Hi Ali,

I can empathise with the way you are feeling, you sound like how I was this time last year. I presented with RA symptoms in September 2008 and only took 5 days off from work, went through loads of tests and then finally received a diagnosis in January 2009 and was put on a second drug. Thinking that the sunshine and warm would help my husband and I went to Sri Lanka for 3 weeks, but I returned home feeling no better. Went back to work and continued working until I literally collapsed in April from exhaustion. My immune system was so run down that I suffered a number of infections one after another, for at least 6 months, and also had a stint in hospital.

I too am the main income earner and was desperate to hang on to my job that at aged 49 (I'm 50 now) I used to force myself into work everyday. However, I have learned my lesson and now wished I had gone off sick earlier. I think if I had, I would not still be off sick now. It has been a long journey and I am now slowly recovering, and hoping that new drug I am on will help me regain my strength and health, and hopefully will enable me to be back at work again.

Lizzie is right with a serious and disabling illness of this nature you are entitled to a period of sick leave and your work according to the Disability Discrimination Act is duty bound to make reasonable adjustments to your place of work. The NRAS book Julie mentioned is also a good source of information for employers.

Hope you feel better soon and take care,

Love,

Barbara
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