ok how do you

karen have yuo noticed big changes in your condiaiton? maybe a trip to your gp is in order?

Sorry i know what its like when you cant get going so fatiuged and cant think, and hurt so much you dont know where to put your self. sorry your feling like htis

go and seek help, sorry i cant hep any more, take care Lin xx

Personally, I'd just tell the boss I'm not feeling well/not doing well and need to go home and rest. There can be legal issues with employment and time off work (doctors notes, FMLA if you're in the US) but for the moment you describe, I'd leave it as simple as I could.

When the brain just won't cooperate, work becomes very VERY difficult huh? I have the same problems sometimes, and it's part of why I had to go on disability. Good luck - let us know how it turns out?

thanks guys -
today I am my old self (almost) and very productive - I've been able to hide my non-productivity and stupid mistakes (I think) but it is going to catch up to me.

I am just diagnosed, between PCP refferal to Rehumatologist and only on OTC NSAIDs so hopefully something more will help.

that appointment is set for Tuesday - can't wait.

Hi Karen,

Good luck with your appointment on Tuesday. Let us know what happens.

Take care,
Lazylegs

Karen,
I know this is very hard to do. I have to ask if you have talked with your boss about your disease yet? Sometimes educating them and letting them know that you are having problems right now it the best policy, they can't help you if they don't know what is going on. This can sometimes come back to haunt you but at least they can't say they did not know. Let them know what can come up and what is going on right now. I hope you feel better soon and let us know how it goes with you and your employer please.

Hi Tammy - that is the tough one -

here's the thing, my PCP didn't diagnose me - I said I'm just diagnosed but it isn't official - I have positive ana, positive dsDNA obvious joint swelling - history of symptoms - PCP reffered me to Ruhematologist - I assume she will call it - or maybe she has some other idea - I don't kow

either way, but especially pre-official diagnosis - I'm afraid to tell my employeer, am not ready to approach this becuase for now, I really need to keep this job.

I am a mid-level mngr and my immediate supervisor is a VP - he travels about 50% of the time when he is in the office he is often taken up with business that doesn't involve me. I can go for weeks at atime with no intereaction. This is good and bad, we don't really know each other, I have only been on the job 6 mos.

I'm afraid of the stigma, of being marginalized.

Maybe after diagnosis, after treatment I'll be ok - ?

Hi Karen,

Yes you do have a good chance of improving after diagnosis and appropriate treatment has started. Glad to hear you are doing better today.

I have quite mixed feelings about informing an employer of a having lupus... especially if you are an "at-will" employee who could be dismissed at any time for any reason. I would probably *not* want to divulge any information until I had to as well. While there are laws in most countries to protect workers with health problems, it's pretty hard to prove a case in court if it came to that.

Hope the appointment on Tuesday goes well and you come out of it with a plan of attack!

Karen,
You are right if you are not dx yet, you can start laying the ground work to get to know you vp a little better now. Make it a point to pass this person sometime during the day and just say hi. I know you have only been there 6 mo. but I am sure that you are doing a good job. When it is time to talk to him/her it will be easier for them to remember that you are the one that says hi everyday. You can start doing things that will make it easier for you when the time comes to have to handle whatever the doctor finds out. I hope you do think about it and start working on putting yourself in a visiual place so they at least start to know you on a more personal level.