Krista3 Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 Hi Everyone,I was recently diagnosed with POTS. I was on a leave from work but am trying to go back this Monday. I am really nervous and scared about going back. The last time I was there was before I was diagnosed and I had a very bad episode.At this point I still cannot really sit up without getting symptomatic. I am going to use a stool (or something similar) to elevate my legs at my desk and see if that helps any. The only time I am comfortable sitting is when I have my legs up.What are some of you doing at work while having a desk job? What do you find helpful? What do you find makes things worse? I would appreciate any and all input. Thank you all so much! Krista Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshinegirl Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Because you have a physically limiting condition your job is obligated to provide you with reasonable accommodations. If you need to be sitting in a reclined chair and can still do your job, that is reasonable. It may mean using a lap top verses a regular computer. If you have to meet with people in an office setting, this is still possible. If they cannot reasonably accommodate you in your current position, they can offer you one in which you can do a good job. Having a note from your Dr. may be necessary. Once it is known that you have a disabling condition, they cannot outright discriminate but....that does not mean that wont do it subtly. You will have to make note of all of your actions, conversations, requests...etc... They cannot tell you that you cant go to a doctors appointment but it is always good to try to schedule them during non peak work hours. I found that I had to go in for hours that I was unpaid to get all my work done so that no one could say I lacked dedication or did not perform my duties. Some things I could take home to do. I always made sure that I did more than was expected of me. I never used company time on the internet or was on my personal phone. Companies have ways of tracking computer use. If you email something to someone in your company always bcc your private account, not work account if it is not "confidential" material owned by the company. This way you always have your own records. I always followed up a spoken conversation with a summary email. This was my way of logging all conversations regarding my condition and work performance. Even though I worked for "good" companies, this came in handy more than once! I hope you never have to use your paper trail but you will could end up sorry if you don't keep one. Im not saying this to scare you but so you can be informed because information is power.Also, I found it very important not to talk about my condition at work very much at all. You can say things one way and be perceived another. It all depends on the culture of your workplace. I did not want to be seen as someone bellyaching at work. If asked, I kept it short and sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahA33 Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Hi Krista,Since we are all so different and specific with what works and doesn't work for us related to our conditions, a lot of what I had to go through when finding what was helpful was good old trial and error. I'd love a handbook: "You have POTS: This is how to get through work every day and feel awesome!" LOL! I can no longer work, however, I wanted to share with you some of my daily tips that my doctor and I came up with when I was working. I was glad to have read that you can prop your legs up, I used to have a little stool that I put a pillow on top of. This was easy to do as I had a decent sized cubicle.Do you have episodes of syncope or pre-syncope? Are you familiar with Leg Crossing and Arm Tensing? This one was really easy to do, but is really important. The link is an article from a study completed at the Academy Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20060313/crossing-legs-helps-frequent-fainters . Just a few other suggestions that worked well for myself, Additionally, keeping salty snacks in my drawer helped a lot.. (pretzels,ritz crackers, etc.) helped to retain the sodium in the fluid intake. 3. I drank (and still do) water and gatoraid throughout the day . http://www.pccoforegon.com/blog/overview-of-pots-syndrome That gives a general baseline of the amount of fluids to take in but its best to talk to your doctor and come up with a plan with him Another few ideas that you could think about are cooling vests and compression stockings. Compression stockings have helped me tremendously!!In my case, when it came to telling co-workers and my bosses, I certainly didn't announce it in the company newsletter, however, I felt it was important enough that my boss knew and that the members on my team who were my employees knew. Only for safety reasons.. It's really something that has to be tailored to one's situation. Hope I was somewhat helpful.Good luck going back to work, keep us updated if you are able to do so!Sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshinegirl Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Check your inbox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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