Hi - my name is Mike. I had my first cluster at 19, and my last was at 39. I am currently 44.

My life from 19-31 was completely destroyed by clusters (and migraines). I have been a lot better since 2000. I have 2 masters degrees but have been largely unable to work - se due to headaches, some due to taking care of my disabled father.

My question is - is there anyone on here who was unable to work for an extended period of time due to headaches? If so, were you able to work again after? If so how? Whenever I interview the hiring manager zeroes in on time way back in the 1990s where I was unable to work from clusters. There is no way around it - I have to tell them the truth, I had a health problem, and even if the hiring manager suffers from headaches himself, I get no farther than an interview.  I have been trying to find a job in an industry with lots of work for 4 years without success. Every interview I am forced to admit to a health problem.

So I am wondering are there any people on here who have had to take off due to clusters and if so how they were able to work again. Now with the economy as it is, it is very competitive and having a black mark like a health problem sucks. Plus I am 44 and it is now or never.

Thanks. 

Hi Mike and welcome

CHs can have quite an impact on our working lives, especially for those who are or have been chronic.

I pretty much missed about 6 months of work due to a combination of CH and the after effects of a concussion (which I'm sure triggered my CHs). However I was lucky in that I was able to resume my job, although it does help that I've got good skills in a hard to resource role. It also helps that New Zealand is not going through anything like the recession seen elsewhere in the world. Not everyone is so lucky.

35 years of CH and I've worked through every one of them. Pain management, perseverance, and pure stubbornness.

There's a big difference between telling lies and not telling the entire truth.

Consider saying your time not working was spent caring for your father.

I agree with Brian, but I wasn't going to say it as well. Lie. Or rather, cover the time out of work with something more palatible to a prospective employer that can't be so easily checked. lance

AussieBrian wrote on Mar 24^th, 2013 at 4:11am:

There's a big difference between telling lies and not telling the entire truth. Consider saying your time not working was spent caring for your father.

This is exactly what I was going to say. And this is what I would do.