ill health retirement

[gothbiker666]

hi, Ive worked for the royal mail for about 10yrs, I've currently been off work for 3 months, I have problems with my knees, I've been asking my manger for 4 months before I was signed off, if i could have an atos referal for physio, nearly 2 months after first been signed off a manager agreed, Ive been told I have problems with my tendons, my knee caps are wonky, my back and shoulders are twisted, My gp practice have been telling myslef to find a new job thats been since feb this year), work is causing the problems due to the weights and walking, one private physio I've been paying for 3 months has said I need an operation, knee caps removed and cleaned reground and re fitted, then 4-6 months physio after, the atos pysio is saying my back and knee problems are related, since an accident on duty 6-7 years ago it has never recovered properley, all my lower back is knotted according to pysio, Ive been told I wont ever do a full walk again.
at the moment my manager is trying to bully me in to a 4 week rehab plan then a full duty in 10 weeks, physio have said its stupid, my dr has offered to sign myself off again, what can I do?
I've read lots of posts and am just trying to find my way forward.

[flaminmoses]

hi, Ive worked for the royal mail for about 10yrs, I've currently been off work for 3 months, I have problems with my knees, I've been asking my manger for 4 months before I was signed off, if i could have an atos referal for physio, nearly 2 months after first been signed off a manager agreed, Ive been told I have problems with my tendons, my knee caps are wonky, my back and shoulders are twisted, My gp practice have been telling myslef to find a new job thats been since feb this year), work is causing the problems due to the weights and walking, one private physio I've been paying for 3 months has said I need an operation, knee caps removed and cleaned reground and re fitted, then 4-6 months physio after, the atos pysio is saying my back and knee problems are related, since an accident on duty 6-7 years ago it has never recovered properley, all my lower back is knotted according to pysio, Ive been told I wont ever do a full walk again.
at the moment my manager is trying to bully me in to a 4 week rehab plan then a full duty in 10 weeks, physio have said its stupid, my dr has offered to sign myself off again, what can I do?
I've read lots of posts and am just trying to find my way forward.

sounds like you have almost the exact problems i have.

knee.....cap out of sync slightly causing grinding....imballance caused by carrying bags on one side....muscles on one side of leg over used and opposite side underused.
diagnosed with wear and tear and told if i continue it will only get worse.
with weight and lots of walking it feels like its getting worse.

back....tight middle and upper back (knotted).....lower back osteo arthritis started....cant shake the lower back issue......having physio and doing the excercises.
some days the pain is worrying especially after carrying weight....

im off atm
had the xray but im sure that didnt pick the main problem up apart from the beggining of arthritis so gonna ask to get reffered to a proper consultant.

[flaminmoses]

forgot to add.
tell atos your problems so its on record.

if you do go back and cant do a part / full walk you will have to go off again.

this will probably then entitle you to amended duties.

if they dont obey they can lose at a tribunal like they did with me

make sure you ask atos for all reports (every time you speak to them) that they send to your dom.

[gothbiker666]

Same problems as myself!
I've had x rays, I would like a MRI scan, but would have to go private, my gp has said I'm going to be off for atleast 2 more months, and is writing a letter, atos physio has just finished, they said I shouldn't be in work, rather be out of the royal mail before my body is totally wrecked

[flaminmoses]

if the physio doesnt work i will be pushing my gp for an mri.

doesnt happen too quickly mind.....i had one on my knee....on the nhs

[pokos27]

you can have a mri on nhs, just use atos if you can, but pay attention to your body, you sound kanckered

[redissue]

I know what you guys are going through.
I've been off work for nearly 9 months now with a bad back. I've been through the ATOS process,they set me up 3 Physio appointments.
The Physio has said that the job has caused the problem. Heavy lifting and walking in a job that I've been doing for 25 years would cause the symptoms.
I've been sent to the MATS centre by my doctor and the specialist there has arranged more Physio and have been warned that it would be up to six months of treatment.I've also be told that surgery may end up being my only option:(
They also advised me to look for another job. My back will not fully recover if I go back to a manual job.
My doctor arranged an X-ray ,usually with my back condition it would'nt show up in an X-ray.But it's so bad that all the problems showed up and now i''m facing an MRI scan as the problem is worse than they thought.
My DOM has reffered me to ATOS for a face to face with their Doctor , so I had a phone call with one of their advisors. They agreed that IHR would be the best option as my DOM has asked for it to be considered.They said that I would be getting an appointment with one of their doctors for a Face to face.
Well I didn't get a face to face but had a 30 min phone conversation with a Doctor!
He had no Information about my condition ,no doctor notes no specialist note!
He asked me could I do light work,well even my DOM has said that this would'nt be a good idea. So the doctor has asked for more info before he is prepared to put me forward for a face to face. And after a talk on the phone has agreed that I cant work even light duties.I'm now waiting for my DOM to decide If its worth waiting for this info or to just ask me to leave on IHR.I hope all of us have a good outcomes but I agree with Pokos27 we have to pay attention to our bodies,no job is worth staying in if you have health problems.

[redissue]

I know what you guys are going through.
I've been off work for nearly 9 months now with a bad back. I've been through the ATOS process,they set me up 3 Physio appointments.
The Physio has said that the job has caused the problem. Heavy lifting and walking in a job that I've been doing for 25 years would cause the symptoms.
I've been sent to the MATS centre by my doctor and the specialist there has arranged more Physio and have been warned that it would be up to six months of treatment.I've also be told that surgery may end up being my only option:(
They also advised me to look for another job. My back will not fully recover if I go back to a manual job.
My doctor arranged an X-ray ,usually with my back condition it would'nt show up in an X-ray.But it's so bad that all the problems showed up and now i''m facing an MRI scan as the problem is worse than they thought.
My DOM has reffered me to ATOS for a face to face with their Doctor , so I had a phone call with one of their advisors. They agreed that IHR would be the best option as my DOM has asked for it to be considered.They said that I would be getting an appointment with one of their doctors for a Face to face.
Well I didn't get a face to face but had a 30 min phone conversation with a Doctor!
He had no Information about my condition ,no doctor notes no specialist note!
He asked me could I do light work,well even my DOM has said that this would'nt be a good idea. So the doctor has asked for more info before he is prepared to put me forward for a face to face. And after a talk on the phone has agreed that I cant work even light duties.I'm now waiting for my DOM to decide If its worth waiting for this info or to just ask me to leave on IHR.I hope all of us have a good outcomes but I agree with Pokos27 we have to pay attention to our bodies,no job is worth staying in if you have health problems.

Well I had a face to face with the above doctor and guess what even with a report from my Doctor saying I was unfit to do any Physical work they are advising that I cant get IHR but that I could have a Rehab planned return to work !!
Infact they said exactly what they said on the phone to me the last time !
By the way my specialist refused to give a report as they had experience of problems with ATOS !!! So now my DOM has one doctor saying I could do light work over a period of time ( even though its just a suggestion! ) and a doctor and specialist saying the complete opposite !! Mad ! So after over 10 months of pain and uncertainty about my job I'm back to square one!! Obviously I've disagreed with their opinion and I will ask for a 2nd opinion. I'd imagine that it's up to my DOM if they feel it's worth me going back to work with the chance that I could make the condition worse. The mad thing is that the ATOS doctor said that the rehab may not work !
It's really a matter of wether the DOM takes the view that I may never get to a standard to do my job.

[flaminmoses]

i think tahts normal procedure.

you would have to go through their return to work rehab plan.

[redissue]

i think tahts normal procedure.

you would have to go through their return to work rehab plan.

I had a feeling that was what would happen, any idea how long this plan is and what happens if you don't respond to treatment?

[flaminmoses]

you should have input into this plan.

what i did was this

week 1....4 hours....only did indoor work which was basically prepping
week 2....4 hours indoor 1 hours walking
week 3....4 hours indoor 2 hours walking


till your upto speed.
if you have a problem then you should discuss it with your dom and he or she should keep you on that week or put you back a week.

after the second day on week one my back was still hurting so had to go off sick again.

now awaiting rm's rehab works

ive been there before and so know what to expect.
not looking forward to lifting those pesky boxes as my back cant handle much weight

[redissue]

you should have input into this plan.

what i did was this

week 1....4 hours....only did indoor work which was basically prepping
week 2....4 hours indoor 1 hours walking
week 3....4 hours indoor 2 hours walking


till your upto speed.
if you have a problem then you should discuss it with your dom and he or she should keep you on that week or put you back a week.

after the second day on week one my back was still hurting so had to go off sick again.

now awaiting rm's rehab works



ive been there before and so know what to expect.
not looking forward to lifting those pesky boxes as my back cant handle much weight

Thanks for the info,pity I cant do any of these things at the moment!
The Atos doctor totally ignored the fact that i'm having specialist treatment through the NHS .I've contacted my doctor and they are fuming after sending a strongly worded report. Mad !

[redissue]

Well even though the ATOS Ocupational physician said I should consider Return to work rehab his report I've got now says I can't work for between 3-6 months!!
He's advising that i go to the NHS rehab and see how the treatment works out,I know from talking to my doctor and back specialist that they are agreed in that I should not have any other rehab and definetly no physical work.
I know what royal mails idea of light duties is!!
So It looks like my DOM is going to have to make a decision to either take a risk that I will fully recover in six months or re apply for IHR !
At least the ATOS Physician agreed with my GP and specialist that I have a genuine condition.
Its obviously a problem for my DOM as already Ive been of work for 10 months with at least another six on top with no guarantee that i will return.

[flaminmoses]

if i was you id do indoor work.

probably means you can only do stuff like dead letters though.

[redissue]

Forgot to say I had my 1st Physio through the NHS, god it was sore!
The Physio just looked at me as though I was mad at thinking of going back to work yet.
I'm looking at at least another six months of intense treatment with a nerve blocker to look forward to if I dont respond to treatment.
I've now got another unrelated problem in my leg,which isn't helping me get better.
In the long run I will get better but it looks like i'm in that 2% of people that can take up to 2 years to recover :(
Good luck to all the people like Flaminmoses,fingers crossed we all will be back to health.