Post-Ictal Collegue - Disciplinary Hearing HELP!!

[Raphael]

Hi

I posted here about my collegues 'odd behavior' so I am not cross posting!

Need Help Understanding a Collegue With Epilepsy

My collegue / friend got sent home on Thursday and now a 'dragon lady' supervisor has got her claws into him due to his performance and wants him to get the sack. She has tried every trick in the book and now (of course) she wants to catch him out. He has the odd 'spliff' after work - I don't agree but 9 out of the 14 collegues have a puff after work so now she wants to cite that he comes to work stoned on the bus, can smell weed on him and wants to do a bag search on Monday - so I have warned all the staff in a round about way.

I am going into the disciplinary on Monday - and I am going to get HR in there and go over the Disability Discrimination Act and reasonable adjustments etc - I need to protect him. She is on about Occupational Health and uses words like 'stream lining' we all know what the bitch wants.

Moving forward I am getting him on the straight and narrow and have instructed everyone at work to make it difficult for him to get weed. I spoke to his wife for over an hour and told her to make it as difficult as possible for him to smoke and remove any she finds and spoke to my friend again for an hour that as an ex-smoker the harm this is doing to his moods like running on crutches - if he continues I won't protect him.

I don't know what work I can offer him, what role, and if it continues I will have no choice to move him on if he can't do the job or any other that is a reasonable adjustment - now women are saying that he 'creeps them out' and he is getting a bit creepy around women.

I got him to see his GP and Consultant Friday, got him taxis there and back went out of my way to review his meds suggest that he asks his consultant to look at lamictal and review that he is on an anti-d (the worst one - seroxat!) I am not telling him what to do med wise - I can't do that but I can only encourage him to be pro-active before he ends up one of those silent victims have your pills and shut up etc.

Have I covered everything for Monday? The DDA - reasonable adjustments, warning him, speaking to family, is there anything else I can do?

[Bernard]

It looks like you are doing what you can, but to be honest, if he doesn't get his seizures under control, I really can't fault the dragon lady because I would suspect his performance probably is below par.

I don't know what kind of care he is currently receiving, and I'm guessing you both are in the UK... so it may be difficult to see a doctor on short notice... so I can only suggest some common things for him that might help with seizure control:

• Get a regular sleep routine of at least 9 hours a night - ie. go to bed every night at the same hour
• Eat a good diet - low carb/sugar seems to be the common theme amongst the various diets studied as helpful for seizure control
• Avoid stimulants and depressents - caffeine, alcohol, etc.
• Get regular excersize - healthy body, healthy mind
• Meditation or yoga - calm the mind and spirit without drugs

Unfortunately, you can only play a small part in the things he needs to do. Bless you for looking after him though.

[Raphael]

Hi -

Thanks for your response I am speaking to him tommorow getting an action plan and ensuring he does not look like he has been dragged through a bush

I have to agree he eats crap and I have told him stay away from caffeine.

Routine seems to be important to him.

He did manage to get a different consultant I got the appointment date and I have diarised it in outlook because he will probably forget.

Yes we are in the UK the NHS can be a pain but if you are pro-active you will get the best possible help.

I seem to adopt animals and people at work my wife always dreads what I come home with

I will keep you posted I think he will live to see another day but I think he has used up all his lives so to say

Failing that he gets a good reference and I move on to the next soul that needs saving

Thanks for running this place and taking the time to respond

[POSITIVEPERSON]

Wow Rapheal I think thats so admirable of you to try and help your colleague and friend.

MY hats off to you!!!!!!! Your one of a kind!!!!!!!!!!


Riva

[Raphael]

Hi

Thanks

I have bipolar affective disorder - probably front temporal lobe epilepsy but the consultant has never been sure had the general mood swings and was put on the usual meds for bipolar.

I am on Lamotrigine an anti-e and I have had no 'symptoms' I do know however if I don't take it I get 'trailing eyes' and have been confused and even urinated myself so go figure.

In my last job I was shafted and pushed out could not work - I know just how cruel people and ignorant people can be.

3 years on I don't know what it's like without lamictal just have the odd episode where I go home....I think nothing about and don't consider placing a title on what I have