Topic: Is it possible to treat properly and work full time?
Haley
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 22008
posted
I know what I need to do to get better. I need to stick to the protocol and take all of the medicine.
I am currently considering adding Tindamax.
I just don't know if I will have the energy to work if I take ALL of the medicine.
Is there anyone out there that got better while working full time?
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
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bcb1200
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Member # 25745
posted
TF did. I'm going to try too!
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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Haley
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Member # 22008
posted
TF is my hero.
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
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Andie333
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Member # 7370
posted
I started back to work, first as a contractor and then full time after i'd been in treatment for about 18 months. I was offered the work sooner, but I didn't feel able.
What I did do, even in the early days of treatment, was figure out how to do some part time consulting work. That way, I could set my own hours, and step back when I felt too awful.
Even though my clients were minimal in the beginning, it was a huge psychological boost for me, knowing I had responsibilities.
Transitioning to full time after about 3 months was easier than I'd imagined, though for me, that meant only having the energy to work, see the doctor and do what I could do to continue to heal. In those early months, I had no social life. I should also say that I'd had a lot of neurological symptoms that complicated and potentially compromised my work.
I had to really struggle mightily to do something that someone else might have done in half the time,
But after some time, even that began slowly coming back. Now, I'm working and having a social life again--busy almost every weekend.
I'm still on anbitiotics, too, but I feel like the job has keep me from really getting preoccupied about all my symptoms.
When I was offered the job, I was honest with the boss about my illness...I wouldn't have felt right otherwise. I still haven't told but a couple of my colleagues (this is a national company). Just recently, I was given several management responsibilities which would have been inconceivable to me even a year earlier. It's different for everyone, though!
Andie
Posts: 2549 | From never never land | Registered: May 2005
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posted
I just started treatment and the plan my doctor has is specifically to be fully functional and work full time while going through treatment. Apparently this is how he treats, he goes for a lower does over a longer period of time. I do not have nuerological lyme according to the doctor and I have myofascial pain syndrome (stiff neck, shoulders, jaw, hips etc. I tested positive for bartanella and for BB. My plan is 1-2 years antibiotics. At this point I alternate between minicycline and azithromycine each other day. I have not noticed any effects from the antibiotics, but I've been feeling sick the past couple days, but I believe it to be just normal sick, though I can't say for sure until it goes away and doesn't come back.
Posts: 136 | From arlington, VA | Registered: Jun 2010
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D Bergy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9984
posted
My wife has never quit working since infection, but she also runs her own business, so that is not really an option.
She had pretty bad joint pain, mental problems, and fevers headaches in the beginning.
She is symptom free at this time, but she still has some infection from what I can tell.
I think it is better to work if you are able, than to sit around and focus on being ill. Of course many are unable to work as the disease is affecting them so negatively.
Dan
Posts: 2919 | From Minnesota | Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
i did as well, although in the beginning i took alot of time off. but i went in when i could.
-------------------- 3 months Doxy 8 months of Tetra 7 months of Biaxin/Plaq. 4 months Doxy/Biaxin/Plaq. 5 months Biaxin/Plaq. Back on Doxy/Biax/Plaq On the road to recovery. Trying to make people Lyme Aware....... Posts: 289 | From R.I. | Registered: Jun 2009
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BackinStOlaf
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23725
posted
I work full time and am on 3 different meds. May be adding a 4th.
-------------------- First Symptom 9/09 Multiple docs, negative Labcorp test LLMD: 1/10 Positive Igenex/CDC test Treatment 2/10 2/10-8/10 Amox, ceftin, zith, flagyl Currently: Bicillin, Minocycline, still dealing with severe breathing issues
Posts: 1121 | From New York, New York | Registered: Dec 2009
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posted
I couldn't have, BUT, I was completely disabled and unable to work when I started treatment. I think it all depends on how sick you are to begin with. I had dropped out of everything I did by the time I started meds.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
I have had this 20 years, and I think I pushed myself for the entire 20 years. When I started treatment, I was just done. I couldn't work if I wanted to. I couldn't have worked even if I wasn't getting treatment. I had just pushed too much for too long!!
Posts: 893 | From Florida | Registered: Dec 2008
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lymeinhell
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Member # 4622
posted
I worked full time throughout treatment, but worked from home occasionally when I was too dizzy to drive or the neck pain was too disabling. For me, having the distraction of work and also a reason to force myself out of bed each day (even when I shouldn't) kept me from being mentally overwhelmed by this whole process.
-------------------- Julie _ _ ___ _ _ lymeinhell
Blessed are those who expect nothing, for they shall not be disappointed. Posts: 2258 | From a better place than I was 11 yrs ago | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I pushed myself to work full time until I got a diagnosis, but I was ashamed of my performance and wracked with guilt about it.
I reduced to part time around when I began treatment, and stayed at that status for about a year.
It made a huge difference for me and I consider it to have been necessary.
I work independently and can for the most part set my own hours, which was also of huge help. I did pretty much consume my holiday and sick leave as fast as I earned it (using it all for sick days and doctor appts).
It is a personal choice and as noted above surely depends on how sick you are.
Posts: 455 | From Was in PA, then MD, now in the Midwest | Registered: Nov 2008
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posted
I am working as well. It really varies on what work you do, desk job or hard labor. I work at a desk. Although I worked, I feel my productivity and performance were nothing like what they should.
Posts: 60 | From NJ | Registered: Jun 2010
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posted
i'm going back to work in a few weeks (i work at a school) and see what happens. i think the interaction instead of sleeping on the couch all day is going to help me with my moods. and like someone else said, i won't be focused on it so much.
my job is physically demanding though so i'm not sure how i'll be able to deal with the pain and weakness. i'm still going to try though!
i say try it out and see how you feel. if you feel that it's too much, ask if you can cut back on hours. or if you simply can't work, maybe a leave of absence. do what you think is best for you and your recovery.
Posts: 95 | From IL | Registered: Jun 2010
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Haley
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 22008
posted
Thank you for the feedback.
I have been treating for just over a year. Within that first year my boss has worked with me and I have been able to take time off and work from home on certain days.
I am now in a postion where I need to be in the office more and it is very difficult when on a bunch of medicine. The work itself is fairly mindless otherwise I would be in big trouble.
I wish I had had a more structured treatment protocol with an LLMD that first year but I didn't. I feel that I need to start from scratch although I have made progress.
I can't lose my job as I have great insurance. So far God has provided and I know that I will get through. I was just curious how many others are dealing with this dilemna.
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
Ooops that we shall see was meant to be written after the "My plan/hope is to..."
Posts: 104 | From No. VA | Registered: Aug 2009
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I am 20. I have Lyme, Ehirlichia, Mycoplasma, and Babesia. I am married, work full time, and go to school. I am loaded on 11 different meds and supplements. Its been hard to do it all, but you can. Just listen to your body as you do it. Just make sure to give yourself time to relax.;-)
-------------------- Stephanie, University Student.
Ehrlichia [POSITIVE] IGG/IGM AB [H] 1.49 indexLyme AB interp. EIA [A] POSITIVE IGG P93 AB [PRESENT] IGG P41 AB [PRESENT] IGM P41 AB [PRESENT] IGM P23 AB [PRESENT] Lyme IGM WB interp. [A] [PRESENT] Posts: 145 | From Idaho | Registered: Feb 2010
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posted
I have continued to work for the 14 months that I've been sick, and I am improving now. I have been treated with oral antibiotics, and my symptoms have never been extremely severe compared to what some people report.
If I have any coinfections, they have not shown themselves so far.
I have not experienced a lot of herxing.
Some days I can barely drag myself to work. Today is only the third sick day I have been able to take in 14 months, as most of my leave time goes for trips to my LLMD. Sometimes I am just not very productive.
Other days I do okay even though I feel pretty bad. I have not had brain fog so far, and I have a desk job, so if I can get there and prevent myself from falling asleep, falling over or falling off my chair, I am home free, haha.
Sometimes I slip off into the staff bathroom to throw up from the doxy nausea, but it is a private one so nobody has noticed yet. If I was very fatigued I would go and take a nap in my car or at home over lunch break. I am not having as much fatigue these days.
It does help to develop a reputation for being eccentric. Then nobody will pay much attention when you do strange things like have a weird diet (and refuse lunch invites and free food), nap in your car, take pills and supps., make fresh lemonade in the break room, show up less than stellarly groomed some days, walk with a limp on occasion, wear a long-sleeved jacket and gloves in the summertime, or forget things once in a while.
Apart from that I have given up all my hobbies and leisure activities outside of work, and I have tried to reduce the amount of domestic chores I have to do to survive and take care of myself.
I desperately want to take time off to rest and recover until I am better. I think it is bad for my recovery to push myself too much and get too tired and sleep too little, and to have almost no entertainment or social interaction.
However, if I lose my job, then I will lose my health insurance and my ability to pay for drugs, supplements, LLMD visits, and healthy food. These things are working for me right now and I am improving, in spite of the working. If I stopped them all, I would get worse.
I also think that if I were forced to quit working by my illness, I might get depressed from the loss and also feel even more isolated from absence of any social interaction. That would be dangerous because if my morale gets too low, I will stop trying to take care of myself and will also get worse.
So I feel that I have little choice but to keep on dragging myself out of bed every morning as long as that's possible.
Since I am currently improving, it's very likely that I will be able to continue this way until I am well. That's my plan. They haven't fired me yet, and my performance should get better as my health improves.
My frustration about not being able to take time off is not helping me. Being frustrated and angry just makes me sicker. I haven't found any way to change my situation, and I am lucky to have a decent job at all, so I might as well be grateful for my advantages and not wish for what I can't have.
What I want even more than rest is recovery, and I'm on my way to that, so it's enough.
-------------------- Don't forget to laugh! And when you're going through hell, keep going!
Bitten 5/25/2009 in Perry County, Indiana. Diagnosed by LLMD 12/2/2009. Posts: 756 | From Inside the tunnel | Registered: Jan 2010
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posted
I had started a new job 3 days/week with no bene's, got bit by a tick 6 mos later and never got the rash or any other symptoms. I could have increased to full-time, it was offered to me, but I chose to wait. So I was working 3 days per week when I got suddenly sick and have only missed 2 work days since then. I totally identify with taking naps at lunch along with supplements throughout the day and having to try to hide a limp, or memory impairment etc. Now things are much easier after taking 10 months of antibiotics and learning the dos and don'ts.
-------------------- Ideas not advice. Posts: 448 | From Downeast Maine | Registered: Jul 2009
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posted
OMG Light, I could have sworn I wrote that post. I try not to fall off my chair at work, sleep in my car during lunch, and throw up my doxy in the bathroom at work.
Posts: 60 | From NJ | Registered: Jun 2010
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
Anyone able to work full-time who got hit by severe anxiety with TBIs? Muscle weakness? Horrid fatigue mid-day? Bad head pressure?
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
I think you can be barely sick or having a good day, and be okay.
Or you can be extremely sick or have sudden very bad symptoms, where you just simply can't do any kind of work.
And then there is a very large gray area in between, where so much depends on your particular complex of symptoms, your type of work, your boss's tolerance, and your determination and/or desperation to keep working. You also may find yourself working until one day you pass out or fall over, and your coworkers send you to the ER.
I wish all of us had the luxury to just stop, and have someone to take care of us until we are well. I would advise anybody to take some time off if they have the chance to.
You're also at risk, if you have seizures, heart trouble, vertigo, etc. that can be suddenly dangerous, especially depending on where you are and what you're doing when it happens (heights, sharp/heavy objects, etc.). I don't think we should have to be forced to take risks like that.
But I'm forging ahead, and best of luck to everyone who tries.
If you are debating whether to quit, you could ask for flexible FMLA for a few months, and then go home or call in sick whenever you're not up to working, and if that's most or all of the time, then it's time to quit. You don't get paid for that, though, unless you have that much leave saved up. It just means you can leave early and miss a lot of days and still not get fired, which might get you through several months until you are either better or have decided to quit and figured out what to do next.
-------------------- Don't forget to laugh! And when you're going through hell, keep going!
Bitten 5/25/2009 in Perry County, Indiana. Diagnosed by LLMD 12/2/2009. Posts: 756 | From Inside the tunnel | Registered: Jan 2010
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Tricky Tickey
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Member # 26546
posted
I've be working full time since starting treatment. My supervisor & the team all are aware of my struggle. They've been patient, especially on the days I'm "foggy".
But there is a down side. I'm seriously considering taking time off .....especially when my dose of Flagyl is at top level, which I'm working up to. I feel that I'm not recovering as quickly as I should. The number one reason being that I've only had Lyme for 3 months & I need to really nip it in the bud EARLY.
I'm extremely stressed on the job (I work with mentally ill persons) & have to deal with high drama/emotional situations. So I have a decision to make this month about whether to continue, or ask my doc to request I go on leave.
-------------------- Early Disseminated LD- 2010. Currently doing acupuncture and yoga. Negative Igenex (IND & Pos Bands) ISSUES AFTER: Tendonitis, letter reversal, Low immune system. PREVENTION:SaltC,Iodine,Humaworm, Chiropractic. Posts: 1013 | From In a van down by the river. | Registered: Jun 2010
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posted
I worked full time my first treatment and now. First time though, it was rough going to work sick from the IV rocephin.
I'm single and have to work. It's amazing what the body can do and go through when you know you have to do something.
Thankgoodness for paid sick time though!
-------------------- Lyme, Babs, Fry Bug..... Whatever it is, may a treatment be discovered to make us all whole again! Posts: 941 | From AZ-MT | Registered: Oct 2004
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Tricky Tickey
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Member # 26546
posted
I think if you feel you need to take off work in order to heal & rest, you should do it. Everyone is wired differently. I have run myself completely down by continuing the current schedule. WE are adjusting the schedule & I'm taking off a couple of weeks. I'm pooped, can't think, & I need to be able to concentrate on healing. Plus I need the time to go to my physical/emotional therapy sessions.
-------------------- Early Disseminated LD- 2010. Currently doing acupuncture and yoga. Negative Igenex (IND & Pos Bands) ISSUES AFTER: Tendonitis, letter reversal, Low immune system. PREVENTION:SaltC,Iodine,Humaworm, Chiropractic. Posts: 1013 | From In a van down by the river. | Registered: Jun 2010
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glm1111
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posted
I agree with spring. I couldn't walk or talk when I first collpased. Working was out of the question as I had to call an ambulance at least once a week because I was on the verge of constantly passing out.
My guess is that people that have been misdiagnosed for a long time and have high loads of bacteria are probably not able to work. When I hear of someone working who has this disease I am dumbfounded.
It's not because I couldn't push through things because I usually can. Some of us are just stopped in their tracks period and shouldn't feel guilty because others can work. Hooray for those who can.
Gael
-------------------- PARASITES/WORMS ARE NOW RECOGNIZED AS THE NUMBER 1 CO-INFECTION IN LYME DISEASE BY ILADS* Posts: 6418 | From philadelphia pa | Registered: Jul 2008
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Hoosiers51
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Member # 15759
posted
I was thinking that Tindamax was going to be really horrible, but I actually felt BETTER on it, not worse.
Fingers crossed!
I think the answer to your question is that it's possible if you can handle it! Good luck!
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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Haley
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Member # 22008
posted
Hoosiers - you may have posted this but what dose are you on? Are you pulsing tindi?
I still have not started because I hate to start and stop things. I have done that too much in the past.
Thanks for all the feedback. So Far my employers have been very understanding and helpful, I just don't know how long it will last.
My next move may be to go to part time and then take leave without pay if I really need to.
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
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blinkie
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Member # 14470
posted
Haley-if you have good benefits, don't you get to take disability and still get paid?
I was too sick to work by the time I was diagnosed. I was in college at the time as well and had just a few classes left. each class got harder and harder until I didn't think I could make it through the last two classes. But, two classes away from graduating, I would not quit. I hung in there and graduated though I don't even remember the last classes.
I had no idea what was wrong with me and thought I was dying. I had already been written up once at work for poor performance. My tried hard to get my performance back to being good and i did, but then, it started slipping again.
This time, I was visibly ill and my bosses could see it. Then, one day, I had an abdominal attack and had to call an ambulance. They knew I was sick and stopped bugging me about my poor performance.
Within a week or two I figured out what was going on and went out on disability. I could not have continued to work if I wanted to.
I'm lucky though. Months earlier, I was falling asleep at the wheel and had no idea why. I was too stupid to pull over and sleep or have someone pick me up. I could have killed someone or been killed myself.
that is why, nearly 3 years later, I'm still not able to work. I'm still too fatigued to drive too much early in the morning or after a long day.
Posts: 1104 | From N.California | Registered: Jan 2008
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blinkie
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posted
Haley-if you have good benefits, don't you get to take disability and still get paid?
I was too sick to work by the time I was diagnosed. I was in college at the time as well and had just a few classes left. each class got harder and harder until I didn't think I could make it through the last two classes. But, two classes away from graduating, I would not quit. I hung in there and graduated though I don't even remember the last classes.
I had no idea what was wrong with me and thought I was dying. I had already been written up once at work for poor performance. My tried hard to get my performance back to being good and i did, but then, it started slipping again.
This time, I was visibly ill and my bosses could see it. Then, one day, I had an abdominal attack and had to call an ambulance. They knew I was sick and stopped bugging me about my poor performance.
Within a week or two I figured out what was going on and went out on disability. I could not have continued to work if I wanted to.
I'm lucky though. Months earlier, I was falling asleep at the wheel and had no idea why. I was too stupid to pull over and sleep or have someone pick me up. I could have killed someone or been killed myself.
that is why, nearly 3 years later, I'm still not able to work. I'm still too fatigued to drive too much early in the morning or after a long day.
I'm also lucky in that my employer has been very understanding. They believe what I tell them about this disease and truly just want me to get well.
Posts: 1104 | From N.California | Registered: Jan 2008
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littlebit27
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Member # 24477
posted
I've only been treating since Feb and recently had to stop because of the pain. But I am hopefully going to start up again with abx and something for the pain when I go see my new LLMD at the end of this month.
I have been working full time and fully intend to continue. I really don't have a choice. My husband as I own our own paint business. Yes, painting houses. So it's labor work.
Somedays I come home and am BEAT and in terrible pain, I do what I can to relieve it and keep on going.
I know that if I didn't work with my husband we wouldn't be able to pay the basic bills, let alone my Lyme bills. If we had to hire extra help we would have a lot less money, so it's just not a choice.
I guess it's just like your body goes into survival mode and does what it has to do to survive and that's where I am.
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