I started having symptoms in September 2005 and it is still not under control. I was out on disability until February 2006 when it had improved enough for me to return to my office job.Three weeks later the company restructured and laid us all off.I am now looking for another job. My bosses before were pretty understanding about leaving for doctor appointments, etc. I don't plan to say anything to any potential employer. After I am offered the job and have started I think it would be a good idea to explain to my direct supervisor that I have a chronic health condition that is under a doctor's care. I will do whatever it takes to not let it interfere with the job but I may need to go out occasionally for an appointment or test. Does this sound reasonable?I wish I could find a job where I could work from home as that would be ideal. All my experience is in the media in sales and marketing, though, and those are typically jobs you need to be in an office for.What do you all do?
How do you cope on the job? And what if you are looking for a job?
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My daughter has missed a lot of time at work because of Lupus and IBS. The company cannot give her a hard time because she has a doctors' note. It is always best to let your supervisor know your condition. That way, he/she can work with you.If you really want a job where you can work from home, go for it. Find what is is you really want to do. Sometimes we are really good at things even though we have not been trained for it. Give it a go. Follow your dreams and don't let them go. If it's something you really want to do, you will do fine at it. Good Luck!
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The thing is... I DON'T want a job that I can do from home. I am just so frustrated with the pain from IBS I'm afraid I CAN'T function in the real world (caps for emphasis, not yelling). I had such a great job for a wonderful, dynamic company and I hope to find another one but it is hard to even think about it when you hurt so much...
Exactly. I worked at several jobs over the years, from LVN to owning my own business. IBS sometimes was a problem. My IBS has gotten worse in the last few years. I think it is a combination menopause and stress. Since I am at my best in the morning, I try to use that time to work outside of my home.Right now, I am the housekeeper for my son and his family. I go over twice a week in the mornings before I eat. My husband and I mostly live on his pension and social security. The extra money that I earn helps keep our heads above water. I never tried to get any disability. I have a bad back from working as a nurse as well. I never thought of IBS being a disability, more of an inconvenience. A HUGE inconvenience.
I can understand your not considering IBS a disability. It is terrible to think of yourself as disabled. Unfortunately, in order to attain certain benefits it may come to that.When I first got sick they really thought I had Crohn's disease. I was in and out of the ER, had multiple doctor appointments a week- sometimes 2 or 3 a day- and rather than burn through my sick time I was able to go on short-term disability. Were there days where I could have worked? Absolutely. (Not very well but I could have come in) However, "the system" sometimes doesn't work that way and I would have been fired if I had taken so much time off without being on short-term. The moment I was well enough I came back full time- and was laid off 3 weeks later! (Had nothing to do with the illness, it was a company wide thing)I am newly engaged and my fiance has been wonderful but it is hard sometimes. I am so afraid this will end up being too much for him. So far I haven't seen any sign of that but I still worry...
It is so hard to try to keep things on an even keel and not whine when you are in pain. I know! Sometimes when things have really been bad, I just wanted to crawl into a hole and die from the frustration and pain over the years. Sit down and have a frank talk with your fiance before you get married and make sure that he understands. I didn't in my last marriage and if I had known that he wasn't going to be supportive, I wouldn't have married him. He blamed me!! This is not a time limiting illness, it is a lifestyle.All of you young people!! I hope that you can find something to help you. After 40 years of this,at my age, I am just trying to maintain. I have lived as best I can with it. Do what you can for yourselves.
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Hi! I read your other post too. I just had to say to you that I understand where you are coming from. I am 27 and have been married for 5 1/2 years, hubby is 6 months younger than me. When we met I knew something was wrong with me and that I got sick a lot but I didn't know why or what was wrong. I had an idea that it may be IBS when we got married a few years later however nothing had been confirmed. It had gotten a little worse but not unbearable. After I had twins in 2002 my IBS spiralled into, well an awful place! I've watched poor hubby put up with my paranoia about going places, not eating out in restaurants, not going to the cinema, not going on long holidays etc etc. It is hard on him and I've actually told him a few times that he should leave me for someone who can make him happy but he tells me that he puts up with it because he loves me and that he doesn't want someone else. I can sympathise also with the sex thing when you feel miserably ill. But you can do "other" things for him to make him feel loved, satisfied and special (wink, wink). I'm sure your fiance feels the same way as you do. Sorry I don't have a lot of info on working for now, I'm an at home mum of 3 but I think about what I'll be able to do or not to do in the future.Good luck with the wedding and also good luck with the job hunting. To me IBS is a disability (a short term one) at times when things are bad. I've had times where I haven't been able to leave the house for months on end but then things will get a little better. Anyway, should stop waffling now, lol. Again, good luck
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When I was diagnosed with IBS I was a stay at home mom, went to all the school functions, volunteered alot. My IBS bothered me, but then 2 yrs ago I became a real estate agent. Between the stress of the job, eating on the run, or missing meals. I am now in my 5th month of misery. I was able to take a leave of absence, and my boss is great, my problem is that I still don't have it under control, and I wonder if going back to real estate would be a wise choice. I too have thought of working at home, but I really enjoyed being out there. I'll admitt it wasn't all fun and games, there is alot of pressure on listing houses, and clients can be very, very demanding. I also have FM which can cause havoc. Sometimes I feel like I am wasting my life away, as well as my families. So how do you cope on the job?A good friend said to me: Sometimes we decide what we want to do, and alot of people have to let there bodies decide for them. We might not like it, but it's better then being dead.She has a way with words doesn't she.
So many jobs these days are so stressful. It is the world that we live in. No wonder so many people have stress related illnesses! It just gets worse all the time. With everything being so expensive, it is hard to try to just live a simple life. That is also why so many families need atwo person income. I don't much like today's lifestyle.
In the US, you're not required to bring it up unless they have to do something special to accomodate you. If you tell them, they still aren't allowed to discriminate against you, but that doesn't mean they won't.I would wait until a little after I started, then when you tell them make sure you let them know you are in a doctor's care, you are doing everything in your power to deal with it.The biggest thing for most IBS'ers and work is fear and worry over what others will think. Don't let that bother you. I know it's hard, but getting over the fear will make other things much easier.
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