Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Muscles & Bones
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Short Term Disability

redpoppy
redpoppy
Anyone ever go on short term disability in order to recuperate from RA? I seem to be slogging through my life on a daily basis - hands are really bad and neck and shoulder problems and don't know if I just need to take off several weeks to rest and be still. I am on mulitple medications already but just feel so fatigued with it all. I am wondering if you did go off on short term if it helped or not so you could work again.Thanks.
bcatz
bcatz
I didn't when I was waiting for the medication to work but I was not working Mondays, just Tue-Fri.

I think it would be GREAT to do that though.
deleted_user
deleted_user
yes I have periodically done so when I was still working. It helped except I isolated and would get more depressed. My doctor was willilng to work with me so I could have FMLA and protect my job.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I started with a reduced work load. Part time short term disability. You do not recover from RA, although you can get back a semblance of your life.

After a year of part time, I was much worse and I went on long term disability, full time. 14 years now and never going back. Sadly. But some are not as bad as me, and can manage to work, esp. if they get on the right meds soon enough.

I am going through periods of extreme exhaustion these days. I don't think I could ever get enough rest to go back to work. But you have to judge your own body. What meds are you on?
deleted_user
deleted_user
Just finishing up short term and moving along to long term. Mine kept getting worse, and I worked through it until I could not work at all. But it took a bit to get a diagnosis, I wasn't sure if I was just being a wimp, and my job and the people there was important. Unfortunately, pushing so hard probably caused this mega flare I'm in now. By the time the rheumy got me in I was pretty bad for it. I'd say take some time off, and don't feel bad about it. Working through the pain might very well make everything worse.