so, i need to change jobs. i'm not really posting here asking for a hand out, more for advice on what to look at - what to apply for has been one thing i've always struggled with. i currently detail cars for a panel shop, but getting hot and sweaty then wet and cold in the weather is not good for my current medical situation, nor is the physical aspect. i have 2 partially herniated discs in my lower back and a few retarded discs in my middle back lol. the lower discs are putting pressure on the sciatic nerve which is giving me pretty severe nerve pain in me legs (sciatica). i do take several different kinds of pain killers, but i still live with severe chronic pain amongst the side effects of the medication i take. i'm basically looking to move back in with my mum so i can go on a disability payment and get the surgery and rehab that comes with it, but the surgery and what not will be a while off and i'd like to keep working as long as i can. my back doesn't exactly stop me from doing heavy lifting or some physical work, but its doing my head in doing physical work all day long. i'm also not able to work in a position where there is no one else to cover me if i have a sick day as there are some days that pain killers just don't help, but sick days would be very few in a role that is not 100% physical. so... i really have no idea what to look at applying for. im going to have an appointment with a recruitment agency to hear their thoughts, but the more thoughts the merrier... i can apply myself to any role and learn and adapt very quickly, but i would also like to try and avoid something that is mentally exhausting and/or stuck in a chair all day (ie. call centre work) as this can be just as bad for my back as lifting incorrectly. i was thinking of doing something delivery driver based again, but thats a role that usually isn't easily covered if i was to call in sick. sorry if it sounds like im whinging in this post - thats not my intention, atm when i look at seek i see a thousand jobs i could apply, so i just need a little help narrowing things down a bit...

This might Sound cheesy but best bet is to start off with your neurologist or rehab instructor to hear what they would recommend and take it from there.. I know a few people who have dislocated discs in the cervical area and I remember them telling me there were days when they couldn't get out of bed, had severe depression etc... but managed to pull through by doing their exercises, and keeping active. Good luck

no suggestions here but sorry to hear of your pain good luck with it all

thanks guys. its certainly affected me mentally, it feels like the worlds against me at times and others feels like theres no hope for me, usually after talking to someone at centrelink or something lol. but i do get a lot of support from family and my gp, so that helps a lot. it looks like im going to go on a disability payment asap and i will most likely get a casual delivery driver job as i'm allowed to work a small amount on the payment. i would go crazy with no job at all, so just need to find the balance so i can focus on appointments and hopefully get some kind of regular physio. it would be good to hear about what jobs others with similar problems or even anything that has forced them to change jobs due to injury or illness. i have alot of respect for anyone that has faced similar issues and any advice would mean a great deal to me. unfortunately i dont have a neurologist or anything similar to a rehab dr to work with, i'm waiting for an appointment with a spinal specialist, so i will discuss it with them, but that could be months away. mods - could you please move this to an off topic section in the normal forum? it would be good to get a few more views.

well my dr has been fantastic and filled out the forms for me to go on a disability payment. its something i should have been on for the past 2 years but its an up hill battle with centrelink! this means i will be able to work up to 15 hours a week without it cancelling the payment but if i feel well enough to work more hours im able to do so, but the payment will be put on hold. if i feel im not able to continue working in a 2 year period, the payment will be resumed. its a huge weight off my shoulders as i'm not just able to continue the way i have been. so i will now look out for a casual or part time job as a delivery driver or similar, if anyone knows of anything that would fit the bill, give me a yell.

driving can be a bit so so as it does put strain on your back and so will picking up / dropping off large boxes. On the other side my Father has a bad back. nothing like yours just an old fella who punches a bit above his weight. He has a chrysler 300c with heated seats and does some long distance driving. he finds its absolutelyu excellent for his back (Heat, soft seats soft ride) I'd be looking at an office job. anything with lifting isn't going to be good. maybe even something in sales or repping? parts interpreter? what employment history / education do you have?

Quote: so, i need to change jobs. i'm not really posting here asking for a hand out, more for advice on what to look at - what to apply for has been one thing i've always struggled with. i currently detail cars for a panel shop, but getting hot and sweaty then wet and cold in the weather is not good for my current medical situation, nor is the physical aspect. i have 2 partially herniated discs in my lower back and a few retarded discs in my middle back lol. the lower discs are putting pressure on the sciatic nerve which is giving me pretty severe nerve pain in me legs (sciatica). i do take several different kinds of pain killers, but i still live with severe chronic pain amongst the side effects of the medication i take. i'm basically looking to move back in with my mum so i can go on a disability payment and get the surgery and rehab that comes with it, but the surgery and what not will be a while off and i'd like to keep working as long as i can. my back doesn't exactly stop me from doing heavy lifting or some physical work, but its doing my head in doing physical work all day long. i'm also not able to work in a position where there is no one else to cover me if i have a sick day as there are some days that pain killers just don't help, but sick days would be very few in a role that is not 100% physical. so... i really have no idea what to look at applying for. im going to have an appointment with a recruitment agency to hear their thoughts, but the more thoughts the merrier... i can apply myself to any role and learn and adapt very quickly, but i would also like to try and avoid something that is mentally exhausting and/or stuck in a chair all day (ie. call centre work) as this can be just as bad for my back as lifting incorrectly. i was thinking of doing something delivery driver based again, but thats a role that usually isn't easily covered if i was to call in sick. sorry if it sounds like im whinging in this post - thats not my intention, atm when i look at seek i see a thousand jobs i could apply, so i just need a little help narrowing things down a bit... Yeah sorry I can't help you out much there mate, I've been out of work for 6 months and there is nothing physically or mentally wrong with me. The idiots I have to put up with who either tell me to find "somewhere better to work" or "other work" (employees & employers) and I have done all of that to no avail, right at the beginning in 2002, they tell me my skill base is too narrow because I was only fixing power tools and doing the odd job on the catering equipment side of thing, now tell me my CV is too big after working for various companies in the rail & mining industries as an elect fitter/mechanic, yeah, this is around the Newcastle area, I always thought they were a bit backwards, 4 MB PDF file size seems to be too big for them (Resume file). If I go back to my previous employers ,they think "Labourer,T/A" or something like that (yeah, HE thinks I'm an idiot !!!), most people with enough common sense know I'm smarter than that. I seemed to have got a knock back from Westrac when I went for an Auto electrical position, I don't know what's going on there because there are 2 of them at Tomago and I don't know what else I would do or where else I could work around there.

i think there is something mental goin on there rb30devl iv seen u post utter crap into threads that make no scense at all.. look at the replys in the closed thread police cars hahah lmao.

lol yeah i didn't quite understand what he was on about either. the thing with my back is it first appeared when i was working in IT, in an office all day. so its not an injury from lifting etc, its just something my back has grown in to. i find delivery/driving would be stimulating enough mentally and physically without being over the top. i'm not talking about delivering furniture or anything lol, something like sample deliveries at drs clinics n **** would be good, or parts, whatever. i can do heavy lifting without damaging my back, but i cant do it as the main role (ie. 8 hours a day). at the moment i call in sick to work when i feel like my back is going to be tight and crunchy all day because im on my feet all day. i will always be in pain, but i just need to find something that will have me feeling a bit more comfortable. and im the same with driving if the vehicle has comfortable seats as my back is able to relax a bit and as long as im not doing that only, its a change of position.

interesting. seems a sales rep role would be awesome. on the road. lots of variation, still some office days with no lifting or partial office days. what skills do you have / experience?

skills is hard for me to mention, never been good at recognising them lol, but i've learned alot from each job i've done and am good at cross referencing skills needed for one job from a different job if you get me. in the past i've worked as a chef (not qualified) for 6 years, removalist, delivery driver, party hire (ie. setting up marquees) call centre as an agent on the phone and as a team leader, IT tech support for Salmat and Salesforce (call centres etc), car detailer, front of house in a cafe doing coffees taking orders etc, general labourer. probly few other jobs here and there, done a bit of everything and can apply myself to a bit of everything. im only able to work a max of 14 hours a week on the disability payment though, so that will be a bit of a limiting factor in what job i get. i also wouldn't feel totally comfortable taking a job with too much responsibility as there will be a few days here and there that i just won't be able to work.

bump... anyone else on a disability payment in a similar situation with work etc? i have an appointment with the employment provider on the 3rd, so would be get to get some feedback from others who have gone through the same....

I know it sounds like a **** job Billy, but what about part time supermarket work? You'll get $18-$20 off the bat, have no real worries if you have to call in sick, can get on a contract and have a regular 15 hours a week, sick pay and annual leave. Oh, and it's physical, but they're all about safe working practices, so have all the equipment to minimise strains/injuries.

I agree with 5spdvl. I use to work as a detailer for an auto body shop for 2 years, hard job attention to detail for little pay. I know I'm smarter than that so Iv decided education can give me more pay, more self respect, easier work, more responsibility. Better for my situation... Recently I went to see a specialist about my knee ( sheered a growth plate off my knee cap when i was 16) now 26 bad news needs op and looks bad in there. But am going to uni studying OH&S, moving bk in with my dad and getting part time work. Look to the future mate I'd say you have a good head on your shoulders, so don't let it go to waist n work jobs you hate just because your injerd. Use this down time to set your self up . They will fix you up n till some better treatment comes along wish you all the best buddy Iv had - lung ops ( collapsed lungs both sides ) just from being tall, thin and growing Bad knees Bad shoulders (shallow joints lol) Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

I dont agree with the sales rep role. I was one for over 2 years and I get lower back pain and pinched nerves in my upper back. Being in the car isn't exactly the best for bad backs and especially when it's as serious as yours. I would maybe suggest a spares parts interpreter or something like that? allows you to get off the tools and out of the elements, while utilising your skills and at the same time giving you the opportunity to move up?

I was a courier last year id say its not ideal for your situation. So you want low impact, not manual labour, stimulating.. Mate I'm sure your not the only one the hospital can link you to people in sim situations and may be able to give you some advice but remember they are not you. You set your own limitations not the us or any one. Job in the water? Instructor? Diver? Big money in diving for mining companies.

there are many varied courier roles though... i was thinking along the lines of the couriers that do runs for medical offices (ie. samples etc) anyway, centrelink ****ed up as usual and sent me to a normal employment provider who had no idea about placing someone with an injury into the workplace. i kept asking if they had any jobs they could suggest and the response was for me to get together some jobs being advertised that i liked and they would tell me if i am able to do the intended role lol. supermarket work is 100% on the feet as well, so thats no good. still, keep adding ideas, might help someone else as well, so the more info the betterer