Thank you for your reply and advice Janey - hope all goes well for you. I saw my GP and he thinks I should be able to get back to work in some form and, obviously, only I can make financial decisions but not to think about it now. Signed off until January - so frustrated.
x Jak
Hi,
I'm not able to advise anyone as I am in a similar position and don't know what to do for the best. I'm 62 so should work another 3.5 years. I don't want to give up my job (TA junior school) but was asked if I had thought about reducing my hours after I had a melt down 2 weeks ago (am signed off again at the moment having returned on ammended duties last June and back to full hours in September). My issue is with the pension and how it can or cannot be affected. I've read about flexible retirement but can't get my head round what hoops need to be jumped through so as to protect my pension-doesn't seem fair after all we go through to have to loose out. Bloomin' government, if they hadn't changed the retirement age or at least done it in smaller stages I could be making different choices now. I've also read that parliament are about to debate the WASPI situation this month but can't see it changing anything quickly enough for me. One thing I've discovered is that, even after treatment we are still counted as disabled so have different rights - just need to find out how that may help us.
Cancer wise all is OK but am being closely monitored as not able to take the hormone suppressant. So I should be fine - shouldn't I??? What ails me now? Lymphoedema in the breast (didn't know until my 1 year breast care appointment!), extreme fatigue, depression and osteo arthritis of the knee. Seeing my GP again tomorrow to get his take on it all - he is really concerned as I was doing so well.
I'd love to hear from any of you who are suffering with decisions or have come through it all.
Kind regards,
Jak60
Jessie, I'd be interested to hear what you have found out. I also work for a local authority and am struggling to manage my role. I'm at work at the moment, with some adjustments, but am struggling. I had endometrial cancer 6 years ago and breast cancer last year. Luckily both were primaries and I was able to avoid chemotherapy.
However, both were hormone driven and I am committed to taking the tablets. Even more so now that I've been told I may have a rare genetic disorder, which increases risk of various cancers hugely. I came off Anastrazole and now on Exmestane, due to side effects. Definitely an improvement, but the insomnia is causing huge issues and fatigue continues to be crushing, along with tendonitis. I do a lot of duty work and my hours are unpredictable. I'm managing my work but at the detriment of my home life. Last week, I had no energy to get out of the car when I came home and fell asleep, to be woken by my other half who came looking for me!
My manager isn't very clued up on what support I can have and I have asked to be referred back to Occ Health, once I see my own GP tomorrow. My fear is they will say I'm not fit for my role but fit for any other work and I will end up out of work. I've had a look at the new LGPS tiers and not sure how we would fit in to these... treatment will go on beyond 3 years but may end before my retirement age, so not sure how this would work and I'm fearful of taking the first step incase I end up out of work and my home at risk. I wondered if they would look at medical redeployment also.
Sorry for the long ramble but my head feels like it's spinning. Probably not helped by the insomnia and foot pain!
Anyone with any thoughts and experience of Local Government Occ Health since the changes in 2014? Thank you for listening.
x
Thanks Tina, I value your view!
Any other experiences please? It just seems such a minefield!!...
Hi Tina - I've found myself in a similar situation. I work for a local authority and just don't feel up to the challenges of my role anymore. What is a worry is the 3 tiers. I had grade 3 stage 3 diagnosis with additional tumour in lymph nodes, chemo, mastectomy and full lymph node clearance and finally radiotherapy. I am now taking tamofixen. I also suffer with neuropathy but no longer taking medication as it doesn't keep me awake anymore. Lots of problems with my feet though (not sure if this is typical) and also recently started getting signs of lymphedema.
Went back to work almost immediately after completing treatment last June and then had a further spell of sickness after a ruptured appendix.
been signed of for a few weeks again now as I've felt overwhelmed and simply unable to cope at work!
I have spoken to our in house occy health team and they seem to think I am well and that I need to explore alternative options before considering retirement, such as reduction in hours, step back from management. I can't help thinking they are looking after the council primarily and not me.
Would love to know your experiences and whether you feel I would hit the criteria for tier 1.?
thanks in advance x
Well done Tina for sticking to your guns .Im sure your dad will be smiling down on yu. hoping it leads to a job you will be happy in . good luck for the future!!! xxx
Glad it went well & youve got what you wanted 😊😊😊😊 xx
Hi Wavylocks
Long time no speak! How are you? Shall we do a private message? x
Hi Tina
Hope your meeting with occupational health goes well. As you say your health comes first. Like me you are on herceptin and so you are still having active treatment so give yourself time.
Take care, xx
Hi Tina,
Just want to wish all the best with your Occ Health appointment. You are having to deal with so much.....I do hope they will give you time to slowly consider all your options.
Have you considered a temporary reduction in hours....? This give you the option to increase your hours in the future....so you could start low at say one day a week? When they say temporary it can cover several years! You are paid for the hours you work but your right to work is preserved. You are also entitled to reasonable adjustments -often this includes things like, slower pace, rest breaks, working locally, working from home, reduced travel, lower work load, specialist equipment if needed, parking close to building....and so on. I know you dont want to go back and totally respect that but do look at it all before deciding to pull the plug all together.....
Ive returned .I struggled with full time; now part time with adjustments is workable and ok. I dont try to do what I did before -I can't my energy levels are low and processing is very slow these days.
Woshing yiu the best and hoping you find the way forward that works for you. Xx
Hi Tina,
Sorry to hear about what you are going through currently, especially losing your dad at this time.
I do not have personal experience of this myself, however, a colleague went through this recently. From what I recall, the pension provider (in this case the NHS), had to be applied to & it also required the support of the GP.
Obviously you will seek further advice & hopefully, one of the other ladies will be along to advise, it may also be worth contacting Macmillan about this, as I have seen from this forum that they are helpful with financial matters.
ann x