How do you handle it?

[Bette]

I am going back to work full time in a couple of weeks and I am so worried.  I still feel very tired after my Hemo sessions, but I feel great on the other days.  I am going to move to ccpd, soon, but I'm not sure when that will start.  I am still waiting for may catheter to heal. 

I would like to take more time off,  but I cannot afford to lose my insurance coverage.  My job will not give me a part-time position, so it's full time or disability.

Luckily I have a desk job so I won't have to do anything physical.  What were your experiences like?  Am I worrying for nothing?

[Joe Paul]

I haven't been back to a regular job, never will probably, but my wife works me to death around the house. I just got done re-doing our living room, new ceiling tiles and a complete paint job. Also, in the kitchen, I put down new floor tile as well. My body seems to handle the work load pretty well, though I admit, I do tire faster then before dialysis. I am also new to dialysis, just passed the 6 month mark, maybe as I age things will be harder to do. I am also tired after my treatment, but I fight to keep going. I pray things will work out for you, all we can do is try.

[kitkatz]

I work full time as a sixth grade teacher.  I find it can be wearing, but it is possible to work and do dialysis.  I just never got the thought in my head I was allowed to give up and quit.  You can do it.  Just be sure to remember to sit when you need to sit and take good care of yourself.  And look at the thread on working and dialysis here in the discussion area.

[angela515]

I am going back to work full time in a couple of weeks and I am so worried.  I still feel very tired after my Hemo sessions, but I feel great on the other days.  I am going to move to ccpd, soon, but I'm not sure when that will start.  I am still waiting for may catheter to heal. 

I would like to take more time off,  but I cannot afford to lose my insurance coverage.  My job will not give me a part-time position, so it's full time or disability.

Luckily I have a desk job so I won't have to do anything physical.  What were your experiences like?  Am I worrying for nothing?

I haven't gone back to work since 2004, yet..but, I am a single mom of a 4 1/2 yrold and a 5 1/2 yr old.. they keep me very busy. I noticed you said you will be starting CCPD soon... for me, when i was on hemo, I felt worn out, weak, tired, icky, yucky... and any other bad word you can think of... this is one of the reasons I switched to pd... and for me, I notcied big changes right away. When starting PD I started feeling tons better, less tired and less weak... so much more energy and less diet restrictions probably made me happier also... so hopefully you get to start PD soon... 

[angieskidney]

Full time? I don't think I could on inclinic hemo but on PD it was great .. as long as you can do nocturnal PD. But CAPD 4 times a day there was no way I could do full time.

It would suck if you had to go on disability and lose insurance. I mean what do they expect you to do?

The government wonders how people with health problems end up with no health insurance or end up in debt. They should try even one week in our shoes!

But I loved CCPD. I was free every day and would hook up and the machine would do it all at night! I really wish I could still be doing that! But I was also told that even CAPD 4 times a day could be done easily if you have an office job!! 

[Zach]

We should move this discussion over to:

Do you work?
http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=1308.0

[Rerun]

The Topic Is For An Individual Problem/Person So It Is Correct To Stay Here - Rerun - Moderator

Bette, all you can do is keep trying.  They can't fire you because of the Disabilities Act.  I think you will feel better and have more energy on PD.  I worked full-time on PD.  When I had to return to Hemo after my transplant failed I just couldn't handle full-time and hemo.  I was also 20 years older. 

For me it was either quit my job or quit dialysis I was not going to do both.  It has worked out for me (so far) to stay at home.  The money is tight, but maybe when I get moved I can finally get my Bounce House Business going.

[Sara]

Joe has been working full time while on hemo since January, when he started dialysis.  He is lucky in that his company seems to be very accomodating and understanding, although I don't know how much of that is just them being nice, or them trying to cover their asses so no lawsuit comes their way.  He was able to get his hours changed so that he is scheduled to work 11 or 12 to 8pm (he has the early shift on dialysis).  I won't lie to you, it's been hard for him, and it's getting harder.  We will be checking into disability options after the first of the year for him.  Between exhaustion from dialysis stuff and restless legs not letting him get much sleep, plus his other health problems (complications from diabetes mainly) he just doesn't have time to go to all the dr.'s appointments that he really needs to.  I am not sure how him going on disability will affect his insurance. 

[Bette]

Thanks for the replies. 

Since I am married with a child I am really sensitive to how my health will affect my family, especially my daughter.  She's only six, so she really needs Mom to be able to take care of her.  I would rather not work and be a great wife and mother than work and be lousy at home.   

I worked when I was on PD before, but I still lived with my parents and had no other responsibilities other than taking care of myself, so my situation now is really different.

[Sara]

Could you try to get a new part time job at a place that offers benefits?  I know BJ's warehouse certain positions get benefits after 90 days.  If you could find the right job, it might be worth it to pay COBRA for the 90 days or so until you get benefits set up.

[MattyBoy100]

Hi Bette,

I have been on hemo for 4 months now.  I went back to work full - time for a supermarket.  It was hard working all day then going to the unit for dialysis 3x a week after work.  I have since realised that maybe I am taking on too much and have started to work 4 days a week instead of  5 with the option of working an extra day if I feel up to it.  It's entirely your choice but your health has to come first.  I tried to act as if nothing had changed but in the long run that was harming my health more.  I have had to accept the hard way that I am not as physically capable of working the way I used to.  Fortunatley for me, my employer has been really understanding.  On the other side of the coin though, cos they are a national company they wouldn`t want any bad press about how they treat employees on dialysis so I`m in a bit of a win win situation.

[AlasdairUK]

I work full time and do not have a problem with it. If you are feeling washed out after haemo then you may want to try reducing your UF rate. In short take less fluid off after each session. If you UF gains are small then you may be slightly dry and increases your dry weight would help. You need to explore different options to make yourself feel well after dialysis.

When I come off dialysis I normally feel full of energy and struggle to go to sleep when I get home.

[kitkatz]

I have tried dialysis in the mornings and in the evenings.  I am an evening dialysis person.  I like to go home, have my dinner, watch TV, and go to bed afterwards.  Morning dialysis just wears me out.  Maybe you need to find a time that is good for you.  Some people swear that they like morning dialysis and will not change their times.  I work and have dialysis scheduled after work. Yes I am tired, and some nights it takes everything I have to drive home after dialysis.  But you gotta do what you gotta do!

[angieskidney]

I have tried dialysis in the mornings and in the evenings.  I am an evening dialysis person.  I like to go home, have my dinner, watch TV, and go to bed afterwards.  Morning dialysis just wears me out.  Maybe you need to find a time that is good for you.  Some people swear that they like morning dialysis and will not change their times.  I work and have dialysis scheduled after work. Yes I am tired, and some nights it takes everything I have to drive home after dialysis.  But you gotta do what you gotta do!

Ya I am an evening person too

[Zach]

I have tried dialysis in the mornings and in the evenings.  I am an evening dialysis person.  I like to go home, have my dinner, watch TV, and go to bed afterwards.  Morning dialysis just wears me out.  Maybe you need to find a time that is good for you.  Some people swear that they like morning dialysis and will not change their times.  I work and have dialysis scheduled after work. Yes I am tired, and some nights it takes everything I have to drive home after dialysis.  But you gotta do what you gotta do!

Originally when I started hemo, I went to work following early morning dialysis (5am - 10 am), but then I would get a bit "punchy" by 3pm.  The evening shift works best for me, too.

[jedimaster]

I have two jobs....work 6.5 hours a day and teach 2 hours at night. Usually I'm very tired and I drag myself to work....but I'm trying not to let dialysis win...