Stage 2 and now unwell again

[bergos]

Over the space of a year my health has not been great,

I don't want to go into massive detail but I took months off with pains in my legs and struggling with being a type 1 diabetic, came back and got a stage one, expected that to be the case and was hoping to just be able to get on with the job, I was given a 4 week rehabilitation programme, mainly throwing out D2Ds taking the occasional loop out to build my strength back up and get myself able to get back on to walks and resume business as normal, however my managers only had me do 3 weeks of the programme that they had set up for me and then I was back out as normal, about 2 weeks later the tendons in my foot tightened up to the point where I limped around with bags for 9 days before I couldn't take it anymore and had to go to the doctors to see what was up, they advised me to take 2-3 weeks off sick again while the tendons loosened up, this triggered a stage 2 warning as my managers decided it had nothing to do with my initial illness, came back to work and managed a few weeks before getting an abscess in a rather delicate area which required an operation to drain it, followed by another operation 2 days later for the same reason.

This has caused me to be off for a few weeks now, with more time needed before i am going to be fully healed, I am assuming that this will lead to a stage 3 and possibly dismissal from the job, I am really worried that I am going to loose my job and wondering how best to fight my case when I am able to return to work, I know to take a union rep in with me when I do need to have to meet with my managers and I have attempted to get the number for my union rep in order to try and get some advice but so far I have had no luck and will probably only be able to talk to him when I return to work.

If anyone can give me any advice it will be greatly appreciated, its really annoying because the last thing anyone wants to be thinking about when an illness comes out of the blue is how quickly you can get back to work but it seems to be the only thing the management at this place are interested in.

[doorstepped]

Talk to your area Rep, not local rep, it's gone above him now.

he will check that everything was done correctly as anything done wrongly by RM management will result in a stage 3 being null and void. ( I won a stage 3 a few years back because the process was not done properly )

good luck with your illness and everything else.

[leolion855]

i really hope you get through this and fight it if you want to, but you're more important than the job, if you do get dismissed you dont want to work for a company that would do that to you anyway, and you will get another job.

Focus on YOU getting better first and foremost.

[jtshocka]

Diabetes should come under equality act , leg pain and cramps often occur as a result of nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy . If diabetes damages nerves in your arm and legs it's called diabetic peripheral neuropathy may be wort looking into, or having a word with your doctor , if diabetes is mainly the cause of the pains you been having then 2 of the stages should be taken off your record either way good luck

[rubberbond]

Diabetes should come under equality act , leg pain and cramps often occur as a result of nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy . If diabetes damages nerves in your arm and legs it's called diabetic peripheral neuropathy may be wort looking into, or having a word with your doctor , if diabetes is mainly the cause of the pains you been having then 2 of the stages should be taken off your record either way good luck

I would also point out that being diabetic makes you prone to infection,hence the abscess, what's your control like , or your latest Hba1c? Get these in writing ASAP , because you are definitely covered under the legislation and should probably not have been issued with these warnings.Havevyou been referred to OH Assist? I'm asuming you have because you talk about some kind of programme.

[Creditshampoo]

Diabetes should come under equality act , leg pain and cramps often occur as a result of nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy . If diabetes damages nerves in your arm and legs it's called diabetic peripheral neuropathy may be wort looking into, or having a word with your doctor , if diabetes is mainly the cause of the pains you been having then 2 of the stages should be taken off your record either way good luck

Bingo. They wouldn’t dare get rid of you. Well, they could try.

[Navalron]

Diabetes should come under equality act , leg pain and cramps often occur as a result of nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy . If diabetes damages nerves in your arm and legs it's called diabetic peripheral neuropathy may be wort looking into, or having a word with your doctor , if diabetes is mainly the cause of the pains you been having then 2 of the stages should be taken off your record either way good luck

Bingo. They wouldn’t dare get rid of you. Well, they could try.

They get rid of anybody they want these days. The maximum payout from a tribunal is only about £14,000 plus any backdated holiday pay ect. You might be lucky to get an extra few grand in damages but RM don't give a shitand nothing happens it they don't pay out. Look how many ex staff that they have been ordered to restart back and they just ignore that also.

[bergos]

Diabetes should come under equality act , leg pain and cramps often occur as a result of nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy . If diabetes damages nerves in your arm and legs it's called diabetic peripheral neuropathy may be wort looking into, or having a word with your doctor , if diabetes is mainly the cause of the pains you been having then 2 of the stages should be taken off your record either way good luck

I would also point out that being diabetic makes you prone to infection,hence the abscess, what's your control like , or your latest Hba1c? Get these in writing ASAP , because you are definitely covered under the legislation and should probably not have been issued with these warnings.Havevyou been referred to OH Assist? I'm asuming you have because you talk about some kind of programme.

Thanks everyone for your replies,

In the past my control had not been great, I was diagnosed about 3/4 years ago, a few months before I joined royal mail and they were aware of my condition before I got the job, My control in the past had not been the best, as of late I have improved a lot however when an illness comes along or an infection it can make it very difficult for me to keep my blood sugars down, I will have to check with the doctors on what my Hba1c levels are like at the moment, I was referred to OH assist for my first illness after being off for a number of months they suggested I should be fit for work with in 3 weeks of the phone call and on this recommendation I attempted to come back to work on a 4 week rehabilitation programme of working my way back up from just throwing out some d2ds each day, then taking a loop out and on week 3 my managers put me back out on normal duties although I should still have had a week of rehabilitation to go, I mentioned this when I had to go off sick again with plantar fasciitis although my managers didn't see a connection between not being able to walk much for 7 months and returning to normal duties.

I have been in touch with a couple of the guys from my office who are getting in touch with the union rep and the rep for my area, hopefully something can be done about other warnings.

Seems stupid to even have to stress out about warnings and punishment when all i've done is be unwell but looking at other peoples posts on here, I guess i've just got to focus on my health and recovery and worry about that when it comes to it.

Thanks again to all who have replied, means alot