Returning to work with Fibromyalgia

“I have the knowledge, tools, and determination to accept the pains, frustration and to smile again. What a team I was privileged to be given as my foundation for success and they delivered.”

Clinical Perspective

Diagnosis and condition at the commencement of programme

This client was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in July 2018 and had a 12-year history of ankle and leg pain following a road traffic accident. At the commencement of the programmes the client described himself as an ‘emotional wreck’ and was observably distressed during assessment with high anxiety and depression scores. He had very limited capacity, due to pain, to engage in normal activities for longer than 20 minutes and could not conceive of a return to work in a high pressured environment with his current symptoms. The relationships with his family were strained due to difficulty communicating effectively with family and friends and trying to keep concerns to himself.

The Programme structure

Over a 12-month period, he had 22 telerehabilitation sessions which were delivered by a Physiotherapist and a Psychologist specialising in persistent pain and fatigue conditions. The case was overseen by an Occupational Therapist who reviewed progress and continuously assessed functional and vocational capacity, including one workplace visit and communicating regularly with the client’s employer when a return to work became a realistic plan.

Outcomes

A return to work on a phased basis commenced in January 2020 consisting of 4 x 6-hour days and with an intention to return to a full-time senior role within the company in time.

Client Testimonial

Where I was and how the programme helped to rebuild my life

The programme has enabled me to get out of the mess I was in in my head. I was in a place of a sense of no worth, no purpose and with all hope vanished of being able to have a life, never mind work. I was in a hole, feeling angry and frustrated. It was the worst place I have ever been in my life. The team straightened me out. They did this by starting to help me to understand the psychology of what was going on. I saw a psychologist and a physio initially. It was such a relief to have someone to talk to, who would use strategies to help me open the doors that were ajar that I didn’t want to talk about, and this had an amazing effect on me. The clinicians helped me to see that life can be worth living and it is possible to accept and change to a life lived with chronic pain. It was perfect being able to do the sessions remotely as some days I couldn’t get out of bed, never mind travel to get to a surgery.

Learning ways to manage my pain

My experience of pain means that I only sleep for 4 hours at a time because all my muscles lock up. I wasn’t able to lift my arm or hold a phone for more than a minute due to extreme pain from a frozen shoulder. The physio introduced a ten-minute programme of exercise each morning and these are now part of my life. I was able to rebuild my body to help my mind move forward. The physio was always flexible and responsive according to my progress.

Improving relationships

The clinicians encouraged me to find a way to start opening up and talking to my family. For example, rather than just saying I couldn’t do something, I was able to explain more of how it was for me. My relations with my family have improved immensely because of doing this and no longer stuffing things down and cutting off. I would tend before to put work first and family second and this is no longer the case. I also spoke openly to colleagues at work and this improved relationships too.

Practically supporting my return to work

I have my own office at work which means that I can shut the door and do the exercises without embarrassing other people. I also can take rests when I need to. Once I started to improve and my cognitive function was increasing, I made the decision that I was not going to sit at home in pain and thinking that I am useless as work has always been very important to me. I need to work; not for financial reasons per se, but because I need the stimulation and the interaction. At this point in my programme, another clinician came on board to support me to negotiate a return to work. She was keen to improve my quality of life which would then find expressions in returning to work. It was such a relief to talk to someone who never thought I was going crazy and to whom I was able to say how I felt. She talked me through the steps of getting me back to work and about my skillset and we set a target of 4 hours over 3 days initially. This clinician helped to steer the conversation and supported me with behaviour changes, such as going home once I had done my hours. I accepted the level of pain I have in my life and realise that I can still control other aspects, which was liberating. The clinician attended workplace meetings with me and regularly checked in with me to check on progress and any issues that she could assist with.

In the interim of my being off sick, the company I work for changed their approach to more of a wellbeing-centred one and introduced mindfulness and wellness sessions regularly for all the team. Most of the management didn’t take breaks and this change has meant we are encouraged to prioritise looking after ourselves as the first port of call. It brings fun and interaction to the team and is priceless and has been key in assisting me to maintain my return to work.

Where I am now

I keep up the practices that I have been taught, I work on my thinking and attitude towards my pain and I now believe in myself and my right to a full life and talking openly with others.

I’m currently feeling in control of life, work, and how I intend to have a great life and I also know that there will be bumps in the road but I also now know I have the knowledge, tools, and determination to accept the pains, frustration and to smile again.

“What a team I was privileged to be given as my foundation for success and they delivered.”