Occupational Health Advice

davywavy
davywavy Member Posts: 8
Hello all,

Please excuse me as this is my first posting on this site.

Fot the last year or so I've been suffering from back pain, this got to the stage where I'd nearly double over with a stabbing pain, likewise if I drive more than an hour my lower back locked, making it difficult to straighten up. I can hadle pain well but I knew this was something different.

To cut a long story short I decided to see my GP earlier this year, he was great and due to my back being locked decided to refer me for an MRI scan. The scan results came back basically telling me that I had chronic lumbar arthritis.

I was then refered to the hospital and saw a lead physio who again tried to release my back with no success. What I couldn't understand was why I didn't see the actual consultant on this occasion even though he was mentioned on the letter. Bloods were also taken. The physio wants me to have 5-6 sessions to try to unlock the back and they I have an appointment at the end of May.

I was prescribed Paracetamol, Codeine and Amitriptyline initially by my GP but I'm now on Paracetamol, Amitriptyline and Tramadol to ease the pain, all of which are in higher doses. My GP tells me I will now need pain relief from now on.

Due to being a police officer I've supplied everything I have received to my command team and occupational health. What I don't understand is what protects me in the workplace, naturally I've been told to avoid physical confrontation which after 16 years policing and serving in the army I can agree with now. My sergeant asked me to look into disability but to be honest I have not got a clue at where to start looking.

I do find the whole situation upsetting after serving for so long but the pain finally got the better of me. The wife jokes about me looking into a blue badge for the car and joking aside i could do with it some days as walking over 20 mins kicks my back off. The spaced feeling of the drugs is something I don't care for either.

Thanks very much for reading, sorry it's a long one and any advice will be gratefully accepted.

Comments

  • freesia
    freesia Member Posts: 409
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi there...

    Sorry to hear you are in this situation... I'm awaiting my Occ/Health referral - and hate being in this situation..

    Can still work and manage 95% of my work, but still have to be put through all this extra stress and anxiety - when I least need it....

    I'm still very much in the dark, but know there are new discrimation/disability laws in place to protect employees, so might be worth searching the web...

    At the top of this page - there is also a section of "publications & resources" (right under the phone number) which have some helpfull information in...

    Good Luck, I wish you well...
    And WELCOME to the forum

    Hugs freesia x
    hugs freesia xxx
  • davywavy
    davywavy Member Posts: 8
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    freesia wrote:
    Hi there...

    Sorry to hear you are in this situation... I'm awaiting my Occ/Health referral - and hate being in this situation..

    Can still work and manage 95% of my work, but still have to be put through all this extra stress and anxiety - when I least need it....

    I'm still very much in the dark, but know there are new discrimation/disability laws in place to protect employees, so might be worth searching the web...

    At the top of this page - there is also a section of "publications & resources" (right under the phone number) which have some helpfull information in...

    Good Luck, I wish you well...
    And WELCOME to the forum

    Hugs freesia x

    Thanks for that, much appreciated. Trouble is most folk in my line of work think your pulling a fast one, never thought I'd have arthritis of the spine and wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

    Hope yours goes well Freesia, i'll get looking now x
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Welcome from me too, davywavy. I'm useless on work related matters but, if in doubt, you could always ask our Helplines for advice, either on the Helplines forum, by PM or a phone call. Good luck.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • davywavy
    davywavy Member Posts: 8
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks very much for the welcome. I managed to get half an hour today to download some of the information, certainly better explained than our work information.

    It's time for some light reading I think :D
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh dear davywavy, I fear I cannot help either as I have a wonderful boss (I'm self-employed. :wink: ) What I do know is that those who have nothing like this do not have a clue about its impact on life - and surely it's reasonable to say why would they? Many are used to having an ailment, going to the docs, taking some pills and lo! everything gets better. That must be lovely but it's not for the likes of us. We have summat that cannot be so easily fixed and that makes for a steep learnng curve - not only for us but also for those around us.

    I think that a good start wil be getting some information leaflets from AC about the type of arthritis you have (and its treatment) so that you can give those to those who may be concerned with this matter. OH cannot possibly know everything about everything and it is up to the afflicted ones to spread knowledge. One of my best friends is currently going through the process of being retired from the police (after twenty-five years or so of service) so I shall aske her for any help or info she can give (hers is on mental grounds so different to your case). As for the blue badge well, I would give my eye-teeth to walk for twenty minutes before trouble strikes - on those grounds you won't qualify so dream on! :wink: I've never had a spaced feeling from the drugs (yup, I've missed out again!) but if that is the case for you then perhaps some sort of meds review could be in order? There are alternatives to most meds and what suits one may not suit another - sometimes medical experimenting is the only way to discover the best meds for oneself.

    This is a far from easy time for you and those around you but I can assure you that what we lack in technical knowledge we more than make up for in understanding and support. I wish you well. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • freesia
    freesia Member Posts: 409
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    davywavy wrote:
    Thanks very much for the welcome. I managed to get half an hour today to download some of the information, certainly better explained than our work information.

    It's time for some light reading I think :D

    I hope you found some good & usefull information...

    If you need some "legal advice" - contact the AC helpine (which is numbered above) they can give you a couple of numbers for people who can give advice (by phone) about your legal rights & equality human rights... This might help put your mind at rest, if only a little - it all helps...

    Wishing you well
    freesia x
    hugs freesia xxx
  • davywavy
    davywavy Member Posts: 8
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks very much for the advice folks, it's all very much appreciated. The pain killers are getting easier to take, I'll get some leaflets and pass them out, if nothing else it helps anyone else that has a similar problem.

    Take care :wink: