A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry
Attention all MTs who are in their late 50s
Posted: Nov 5, 2013
I was wondering for those MTs who are in their late 50s, 60s and beyond, how much do you work a day/week? Are you able to work full-time sitting at a desk, or have you cut back on your work (not to include waiting for work or NJA for those that have this problem.) I am just wondering as I notice so many more aches and pains and am thinking to cut back on hours, workload, etc. I mean how long can you keep up this pace of transcribing for hours and what toll has it taken on your body? (I already know mentally what it is doing!)
Thanks for your responses!
;
pain with work - sm
[ In Reply To ..]I'm in my early 40s and I can no longer type for a living. I had to change careers because the pain in my hands got so bad. It is from repetitive stress and I have completely worn out the thenar muscle in both hands. I'm not in my 50s or 60s but definitely cannot straight type fulltime anymore. What kind of pains are you having?
I get right shoulder pain so bad that I have - aging MT
[ In Reply To ..]to take Advil just to work. Numbness in my legs/thighs, back pain, stiffness. I honestly just don't have the stamina to crank out this line producing work like a machine anymore. I feel like my body is slowing down and I can't keep up the pace not to mention I'm so burnt out on this!
Not so much my body... - but after about 2 hours
[ In Reply To ..]of proofreading and picking out the endless mistakes in this monotonous drivel, I can almost feel my brain rotting and dripping out of my ears. I completely lose my concentration and I am totally disgusted hearing about bloody stools, diarrhea, pus, mucus, obesity, bedsores, diabetes, and heroic efforts to keep half-dead old people alive (maybe because I know that will be me in a few years?).
After about 4 hours my a$$ goes numb and I just can't get comfortable sitting even after standing up and walking around for a couple of minutes. By the end of the day my neck, shoulders and arms are aching. Actually it seems like my hands are about the only things that are holding up pretty well, even though with the VR they are doing acrobatics all over the keyboard.
I am 60 and a 30 year vet.
Older and over 40 year vet - Karen
[ In Reply To ..]I worked full time, 2 full time jobs well into the 60s, thank goodness never issues with the wrists. Only part now because have other income, fewer bills, children grown and out. Just getting over surgery so doing 6 hour days just now, will return to 8 later next month. Used to get sore behind sitting but changed chairs and that has helped quite a bit. I work less and surely enjoy it more.
How did everyone get away without having - hand problems? sm
[ In Reply To ..]I started having problems in 2001 and I had been typing for only seven years at that point. I finally had to pack it in after nine more years, the last three or four agony. I would soak my hands in almost boiling water every night with Epsom salt, and then up to my elbows in ice water in the sink, icy hot was my best friend, night splints, day splints, wasted money on the vertical keyboard, split keyboard, on and on, the last few years just to keep pulling in an income.
I really miss my income and being able to just sit and type and make money! The highest I made was 43,000 a year. If I sat and did that now I would not last an hour! Some of you have been doing this 30 years and no hand problems at all?!?
Older and 40 years vet - Karen
[ In Reply To ..]Have no clue why some and others not. I have a daughter-in-law that does not type, yet had to have surgery on 1 wrist, carpal tunnel, really needs on the other. I straight typed over 2000 lines per day from the 70s to about 2005 when we started on VR. Keep puttering along.
hand problems - caught up with me
[ In Reply To ..]I have arthritis in my right thumb, which takes the most repetitive stress because of space bar, mouse, and control keys. I'm only part-time and hope to make it another few years that way.
Im 36 and have had bursitis from sitting here all day already - but have other joint/bone issues
[ In Reply To ..]nm
pain with work - DJ
[ In Reply To ..]I have severe pain in the back of my legs and rear end. It is so severe I just cry and cry. I'm not near retirement age, so I cannot retire. I don't think I could get disability because there is no diagnosis for it. My advice would be to get with a bigger company that uses mostly speech recognition. It has helped my carpal tunnel a lot. I work for Nuance and I only type a report maybe once or twice a week.
I work full time, and yes I hurt ALL OVER..... - Mom22dogs
[ In Reply To ..]I can't move any part of my body without some degree of pain! My neck and shoulders are the worst, and my left thumb, where I had a trigger thumb and had a shot in the past, absolutely burns when I move it a certain way, mostly when I grab something the wrong way, and if I touch certain spots on that thumb it just about puts me through the ceiling! And I'm only 57 years old! For some reason, fortunately typing doesn't affect it.
but right now I just feel like taking some ibuprofen and snuggling up in bed, but got lots of things I need to do.
62 y/o, 10 hours a day (1 FT and 1 PT job) - L&L
[ In Reply To ..]I have arthritis really bad in my thumbs, but that is all that bothers me.
64 and don't want to keep up this pace...sm - Old Anon
[ In Reply To ..]I've been thinking about trying to cut back on my hours for the last few weeks, so funny this topic should pop up. Never had problems with my hands or wrists, but have arthritis in my neck. After a few hours my bum aches, I'm developing a painful bone spur in my pedal foot, and my right hip is starting to ache too. My body just can't take being sedentary for 45+ hours a week. I need more upright exercise, like pleasant walks outside, doing yardwork, or even browsing around the mall window shopping. Heck, now I even think housework, cooking, or snow shoveling is more fun than this job! Only 5 more months and I'll be getting Medicare and won't have to work full time for the health insurance. I'd like to do it sooner though. Gotta find a way.
Way old enough for Medicare but hope I do - not have to ever have
[ In Reply To ..]I have to have part A regardless but do not have to pay for that. That is where if hospitalized if your private insurance does not pay all, then Medicare kicks in. Went to my drug store the other day to get flu shot. Anyone over 65 is given HD shot (high definition?) and pharmacist swore because I had A part that would cover. Told her repeatedly only for hospital cost. She wanted me to come home, call her back, give her numbers on my card and sure enough, told her she learned something new that day, my part A did not pay for the shot. Having said this, Medicare is becoming well known for having doctors to not want to be a part of and rejecting patients on Medicare. I hope I can keep my own private from now on.
61 and full time - everything hurts - NYMT
[ In Reply To ..]My primary pain is in my thumbs and my shoulders. I was going to a chiropractor for a while, but at $40.00 a pop, I had to stop. To bad, too, because it really helped. I recently went to WalMart and got a ring cushion to sit on and it makes sitting for 8-9 hours a day much, much more comfortable!
I have cut down from 1600 lines a day to 1500 lines a day, but I'm hoping to stay at this level until I retire at 65.
Yeah, naproxen, Tylenol, and ibuprofen are my friends (if not my stomach's friend). You do what you have to to get by. Looking forward to Social Security!
57 with 30 years, 1 FT and looking for another PT - sm - decrepit
[ In Reply To ..]Lower back pain, decreased circulation and muscle atrophy in my left (pedal) leg, bilateral leg swelling, arthritis in my hands right worse than left, and right shoulder bursitis, neck and hip pain. I take Tylenol and ibuprofen and have for years, because I'm allergic to everything else. Also hearing loss and dry eyes.
MTs in their late 50s - BionicWoman
[ In Reply To ..]I am in the same position. I have worked two, some times three jobs raising my child and my sister's children. I have had two hip replacements, surgery on my left elbow and then my right, ganglion cysts removed and now I think I may have a torn rotater cuff. AAGGGH. I am definitely thinking about either retiring (haha) or changing careers.
I'm 57 and my neck and lower back hurt, not to - MT57
[ In Reply To ..]mention what the computer has done to my eyes.
The OP - considering all the pain and
[ In Reply To ..]health issues everyone has, how many hours a day do you work and how many lines do you type a day?
I am 61-1/2 - GrateMT
[ In Reply To ..]Just trying to hold on until I am 62. Have been fired from one gigantic MTSO for "quality," but got hired immediately at another one because my former supervisor who was also fired kept in touch and expedited my hiring where she now works. My major problems are "mental" ones, just cannot get motivated to concentrate. But, as far as aches and pains, I have none at all! I do not know why this is, unless this is related somehow to the fact that my parents started me on piano lessons when I was 5 years old and I may just automatically hold my hands in the right position and have strong fingers and wrists? Plus, I did not start MT until the year I was 43 and wrist rests were around by then. I actually "cheat" a lot by laying my wrists completely down on the wrist rest while typing. I wonder if studies have been done on the correlation between MT's who learned to play the piano early? Would be interesting to find out. Anyway, I try to get exercise most every day, but this usually consists of just taking a walk with my dogs, but it is never a brisk one, since my basset hound is ancient and she does not move very fast. Maybe just the combination of fresh air and sunshine and the good vibes brought on by being with my dogs keep sickness at bay.
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