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Not coping at work

Hi everyone,

I've been back at work for about almost 3 months now since my surgery and Crohn's diagnosis and I'm really struggling :frown:

I work in a supermarket on the delicatessen and butchers counters, most of the time by myself as I work Sundays and evenings. The job is really physically demanding. I have to do a lot of heavy lifting, I'm on my feet all day and constantly on the go as it's so busy. It's actually quite stressful because most of the time I work by myself and have time deadlines to keep to and other tasks to do apart from serving customers which is hard to do when you're busy. My Sunday shift (8 hours) is horrible, I feel so exhausted and have even contemplated just walking out because I feel like I just can't cope.

Before my health declined I enjoyed my job and found it okay - hard work, but manageable. Now I think my job isn't suitable for me anymore. Working by myself means that I can't just leave to go to the toilet when I want as there has to be someone there on the counter to serve customers at all times. I'm suffering really really badly with fatigue like I have never experienced before and I believe that at the minute this is the main problem. I feel sometimes like I'm going to pass out and I crash after every single shift. I'm struggling now even when I'm in remission so I highly doubt I could manage working there through a flare up either.

I don't feel like my work understand and as I work alone and evenings and Sundays - I rarely see my manager to talk to and HR is always closed. Plus I'm really anxious about talking to them and I think they won't take me seriously. I have been searching for another job, but no luck. I only work 16 hours a week and I finish my degree in November after which I will have to work full-time which I just can't comprehend. I'm not even flaring right now - just so exhausted. I feel like crying.

I just wanted to share my feelings on here with people that might understand - I don't feel like there is anyone I can talk to that can help me and it's really getting me down. I have always worked since I was 14 and it's upsetting that work is now a problem for me. I don't know what to do about it, I'm still getting used to having this disease.

X
 

Angrybird

Moderator
Location
Hertfordshire
If you talk to your work about this they do have to take you seriously, crohn's is covered under the DDA as far as I am aware so reasonable adjustments should be made for you - such as making sure you can take loo breaks when you need them. Are you on meds at the moment? Have your vitamin levels been checked at all?
 
I'm on Pentasa at the moment which has helped to settle BMs although I still have off days. I had some vitamin levels checked 2 months ago and they seemed ok although I wasn't told the details. I started 3 monthly B12 injections and had my loading dose end of February. I felt great after those and I'm not due my next one until the end of May. Started to feel fatigued again about 4 weeks after my loading doses.

Work made some adjustments such as having someone with me and not doing heavy lifting tasks for my first week or so back but their view is that I recovered from surgery and now I'm better - that is my interpretation. They say I can leave to use the toilet but that's really not practical in reality. I can't have a queue of 5 or so people and just leave them to go to the loo - they aren't always quick trips to the loo either. Any time I leave the department for a period of time I'm putting myself further behind at work which creates more stress. Plus I have had some customers get funny with me for leaving the counter and making them wait which makes me feel awful.
 

Angrybird

Moderator
Location
Hertfordshire
Pentesa seems to be quite a mild med to be on if you still have off days and your crohn's has been severe enough to require surgery. When will you next be seeing your doc for a check up? It may also be worth having your B12 level checked again now before the next dose in case every three months is not often enough for you, also see if you can get your specific level, the range for this is really big and a low normal can still give you problems. With regards to work I would go back to them and explain the situation and ask if there is not a way for breaks to be covered so customers are not left, what happens currently when you have a lunch break on your Sunday shift?
 
My IBD nurse decided to put me on Pentasa and when I saw my gastro doctor he wasn't very happy about it. He doubled my dose but decided to not change it as I seemed to be doing ok. Surgery wasn't necessarily a decision due to the severity as they suspected appendicitis and I was undiagnosed at the time. My notes said 'severe ilietis' and I also had an abscess but I never get a straight answer when I ask about the severity of my disease so I'm not sure how severe I have it yet as I've only experienced one bad flare up and now remission.

I see my IBD nurse again in just over 2 weeks time and I'm trying my best to hang on to that. I could go to the doctors I suppose, and ask for a blood test, although I never know if I should be bothering them or not. I've started having painful BMs again really recently but no blood, so not sure if my fatigue is down to vitamin levels or something else.

On an evening shift there is only 2 people in. Me and someone else who will be running the other counter. They can't cover me as it would leave their counter unmanned and there is no one else in the store trained to work on the counter (you have to have food hygiene qualification to be left alone on it). On a Sunday there are 2 people also, one on each counter with one person in for a few hours to cover breaks - the majority of the day you work alone and it is so busy. Plus when someone else is having their lunch covered, that still leaves only 2 people and no one to cover me should I need it. Hope I've explained that in a way that makes sense!
 
I'm not too convinced these three-monthly B12 injections are enough (I'm on them too, and don't feel as perky as I did when I was doing them monthly)--especially if you've had any part of your terminal ileum removed.

Is there any chance your employer could switch you to a different department, or offer at least some sort of compromise? It sounds like they haven't really given you any options. I hope you manage to sort out something more suitable soon!
 
Yes my terminal ileum was removed when I had surgery.

I don't feel like I have any options at work to be honest. Moving department isn't going to be simple as every department is clamped down on hours at the minute and it is difficult to replace someone on my department because of the training required (and no one wants to work on my department either!). Would be difficult to move hours around as well for the same reasons.

Thanks x
 

Angrybird

Moderator
Location
Hertfordshire
As your getting painful bm's I would definitely bring up your treatment at the upcoming appt as I don't think Pentesa is really the right thing for you, also bring up your level checks - you are not being a bother, these are things that should be checked if your not feeling 100%. I'm afraid I'm not sure what else to suggest work wise :(
 
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