Occupational Health appoitnment

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bailey27
bailey27 Member Posts: 689
edited 9. Jul 2009, 09:15 in Benefits and Working Matters archive
Hi
I have decided over the last few months that my job as a Personal Trainer is becoming more and more difficult and working self employed has started to put some strain on the household as I can no longer work in the mornings as I can't jog or lift anything up.
To cut a long story short I applied for several university courses to see what my options would be as I fear I may need to change careers or even take on a more sedentary job during the day and keep my personal training work for the evenings. I have applied for a course and have been accepted (YIPPEE) but I have an Occupational Health appointment in 2 weeks.
What will this involve and will or can they stop me starting the course if I have arthritis??
The course is to become a Paramedic.

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  • tanith
    tanith Member Posts: 175
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Is the Occy Health app with the college you hope to study at first of all? You say you hope to study to be a Paramedic ? I think maybe you need to think seriously about the course.. Paramedics need to be fit and able to carry out duties such as lifting of patients of all shapes and sizes and equipment, climbing stairs and possibly extracting patients from difficult situations, it takes real physical stamina to carry out CPR for instance, of course you would also have to work shift work sometimes they work 12hr shifts, would you be physically able to do those things? I had to retire from the Ambulance Service for precisely these reasons but my O/A was quite advanced...

    Just needs thinking about I think...
    Our worst times are always our best lessons.
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi
    Thanks for that.
    Yes the appointment is at the university I am hopefully to study at.
    At the moment I work as a Personal Trainer and have found I am unable to do some thigns in the mornings such as jog, lift etc. However I was only diagnosed with this a few months back and have my second Rheumy appoitntment on monday where I hope he will put me on some good medication that will sort these symtpoms out. The days when I do not have any aches and pains are fantastic and I often go jogging and feel fresh as a daisy. Then some mornings I will wake up and be physically unable to get out of bed without performing a military style opertion.
    I am hoping when the Rheumy gives me some different medication I will be fit as a flea and carry on with my life as normal and do this course wihtout a problem.
    Am I too optimistic???? Do I need to be brought back down to earth??? Should I tell them about the arthritis??
    Please - I would appreciate honesty as I dont want to do a course and study hard if it is going to be wasted time.
  • janie68
    janie68 Member Posts: 1,186
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi,

    The medication can take weeks even months to work effectively. I have found that it does not erradicate it complelety,though it may be very effective or you may find that its takes time to find one thats suits and eases the arthur. You have to tell them you have arthritis due to health and safety. if you lifted a patient and say you hurt your back and they found out you had arthritis then you could be looking at dismissal, sued etc.You need to honest and upfront, you dont want to working with this hanging over you all the time. I would ask at you appointment with rheumy for their opinion. could you delay your course until the next intake?? Hope this helps. :roll:
    bailey27 wrote:
    Hi
    Thanks for that.
    Yes the appointment is at the university I am hopefully to study at.
    At the moment I work as a Personal Trainer and have found I am unable to do some thigns in the mornings such as jog, lift etc. However I was only diagnosed with this a few months back and have my second Rheumy appoitntment on monday where I hope he will put me on some good medication that will sort these symtpoms out. The days when I do not have any aches and pains are fantastic and I often go jogging and feel fresh as a daisy. Then some mornings I will wake up and be physically unable to get out of bed without performing a military style opertion.
    I am hoping when the Rheumy gives me some different medication I will be fit as a flea and carry on with my life as normal and do this course wihtout a problem.
    Am I too optimistic???? Do I need to be brought back down to earth??? Should I tell them about the arthritis??
    Please - I would appreciate honesty as I dont want to do a course and study hard if it is going to be wasted time.
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Bailey,

    I have to echo Tanith here very loudly...... You are very unlikely to be able to lift and carry. I was medically discharged with just the starts of oa from the ambulance service and I was I & I trained so they had spent a lot of money on me. I genuinely think you will not be able to do it and its unlikely if they still do the medicals you would pass. You may be able to go into the control side but I think you need to check it our. Sorry, but you really do need to be fit and strong and be able to carry as well as the snatches etc. Cris
  • tanith
    tanith Member Posts: 175
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    bailey27 wrote:
    Hi
    Thanks for that.
    Yes the appointment is at the university I am hopefully to study at.
    At the moment I work as a Personal Trainer and have found I am unable to do some thigns in the mornings such as jog, lift etc. However I was only diagnosed with this a few months back and have my second Rheumy appoitntment on monday where I hope he will put me on some good medication that will sort these symtpoms out. The days when I do not have any aches and pains are fantastic and I often go jogging and feel fresh as a daisy. Then some mornings I will wake up and be physically unable to get out of bed without performing a military style opertion.
    I am hoping when the Rheumy gives me some different medication I will be fit as a flea and carry on with my life as normal and do this course wihtout a problem.
    Am I too optimistic???? Do I need to be brought back down to earth??? Should I tell them about the arthritis??
    Please - I would appreciate honesty as I dont want to do a course and study hard if it is going to be wasted time.

    Honestly I don't think you would qualify to be honest... your arthritis is never going away and even with medication you will find restrictions on what your are capable of and need to adjust your life accordingly. Being brutally honest its only going to get worse as o/a tends to do and it sounds from your description of how it affects you that it is already affecting you drastically. To take on such a physically demanding job when you have just found this out is in my mind crazy.. sorry but you asked me to be honest.

    You have to pass many physical challenges when taking such a course and I seriously don't think you will be capable... as someone else said maybe the control side of things would be a better option but even then when I did the same thing I found sitting in one position for hours at a time was almost as painful as the heavy lifting work when out on the road....

    Sorry to be a wet blanket but as you say you don't want to waste time and money when the outcome is doubtfull to say the least...
    Our worst times are always our best lessons.
  • valval
    valval Member Posts: 14,911
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    what other courses r available they must have some u can transfer to u dont have to give up just change the direction u wish to take good luck if u get the right meds life can b so much better and u will find a great course just ask i am sure they will help u
    val
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    OK thanks everyone. It was just the advice I needed. I am seeing my Rheumy tomorow so will mention it to him aswell.
    I guess in the back of my mind I am hoping he'll tell me to go ahead here is a magic pill to get rid of it all. I won't hold my breath!
  • tanith
    tanith Member Posts: 175
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    bailey27 wrote:
    OK thanks everyone. It was just the advice I needed. I am seeing my Rheumy tomorow so will mention it to him aswell.
    I guess in the back of my mind I am hoping he'll tell me to go ahead here is a magic pill to get rid of it all. I won't hold my breath!

    Bailey please come back and let us know how you get on.. maybe its not so doom laden as I have spelled it out to you.....
    Our worst times are always our best lessons.
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Will do thanks 'Tanith'. I see the Rheumy tomorrow so will try and get things as straight as I can from him. I think I am still young enough to learn a new trade (29) so I am not going to get too down about it. The problem I have is deciding which occupation will be suitable. hpefully tomorrow he might just give me a magic injection into the joints and it will all go away!
    I can understand why a lot people get down with arthritis, it interfers with every part of your life no matter how much you try it not to!!!
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi
    Appointment with Rheumy today went terrible, I wont bore you all again because I have blabbered on a bit in another post.
    The dr said I may have AS but she wasn't sure...

    I am going to see my GP and ask for his advice instead.

    Having one of those down days today!
  • tanith
    tanith Member Posts: 175
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    bailey27 wrote:
    Hi
    Appointment with Rheumy today went terrible, I wont bore you all again because I have blabbered on a bit in another post.
    The dr said I may have AS but she wasn't sure...

    I am going to see my GP and ask for his advice instead.

    Having one of those down days today!

    Sorry to hear that Bailey I might look for your other post...
    Our worst times are always our best lessons.
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 9. Jul 2009, 06:49
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    Sounds like he didn't know his stuff very well! :( Its such a shame when these things happen because we wait and hope that the appointments will come up with something positive and that the docs will be on the ball. :? Hope things get better for you.
    ove Sue
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Had my occupational health appointment today and it went well.
    He wasnt really that thorough though. I am going to speak to my GP and physio about it first.
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hello, Glad you liked the doctor, shame he didn't take more time with you though. I expect he will get or has got a report from your GP and the hospital, that may have told him a lot.

    Hope all goes well for you.
    Love Sue
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hello, I'm glad you liked the occy health doc. I've had good experiece with mine. It makes it easier and much pleasanter when you can get on with them. As to him not being thorough, maybe hes got, or hopes to get a really informative report from the doctors teating you. That would be better than having a stranger examin you and ask the same old questions again! :wink: I've had good experiences when I've been to occy health here. :)

    Hope all goes well for you.
    Love Sue
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Sorry he wasn't as good as you had hoped, but perhaps he is waiting for reports from the people treating you, to give him the full picture. At least he was a nice guy!

    Love Sue
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Yes that sounds about right thank you so much.

    I have kind of accepted that I probably won't be able to go ahead with this line of work so i'm in the process of figuring out what I can do instead.

    Some serious thinking needed!
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