Current State of my Health

My Fibromyalgia and eyesight problem started during my position of employment, I tried to continue working as normal while undergoing diagnosis, treatments and operations to limit the impact of the condition. Although ill, I was pressured to go ‘above and beyond’ regularly due to the demands of the job. This impacted my home life as my work/life balance was tipped heavily to work. I was too fatigued at weekends and holidays to get out of bed and enjoy other activities.

When my symptoms became too much to allow me to work effectively on site, it was decided that I should work from home. This proved to be frustrating as I was not able to resolve issues to my satisfaction, support from my employer was sadly lacking and as time progressed the lack of interaction and stress further impacted my condition. When the station was no longer receiving what it felt was a satisfactory level of service, I was given a choice take medical severance or have my contract of work terminated. 

My own story is only one of many where sufferers of Fibromyalgia (FM)/CFS/ME have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. We have been used and discarded like the workboots; thrown to one side and ignored as we are past our best. 

One of the treatments forced upon me was graded exercise therapy which is now felt to be a discredited primary intervention treatment due to its long term 'harmful effects and lack of substantiated evidence of its efficacy, and the legitimacy of the worldwide debunked of the flawed PACE Trial' (Missing Millions press release, 2017) 

I undertook GET for several months, twice a week under the guidance of a health practitioner, having been granted time out of work to attend. I had to undertake a number of exercises, such as walking/running, cross trainer, rowing, lifting weights etc. Each week I had to push through previous targets to try and increase the exercise grading. The impact of this treatment was Post Exercise Malaise (PEM). After each session I would find myself unable to think clearly due to increased Fibro ‘brain fog’ and a total crushing tiredness which could put me in bed for two or three days at a time. 

When I first started GET I just used one walking stick. By the time I stopped because I had to return to full time work I was using two crutches and struggling to move without great pain. I can no longer walk down stairs with ease and cannot enjoy any form of exercise without pain, fatigue or worry.