I work full time (with numbers in accounting) and it is a real struggle. Most co-workers don't know. Others that do know don't care. I force myself because of insurance reasons only.

I was just wondering how many of you have worked and continue to go on with this.

I feel like I used to be fast, smart and on top of things. Now I am slow, dumb and making silly mistakes. There are days when I stare at the computer and have no idea what I am doing. I am surprised I have not been canned.

ANYONE ELSE WORKING AND FEELING AWFUL WHEN WE SHOULD BE RESTING AND GETTING BETTER?

I have been sick for 33 years and my co-workers would be shocked to know this. I hide it very well.

I worked part time for most of those years and have been full time for about 15. It is unbelievable how I feel most days especially the last 4 years. I really crashed about then.

I don't see the need in telling anyone because as you say those who know don't really care and will assume any mistake is because of your illness.

No one can possibly understand, so I just let them assume I am fine. Have never mentioned it to my boss. I try to schedule dr.'s appts. on days I am off.

Hope you get well soon.

I thank God I had the inside job during most of this.

I could not have coped with what I had been doing pryor to the full onset of joint pain I could barely walk and forget thinking geez.

Its very hard and I feel for you. Hang in there and pray alot it helps.

Yep working with lyme su*ked

A couple of things have worked in my favor:

- I have understanding management, who knew what I could do before I got sick.

IT'S SO NICE TO KNOW THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE.

I work full time too, with neuro Lyme. I am a paralegal in a criminal defense trial firm (i.e., "the business of emergencies"). It is a small firm, 8-10 employees. Everyone "knows" and is supportive. Everyone cried when I got my CDC positive Western blot back, confirming I did NOT have MS!!!!

I am in third month of treatment..things are slowly getting better. The first two months were pretty rough. I have not missed any work but there have been many days where I fell asleep in staff meetings (even once in Court!), could not follow phone conversations, forget multi-tasking, and co-workers shield me from responsibility for important dates or things I might forget, with grave consequence. Some days head hurt so bad lights off in office, phone ringer off, secretaries asked to speak softly.

My boss, despite being a slave driver, is also a saint, and told me to take off whatever time I need. Guilt-ridden, I said, "I feel that I am NOT producing at my usual level, feel retarded, plodding, am burdening others who are already overburdened and am feeling horribly guilty and will take a leave if you think I should until I am doing better."

He said, "I would rather have you here operating at 50% capacity than anyone else I have operating at 100%, so long as you feel you can be here."

I'm so sorry your boss is a jerk and you have to hide having Lyme disease. No one should have to, but I'm sure you are the best judge of what their reaction would be. Best of luck in your recovery.

Michelle

Most of the people I work with know. Before my diagnosis, I had hand and wrist pain that I thought was a repetitive stress injury. The pain got so bad I lost the use of my hands for a period of time, and had to use voice recognition software. I obviously couldn't hide that from my employer.

So I kept them updated with every changing diagnosis until the Lyme. Now, my boss at the time I was diagnosed has a chronic illness, so she was definitely understanding. I told other co-workers because they kept asking if I was better since I no longer wore wrist braces.

Over the past 4 months, I've had to give up one really wonderful and lucrative contract; I just couldn't be on my feet for as long as it was going to take.

I haven't tried to hide it from the kids I work with or from their parents. I'm mostly involved with middle schoolers, and they'd be insulted if I tried to bluff them. There are some days I have to cancel at the last minute. So far, people have been really understanding, but of course, my income is a tenth of what it used to be.

I have also been honest with the publisher who hired me. I've already missed one deadline and fallen short in an assignment (a professional first for me). I'm always scared he's going to lose his patience.

Hard stuff.

After reading posts on this board for the past few months, it's amazing to me how well most people seem to soldier through this disease.

Hope your work goes well.

Andie

I think that by trying to focus on work related issues, it keeps our minds in check so we don't ever stop fighting or forgeting who we are. (or what we used to be).

This is very encouraging.
WE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE WITH LYME....LYME MUST LIVE WITH US!

I should be at work right now but I am having another bad herx and can't get to work.

The folks I work with are wonderful, but there is a limit to how many days I can be out and still get paid for. Naturally.

I havnt been able to work for 3 years and havnt been able to read a book for over 6 year. I miss both terribly.

Just ordering the cheap detox patches took 4 days and many emails cuz I just couldnt comprehend what all I was suppose to do to get paypal to pay those people. I hate being stupid!!! Its the worst symptom

Id be happy to be able to do the most meanial job so perhaps hearing how much worse you could be might make your awful boss not look so bad to deal with.

Oh it has been very challenging. I also must work for family insurance. Many mornings I literally, dragged my feet through to front door as a temp and finally got fulltime.

You do have to hide it from some as they don't understand and it's not the place to share this type of info with co-workers. Others will be compassionate as they have gone through similar things or the exact same. You can talk a little more openly about it.

I found my herxing at work to be early morning, during my drive and up until around 11a.m. Horrible shakes, uneasy, nauseous, foggy and fearful. I'd talk it through with someone familiar or call the nurse at the llmd's office.

You WILL make it!

I am fortunate enough now to not have to work full time. I am only working a few days a week. Alowing time with my family and other volunteering I would like to do at school and church.

I did about 4-5 months of abx and am much better along with my girls too. Not sure if we still have it or not, but it is not active right now!

Now, I work in a t-shirt factory. If I got canned tomorrow I wouldn't take it personal--I'm slow, stupid, and mispelled Tennessee (no one caught it). I hate that my work use to be the very best and now I struggle just to keep this meger job.

Such is Lyme.

Hang in there.