sleeping. I broke down last week at work as I struggled through the whole shift in fibro fog haze and in severe pain. My lovely (damn fibro fog moment! can;t remember the name of the person who oversee's us when the boss isn't there), gave me a huge hug which helped more than any words could.
I love working and want to do more as we need the money, the house is depressed and neglected as I just don't have the strength to keep up with the maintainance. It all gets me down as I worry every day about my health and it effecting my job.The stress of that worry alone is phenomenal. I just take it day by day as I have no idea how my health will be tomorrow. I am pretty tanked up on pain meds and Fibro meds so float ina hazy cloud most days which is CRAP!!!
No answer really is there? without the understanding of good bosses we are all pretty much screwed with our condition.

Julie

[brujah81]

I havent been able to work since the day i got sick.. the i woke up with a migraine it didnt go away and i still have it now as one of my symptoms.. constant migraine.. then the muscle pain started and all the other symptoms. I claim Incapacity benefit and DLA but i am having an arguement with them at the moment.

Hugs Kelly

[normalnutter]

I havent been able to work since the day i got sick.. the i woke up with a migraine it didnt go away and i still have it now as one of my symptoms.. constant migraine.. then the muscle pain started and all the other symptoms. I claim Incapacity benefit and DLA but i am having an arguement with them at the moment.

Hugs Kelly

[princess]

I had to retire from my work as i just couldnt cope - with the pain and was very sad, but there you are.

[Kazzy]

I have been off work sick since August last year and the way I feel at the moment I dont think I will ever be able to return.
I am not sure when I was diganosed with FM as I have had chronic back & neck problems for years. I found out about FM as I saw a form that my GP had filled in and he stated that and disc disease.