Does anyone have experience of sucessfully easing themselves back to work?

I used to think that at some point somebody would find some meds that would make me normal again and I could go back to a job and say to my employer "I'm better now." It is prety obvious this isn't going to happen. So I wondered what were other people's experiences of trying to go back.

I don't have a full time job waiting for me, so if I declared myself as a jobseeker I would be pushed into supply work, so there is no visible way of easing myself back in that way as you have to be available all the time. If I go for slight retraining to do something else like admin it would be easier to start off with but I could fall foul of sickness status in my efforts to try to get out of this situation.

I can't see how I can get a true idea of wether I can manage a job when I can only volunteer for 15 hours a week and the voluntary work is nothing near a real job.

Di

Not very encouraging Di, but I haven't managed to get back at all.
I was self employed so that should be easier, but working with my "head", I just couldn't hack it.

Always planning and working on the positive, we converted out garage and I set it ready for when I could see clients again.
Alas things are still on the decline so not been used yet. Never say never though.

Employers should be empathetic and tolerant, but with the job situation right now, seems they are not, they can pick and chose.
My daughter has really bad IBS and was made "redundant" last February (nothing to do with IBS "of course".)
Since then she hasnt even had an interview, its bad here, but she doesn't know at what point to mention the IBS, cos they will find out pretty quickly...She is retraining so that she can be freelance in the hope that this helps.

Not being negative Di,it is very hard. I just hope you get what you want in time, despite migraine.

P

I've tried this in the past unsucessfully unfortunately. I was having a really good spell and got a part time job that was really interesting and I loved it. they let me build up my hours over a couple of months and it was all going really well, then the migraines decided to get worse again and it was all too much and I had to very reluctantly leave the job. The biggest problem with my migraine pattern is that I have good spells (have lasted 12 months) and bad spells (going on for 4 years this time around), and I cannot predict when they will be.

My last good spell I bit the bullet and got a fab full time job, moved house etc etc. I really got my life back, new social life, loved the job. But once AGAIN it became too much when my head rebelled and I eventually lost that job too. It's soul destroying to go through (this was the third time), and I just can't go through it again anytime soon. So I'm concentrating on other things for now and hoping that one day in the future I'll be able to go back to work and fulfill all the ambitions I have for that side of me.

Trying to look on the bright side of it all my outlook on life has changed quite a bit, my priorities are different now and I think I am more compassionate. And I appreciate things I used to take for granted. So I think all of these unfortunate experiences have had some benefit. Especially as I come from a family who are very achievement orientated and really that was all quite unhealthy. Having to deal with my own feelings on it plus all of theirs has helped in many ways to deal with some childhood 'issues'.

But when I add up the financial cost in terms of lost income over the years and how much I've spent on migraine treatments - that's depressing. Fortunately my hubby is in a position to support me financially and doesn't mind doing so.

Maybe trying something like a maternity leave cover would give you a good taste of being back in work with a time limit so if it wasn't going well you'd know it wasn't forever without losing face or having to go through the stress of losing a job. Or perhaps a job share? Really difficult though, especially with teaching as you have to be 'on' so much of the day.

But we have to live in hope. I know how frustrating and depressing it is though

Take care

Amy

Thanks for your honesty about what it can be like. I am sorry that the experience has not been positive for you both. I think this is what I am afraid of, that I spend a lot of money and effort getting me back only to have my hopes dashed and be worse off. Unfortunately hubby is one of the millions looking for work and is actually dependant officially on part of my incapacity benefit, so if I start work, even the tiny bit he gets will stop, so it messes up everything if it goes wrong as I have no safety net.

I think I am better enough to be doing something but I don't know what. i cant really drive every day which is the main issue because I get visual interferance evry day, but my brain is back and it is really bored and wants to be doing something. I have only had my brain back really recently so it is a bit strange still, almost like coming back from somewhere whilst someone else has been in charge and discovering they have moved all the coffee cups.

Advisors seem to think that you have to be better to go back to employment when pushed although they do talk about people being given acess to wrok through schemes for those that have an existing condition. Ther seems to be a dodgy ground somewher between been well enough to go to a job and being ill enough to qualify for help to get one.

I know there is funding for people to help work that have dissibilities I wonder if that route somehow would create sucess?

Di