Ability to Work

hi there - I know others may weigh in on your question, but I wanted to point you to some previous threads that may also be beneficial. One is here - a community member looks for advice for a potential new job (https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/forums/new-job-and-ra) and here is one from someone who was starting to see his performance at work affected by RA and the ensuring actions (https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/forums/problems-with-employer).


I know you referenced being in Canada and not the U.S. - so some of the protections/laws in the US wouldn't directly apply, but there may be a Canadian equivalent.


Others may chime in here but I wanted to share those threads in the meantime!


-Reggie (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team Member)

I was diagnosed some 30 years ago. As the meds were slowly kicking in, I sadly wasn't in a position to leave my job. I managed to struggle through as I was a family of one and needed to support myself AND keep my employer-provided medical insurance.
It was so difficult. I'd come home, crash, wake up the next morning and start all over again. Looking back, I'm not sure how I did it. But I had to, so I did.
It would have been a godsend to have taken a leave of absence for a few months. It would have been less stress all the way around.
BUT........having heard so many stories from other people with RA, I wonder if it would have been worse had I taken that leave of absence. Why?
I've noticed that those who are not employed, or involved with a hobby, tend to focus on the pain of RA. There is no distraction. When you're working and need to meet deadlines, you learn how to block a lot of the pain. You push through.
So if you decide to work, remember, you can do it and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. For most the drugs do kick in within a couple months.
If you decide to take time off, then make sure you're firmly obsessed with a hobby and no time to dwell on the pain.
Hope this helps.

I’m also a family of one, however, I absolutely cannot sit up more than an hour at a time many days. My issue is not the pain. It’s the plethora of other symptoms I’m experiencing. The arthritis portion is minor, relatively speaking. I am far too nauseated, dizzy and so forth. I have tried to work - I work from home. And sure, on those few days I can push through, I’m cranky and my service is not good. I cannot do that. As a customs broker, I see people who don’t do their research and order goods from abroad Willy nilly as it is. Add the fact I can barely sit up, I’m adding snarkiness to my responses which can really make people who already realize their goods may have to be surrendered/abandoned feel even more idiotic for not doing their research.


If this was depression, I get it. We all have need a purpose. If this was pain, I push through life as I already have degenerative disk disease and have to take a string pain killer as it for that. But it’s not the pain. It’s the vertigo, nausea, utter weakness, wheezing, racing heart, itchiness and more. The biggest being not even able to sit up for more than 1-2 hrs at a time.

Forgive me for asking...but what is the cause of the dizziness?