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General health

Remember those threads I started a while back about pins & needles/numb face/jelly legs? Neurologist said it was migraines? Well, had the MRI results today, do I have to tell people? Work??

42 replies

FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 01/07/2009 22:13

My mum's a tad on the sensitive/overreacting type, the course leader's the annoying/OTT/'you can't have time off unless you are dead' type. I'm not into pitty. Do I have to tell them?

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ThePhantomPlopper · 01/07/2009 22:23

What were the MRI results?

I don't suppose you have to tell anyone anything if you don't want to.

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FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 01/07/2009 22:25

Lesions indicative of MS. I have to have a lumbar puncture at some point to confirm it. I imagine my mother going nuts, the course leader trying to get me off the course as quickly as she can.

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HumphreyCobbler · 01/07/2009 22:26

It is your decision when you tell people.

Do it when it feels ok to do so.

Sorry it was bad news.

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missingtheaction · 01/07/2009 22:27

You don't have to tell anyone personal if you dont want to. At work I would imagine you would only have to tell if it was likely to affect your work. do you have HR or similar to talk to in confidence?

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ThePhantomPlopper · 01/07/2009 22:28

Tell them when/if you feel ready.

Sorry to hear that though.

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SlartyBartFast · 01/07/2009 22:28

you could talk to occ health perhaps

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FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 01/07/2009 22:29

I don't think I want anyone to know. It's not a terminal illness and there's not alot I can do about it. I'd imagine my mum will be pissed if I don't or do tell her though. Uni say they are understanding but aren't really.

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Hassled · 01/07/2009 22:32

I'm sorry the news isn't good. I think you need to find out more re the prognosis - I mean how long before your ability to do your job is affected - before you decide what or if to say. As long as you can do your job, there's no reason to tell your employers. Re your Mum - only when you're good and ready.

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FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 01/07/2009 22:32

I'm worried occ health will tell the course leader. She really is a dragon. It's hard to say how it will affect work, I'm well at the moment, I saw occ health on Monday as I was told a while back it was post viral fatigue. They have advised I carry on as normal, turn up if exhausted or not and don't say anything about it as it's not employer friendly (the post viral fatigue, not MS).

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claricebeansmum · 01/07/2009 22:33

Fluffy bunny - so sorry to hear you didn't get an all clear.

I don't think that you need to tell anyone at this stage but get some advice on whether there are people you have to tell - medical insurance etc Have you been to the MS website to see what help they can offer.

I like your attitude though . MS is not terminal and hundreds of people live with MS with minimal impact on their lives. So I would be tempted to keep it quiet - especially if you are not after pity!

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FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 01/07/2009 22:34

No one know's what the prognosis will be as it's different for different patients. I could have no more episodes, I could have another next week. I can't start interferon unless I've had two episodes within 2 years, the interferon just makes the times between episodes longer. It's a 'wait and see' illness.

Thankyou for all your help

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FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 01/07/2009 22:37

Thanks clarice. I have a firm carear(sp?) path, finish this course and then do medicine. He didn't say I couldn't, maybe being a surgeon isn't the best idea. He said there's no reason why I wouldn't be fit to practice, I just need to sort the memory problems out (somehow).

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thumbwitch · 01/07/2009 22:43

ohhh fluffy - sorry to hear that. Good that you have some firm news though, even if it's not the best news.

I don't thikn you need to tell anyone about it until it starts to affect your work; but if you have a firm diagnosis, I believe that you get visited by an MS nurse/HV who may be better able to tell you the answer. Plus there are bound to be support websites/networks for people with MS who will know the answers.

In the meantime, think about your dietary intake of especially Vitamins C and B, zinc and essential fatty acids. If it ain't good, do something about it as all of these things can help maintain the integrity of the myelin sheath and reduce the immune system attacks on it.

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FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 01/07/2009 22:47

Ta Thumb.
The diet's on the list of things to sort out (essential fatty acids are in...um...). I felt quite sorry for the neurologist, he was so sure it was a migraine! Humble pie is never nice, I'm sure it'll keep him on his toes though. Could be worse.

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differentID · 01/07/2009 22:49

Fluffy, sorry it isn't good news, but your attitude to it is part of you keeping on top of it.

I would say tell someone at work, I don't know about insurance policies- could they be held liable if you had a bad episode start at work. You never know- dragonlady might be decent about it?

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thumbwitch · 01/07/2009 22:50

fluffy, email me if you want more info - I'm sure I can dig out some stuff for you!

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differentID · 01/07/2009 22:51

hiya thumb!

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FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 01/07/2009 22:52

I had an eposide at work (where the numbness/weakened legs came from), I knew something wasn't right so I requested supervision, my life was hell at work that week. I can't tell placement and not uni, if I tell Uni it's going to get really messy.

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FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 01/07/2009 22:53

Thanks Thumb.
Have you had the visas through yet?

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thumbwitch · 01/07/2009 22:56

Fluffy, not sure that it's allowed to get as messy as you think - surely there are anti-discrimination ishoos involved here? Uni's aren't able to pitch you off a course when you develop a potentially disabling condition, it's anti-disability (Damn, what is the PC term here??) and afaik they have to be seen to be inclusive of disabilities. Not that I'm suggesting for a sec that you are now officially disabled, of course not, but there must be something about it in the University HAndbook. Or you could contact the Students Union.

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FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 01/07/2009 23:03

I needed a few days off (to sleep) last week so was a little late handing in an assignment and asked for an extension, the miserable bugger wanted GP note, sent me to health surveilance so they could work out if I was fit for practice. She's a bit

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SlartyBartFast · 01/07/2009 23:07

hopefully she would be more sympathetic if she knew

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FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 01/07/2009 23:10

Haaa, don't bet on it!! I've so far worked out she has no sympathy for :ME, migraines, post viral fatigue, she did have a little when I had a kidney stone (I really do mean a little), no sympathy with an aspergers ds, no sympathy with another student who's mum and sister were in hospital and she had to care for neice......

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thumbwitch · 01/07/2009 23:16

whoops, went off and looked at the 17mo moving up a stage in her reading thread...

No, no visa yet. Apparently it's still in process and I will be advised when it's finalised - this suggests that I don't have to do any more hoop jumping, but I could be oh so wrong.

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Milliways · 01/07/2009 23:18

Sorry to hear your news FBGB.

I too am awaiting a neurology appt for random nerve symptoms, and I also have had IBS pains return in last 2 years when I thought I had "grown out of it". I am hoping that I have a trapped nerve causing my main calf burn, but I do get pins & needles in my soles and one finger now as well as pain (like a cramp without the cramp) in the sole of my foot. Not sure though if you become hypersensitive to "symptoms" once you are waiting an appt.

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