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I have never used a message board or forum in my life  :)  but  I have been in a new job with the same employer for two years. As my ulcerative colitis has gotten worse, especially over the last year, I find my boss to be more and more inflexible about my work schedule. I produce the same amount of work my colleagues do and the same quality of work - which my boss verifies and always says "It's not about the quality of your work or the amount of work. You do an excellent job." But she always has her eye on the clock - if I have a "good day" I can be at work at 8:00 or 8:10. My regular shift starts at 8:30,am and that was adjusted to "accomodate" in her words my "morning routine". If I am there at 8a, it means I'm having a pretty healthy day, and that happens about three or four days out of a month. But she complains about me "not starting on time, being too early". If I have a bad day, which is a daily unpredictable occurance, she says I'm late and she has to "mark me" as late - even though my job production and the  quality of my work is as good as the others in the office. I have offered to have my doctor write a note for me, letting her know this disease is unpredictable - how I wish I could be as "predictable" and pain free as every one else! - but she says that wouldn't help because she says "How would that help if sometimes the pain is worse in the morning and sometimes in the evening, sometimes mid day?" She has seen me almost taken out by ambulance from excruciating GI pain once this year, where I almost passed out and an ambulance was almost called - instead a wheel chair was brought for me and my husband picked me up from work. And maybe equally as difficult, we work for a major health care provider group, so I'm frustrated that she should know better. Any suggestions? And thanks for listening. 

 Reply posted for bird11.

I know how you feel. I work at a restaurant and having Crohns is very challenging. My bosses are somewhat understanding and they let me keep some of my medicine on me if I have a flare up. But if I ever have a flare up before work I try to call in sick but I would have to try to get someone to cover for me. I am 18, still in high school and I am just wondering when this will get easier. I cant even really talk about it with anyone cause they don't really know what I am dealing with. 



Nick

 Reply posted for stormcat42.

Actually my primary doctor is one of the ones that suggested I change GI docs.  You know docs will never talk bad about each other, its like a rule they have.  She just asked why I was so loyal to him?  She gave me a suggestion for a new doctor that she had heard great things about..  I don't actually need a referral with my insurance, just one that accepts my insurance.   I asked around and found three crohnie friends who use doctors in that group and love them.  Thanks for the advice, I plan to call this week and try to get an appointment for a second opinion.

 Reply posted for kaye.

Remember this:  (And I work in a health related field, so you can take this to the bank) Those records are YOURS!  You can have them transferred to anyone you want at any time you want...  Now one of my friends always believes in going and having them make her copies of the records and physically carrying them over to the new place...(They will charge for those copies, just be forewarned...)  But I've found that if the Doc has a good Admin, they will get all of the records for you so there's no leg work for you... Once you make the decision to use this new Doc, make SURE you fill out and sign the transfer permission paperwork so that there's no delay...

My best friend would laugh at me at what I'm about to say, because she's been hammering it into my head for years now... That Doctor is YOUR doctor... It's YOUR health and YOU have every right to find a Doctor that works for you... YOU are the patient, YOU are the customer and YOU are the one paying the money...

Hope that helps!

 Reply posted for kaye.

When I went looking for another Primary Care, I talked to friends, co-workers & asked them about their experiences with their Doc...  You can also do searches on places like Angie's List... (One word: Reviews reviews reviews... Read them!)  Once you have one in mind, set up a new patient appt...  Here's what I did next: I journaled... I know, sounds weird...  But because of all of the pain my first idiot, er um, I mean Primary Care Doc caused, I sat down & wrote everything out... How it started, what he'd done, what he hadn't done, what tests he'd done,  etc etc...  When I found a Doc that sounded ideal, made the new patient appt, I took that journal in... At first, she took it & I really didn't think she would read it... (They have a ton to read, & I get that...)  But as it turns out, she did read it... I was very honest about the fact that I needed a Doc I could work with, what my personality was & what I expected from her... She took it all in, asked questions that I would have expected her to ask, & even a few that no one had ever asked me before.... She actually LOOKED at me while talking to me... Not just at her notes or computer... I was so impressed with her, I asked her to please go ahead and transfer my records over that very visit... (I was also very honest about why I was looking for another Doctor... Not rude, just honest...)  Now I realize that you're talking about changing GI's, so there's a referral issue that needs to happen here... But the advice still stands... Call your Primary Care doctor, explain that you're not happy with your current GI and ask for a referral... OR, if you find one that someone else recommends, or you want to try through whatever means you find them, explain to your Primary Care that you'd like a referral to that Doctor...

 Reply posted for stormcat42.

Thanks, I have been told by several people that I need to change Dr's.  I finally have found another group that is on my insurance.  My HR dept at work suggested I start with a 2nd opinion so I can test them out before switching all together.  I've been with the same GI since the beginning.  What's the best way to approach getting another opinion / changing?  How do I get my records to the new Dr, or does the new Dr. get them?

 Reply posted for bird11.

I'm not sure how much my reply will mean here after what other folks have said, but I would highly recommend the FMLA... It was one of the first things someone recommended to me, in order to help with my employment... I don't lean on it, mind you... And most of my "sick" days are spent working from home... (Yea, I'm wierd... Love my job, love doing it, and hate it when I can't be there...LOL)

But the FMLA may help in this situation... It's worth a try anyway... I'm sorry that you don't have flexibility in your job... Have you tried sitting down with your Supervisor AND HER Supervisor?  I've found that just a small amount of education can go a long way, especially once they realize that this is serious AND it's covered by the ADA!! 

Just my .02...

 Reply posted for kaye.

For Kaye,

I would suggest a new Doc!!  I love my GI and I don't even have to get a whole request out of my mouth for a work excuse OR FMLA paperwork and he's already on it... Because the FMLA deals with your GI, it should be the GI's team who fills that out for you...

I will tell you this: it took me three Primary Cares to finally find one that's willing to do what she's supposed to... IE: work for me... I got lucky with my GI and hit the nail on the head right off... It helps that his own daughter has had UC for 30 years so he understands what his patients are going through... I know you say you like his Nurse, but seriously, with something this bad off, you need to find a Doc that works for you...

 Reply posted for goofygutz.

I have a similar issue.  My boss is pretty understanding, but makes me go by the same rules as the rest of the department.  My primary Dr. suggested I get a FMLA in place to protect me as well as my boss.  She told me to try my GI Dr. first since its due to Crohns, but that if they wouldn't do it, she would.  I guess she suspected his answer because she was right...my GI says he doesn't do them for anybody and to have my primary Dr. do it!  Anybody else deal with a Dr. like this?  He is a decent Dr., but downplays my symptoms sometimes and isn't compassionate.   I can get in to see him pretty much whenever I need to, which I hear is rare among Dr's and I love his nurse or I would have changed Dr's long ago!

 Reply posted for goofygutz.

Hi Goofygutz :)  Thank you - It really does help to know there's someone there who know what it's like. I really appreciate your support. It means a lot! Feel better too!   Bird

 Reply posted for bird11.

Hi bird11. 

I have the same problem a lot of the time. I get tardies marked for me too. I have an FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) in place at my job but it doesn't cover tardies. Its rough even if I get up much earlier the problem is just I can't leave the house until my UC settles down and lets me. I also start work at 8:30am. . I wish there was an easy answer I could give to help but just wanted you to know your not alone.   

 Reply posted for jliberty.

Thank you for writing! I did say I woud get a note about three months ago because it was so bad - the pain - that I would make it to work one day at 8:30, another at 8:47, another I'd have to leave early - but most of the time, I suffer through the pain because she told me I could get a note but if I was that sick maybe I should take time off on disabiity. Disbaility is not offered at my job. I can take 5 days off for what they call Short Term Disability. So with 4 kids, I knew I couldn't, and this disease is so unpredictable as you know. I didn't want to say I'd take the full 5 days now but end up needing it later if this got worse. I asked her if on days that are bad I could "flex" my time. She said no, I had to commit to my work schedule - I could "flex" it by saying I'd start at 8a and work til 4p; or I could start at 8:30 and work til 4:30. But I can't work later on a day I'm feeling okay to make up for a day I had to leave early. I also can't, if I'm having a good day, start at 8a if I've committed to start at 8:30a, even if that means on that day getting out at 4p would get me to my daughters play on time, etc. Is there a rule/law regarding what I can and can't do with a Dr's note? People without ulcerative colits don't understand - I work as hard as I can, and through pain most of the time - pain they can't see because it's inside. For the rare days I feel okay, I wish they would let m e flex my hours. It doesn't seem right. 
  Thanks for listening and the advice!

 Reply posted for bird11.

I would recommend getting a doctor note, this is discrimination.