The (not so old) Crocks Cafe -Part 2

jennihen

Morning all! I haven't popped in for a while. Best wishes to all as ever.

My 19 year old found out yesterday evening that his thyroid is overactive again. He'd been drug free for 3 years prior to this. He doesn't deserve this.

I know its a really manageable condition and we are blessed with excellent GPs - I rang at 5.00 and we had Carbimazole in our hands by 5.30!! -but its a real blow!

One question he asked is 'Does he have to tell his employer?'


Jenni

soolin

jennihen wrote: »

Morning all! I haven't popped in for a while. Best wishes to all as ever.

My 19 year old found out yesterday evening that his thyroid is overactive again. He'd been drug free for 3 years prior to this. He doesn't deserve this.

I know its a really manageable condition and we are blessed with excellent GPs - I rang at 5.00 and we had Carbimazole in our hands by 5.30!! -but its a real blow!

One question he asked is 'Does he have to tell his employer?'


Jenni

There is no obligation to tell the employer anything. It is not a condition likely to affect his ability to do his work or prevent him undertaking any tasks so I personally would say nothing.

So many people now have thyroid issues (half my family are on life time medication for it) that he probably works with others and doesn't even realise it.

jennihen

Thanks for that1 He's not willing to share! What are the implications of not mentioning it if asked with a new employer?

soolin

jennihen wrote: »

Thanks for that1 He's not willing to share! What are the implications of not mentioning it if asked with a new employer?

He does not have to mention it at all it is not a disability and it does not affect his work. I work in recruitment and we would only expect people to tell us if they had any significant disability that means we would have to make adaptions for their employment, ie ramps for wheelchairs, or special PC screens or chairs for other physical or mental disabilities.

For my specialised posts where we do require a full declaration we still don't need details, we either ask for full access to medical records if required or if candidate believes they may have something minor that 'might' affect their ability to do the work without adjustments being made we send them to occupational health and take advice from there.

I have coeliac disease , I have never mentioned it anywhere to anyone even though adjustments do need to be made for me. I work at different palces at a senior level so am always provided with lunch, dinner or refreshments where approrpiate so I merely mention that if there is catering I will require to to be gluten free.

As I mentioned above several close fmaily members have thyroid problems for which they take regular drugs to regulate (all require medication to regulate). None have ever declared it nor has it ever been an issue.

juno

Work don't know about my thyroid problems. Well, I've told a few unofficially, but that's all. Mine's underactive but I don't see why it would be any different.

formaldehyde_perfume

Why does time seem to go so slowly when you're waiting for something? I am waiting and hoping for a positive decision on both my DLA and ESA applications. Half of me wants to know right now, the other half thinks it'll be a negative decision so what's the point in hanging on for it, my mind is going round and round with all these thoughts and I just wish there was an 'off' button for my brain, it's starting to hurt.

jennihen

juno wrote: »

Work don't know about my thyroid problems. Well, I've told a few unofficially, but that's all. Mine's underactive but I don't see why it would be any different.

My son's is overactive. He was horrifically ill before with it but we hope to have caught it early this time. Even a slight increase compared to last time has resulted in weightloss (6lbs this week alone) disturbed sleep pattern, nightmares, tremors, upset stomach and generally feeling carp.
As he is a teenager his hormone levels are not stable and if the thyroid keeps switching on and off he will have to have it removed - I guess the hardest part is getting him stablised again. He has worked all weekend and is shattered.

LameWolf

formaldehyde_perfume wrote: »

Why does time seem to go so slowly when you're waiting for something? I am waiting and hoping for a positive decision on both my DLA and ESA applications. Half of me wants to know right now, the other half thinks it'll be a negative decision so what's the point in hanging on for it, my mind is going round and round with all these thoughts and I just wish there was an 'off' button for my brain, it's starting to hurt.

*Looks for FP's "off" button.*:D
I know what you mean; it weasels its way into all your thoughts - I've become quite good at pushing out intrusive thoughts, but that's probably from several decades of practise, and is much harder when I'm tired.:cool: Only thing I can suggest is keeping your mind occupied elsewhere, and firmly pushing the worry aside when it sneaks in. I'm keeping my paws crossed for you, in any case.:o

JJ7

As he is a teenager his hormone levels are not stable and if the thyroid keeps switching on and off he will have to have it removed

Hi Jennihen,

having suffered from this I really feel for your son. For me personally overactive was the worst by far. It really was a living nightmare, the tremours, the dreadful sweating, racing heart, severe weight loss, etc. It wasn't picked up for many years until my thyroid totally shut down.

I don't know how old your son is but I hope it helps him to know someone has been through this and come out the other side (I have ) and much though I'd like to say I'm fine now, I have other serious conditons to deal with but not, thankfully an overactive thyroid.

SingleSue

Went back yesterday for the results of my blood tests....and not really any further forward!

Blood sugar - fine (4, which is what it has always been)
Cholestorol - Fine (can't remember the number but it was normal)
Liver function - Slightly out of kilter but nothing to worry about
Rheumatoid factor - Negative

And god knows what else, the list on the screen was a mile long!

So, she has now made a referal to Rheumi as suggested by the spinal service and physio.

On the good news front, the naproxen is so much better than the codeine, no muzzy feeling, no icky feeling and no drowsyness....and it seems to help a little with the old joints!

On the grrr front - we have discovered that everything we had set up for eldest son for his GCSE studies have magically not been passed on for his A levels, so he has not been having a laptop or had any special exam provision made. The school has also managed to lose the letter from the hand specialist (he sent it direct to school so no copy held here) detailing eldest's need for a laptop (very unstable wrists and fingers, they dislocate just by holding a pen let alone writing with one), so we have to get another one! Mind you, it is a blessing in disguise in a way as eldest needed a new thumb and hand brace as his has worn away to almost nothing so a new one needs to be made.

Luckily, after contact with the hand specialist, a cancellation came in so we go up on Thursday, much better than the original Jan/Feb they first said.

So so annoyed with his school, I should have known they had mucked up somewhere as his other school (6th form is cross site in 2 seperate high schools), had not been informed by his regular school of his EDS, heart problems or dyslexia...mind you, his teachers at his regular school hadn't been informed either, it was only May it was all confirmed with them and information dispatched to them regarding what he can and can't do!

The mind boggles, it really does....how can the information be there at the end of one term and magically disappear from his school record over the summer break?