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Advice about pip

Posted , 7 users are following.

lors23
lors23

Hi

I am 43 and used to work full time and have done since l was 16 years old last year l found out l had Osioarthritis in my joints and needed both hips replaced after beingbin severe pain for a year thinking l had pulled muscles.but eventually they sent me for xrays on my hips.

So l had my 1st hip replaced in december 15th last year and the 2nd on february this year. On recovery my knee'started getting very painful and l was sent for more xrays on my hips and knees.

I found out l had OA in both knee's and needed them both replaced. By this time l had been off my work since november last year had both hips replaced lost all my confidence became really deoressed at times. Luckily my husband works from homecand was there to help and look.after me. So l had my 1st knee replacements in august. This just pushed me over the edge l was as it was a very hard operation l am in constant pain with aches and pain still coming from.hips and know l was in agony with my knee.

I feel my life has been turned upside down.and l am a diffrent person from who l.used to be. I have slept on the couch for the past year as l find it more comroykkgkmk

0 likes, 33 replies

33 Replies

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  • lors23
    lors23

    Posted

    Sorry l pressed the button before l finished that

    What l was saying is l havee has 3 major ops in a year l sleep on the couch now its affected my life and my relationship. I decided l could not do my other knee just yet l need a break plus l had went down to basically no pay at work as l had been off a long time. I made the desition l could only ever work part time again as l am.not fit enough and my husband is also part time to help care for me and soend more time together as its been hell the last year he has basically been my carer. I never though about claiming any benifits before as l.have always worked all my life. But l was assesed by the council and given a 3 year blue disabled parking badge and she also said l should apply for a mobility car or pip because l have had to reduce my hours. I could go on about how bad my life has been but it never crossed my mind l would be eligable for anything. I went through the application on thecphone last week and the pip 2 form has now been sent out.

    I know we will be struggling with money after we go part time but l honestly could not work full time and still rely heavily on oainkillers. Do any of you know if l will have any chance at getting pip or a mobility car. I am not sure if there is a diffrence in benifits as l have never had to claim.them before.

    Do l have a chance?

    I know its affected me in all diffrent ways including pain and happiness. And its took away my cofidence and mt independance.

    Any advice

    Thanks

    Laura

    Xx

  • deborah_69928
    deborah_69928 lors23

    Posted

    Hi Laura I have very similar problems to you and I'm the same age and like you I've worked all my life and its so rubbish that we have such bad health problems....ive just been awarded pip so there's no reason why you shouldn't try to get it too...put as much evidence hospital letters etc in with you claim form...cant stress this enough....good luck xxx

    • lors23
      lors23 deborah_69928

      Posted

      Hi deborah

      Yeah l know well thats reassurinh knowing you got it. Thanks for replying can l.aak you a few questions. I have all my paperwork from.my appointments l have pictures of my xrays after the hips and knee have been done. I am.gping to make an appointment with my go to make him.aware l have applied for pip as it tells you that on the webside. I can give them the name of the person at the council who awarded me my disabiity badge for 3 years and my work know l jaave had to reduce my hours as l am unable to work full time. So far l have only worked 2 days per week as l have holidays to use up but even thats a struggle. I am not sure if my husbamd would be eligable for carers allowance? Luckily l have no children and it does not affect that. Deborah what other evidence did you put l have my surgeon who done my ops my gp my council occupatonal health is there anything else. Are you still working or have you had to give it up? I drive and have a car to pay for and now mu wages have halfed and so is my husband so we have half the income coming in.

      What proof did you give just letters for appointments ect? Thanks so much. Its been the hardest year of my life l was 42 when this started l found out l needed all joint replaced my mum got cancer and we are not sure if she can be cured and in the middle of that my husband...my rock fell ill and ended up in hospital with a brain virus. It was so scary and he could have ended up with permenant brain damage but luckily he pulled through. I just don't think its fair on people like us in our 40's and basically l will never be the same person l was again.

      Pip would maybe help us a bit or mobility or carers allowance. Its not like l dont want to work full time l can't because of this. I never thought l would have a chance because l am still working 21hrs.

      Thanks

      Laura

      Xx

    • deborah_69928
      deborah_69928 lors23

      Posted

      Yeah its so unfair being like this at our age....id just include every letter from your surgeons/doctors and really tell them how affected you are when you fill in your forms...i didn't but luckly I had a nice assessor who could see I struggled ...hopefully you'll be successful too xxx

    • les59996
      les59996 deborah_69928

      Posted

      yeah I agree - i'm 68 and up until  early this year had DLA High Mobility & Middle Care. In the change over to PIP things went wrong (entirely the fault of the DWP - they lost my letters for application).Because of that I can't now claim PIP and they closed down my DLA claim which I had for the previous 21 years!

      ?On top of that the DWP tell me that I don't heve any needs so can't get Attendance Allowance.

      I have multiple conditions that create extreme difficulties - Aquired Brain Injury (Frontal lobe damage) PTSD, Early onset Dementia, Thrombosis, Chronic Pancreatitis, PAD, Type 1 Diabetic etc etc etc  

    • lors23
      lors23 pollmadoll64

      Posted

      Hi

      No l have not applied for amything apart from the pip l am entiteled to esa and what is it?

      Thanks

      Laura xx

    • denise15811
      denise15811 lors23

      Posted

      ESA is a sick benefit for those who don't/can't work.

    • pollmadoll64
      pollmadoll64 lors23

      Posted

      It will explain more and how you qualify or not on the internet. At the moment I am getting both ESA and PIPS
    • lors23
      lors23 pollmadoll64

      Posted

      Thanks l have read.lots about pip on the internet now and to be honest l am not sure if l will qualify for anything because l still have a job even thougjh l have had to drop my hours and go part time.. and been off more than a year. I hope l do. People keep telling me to apply for pip and mobility but because l have never claimed for snything l have no clue.

      Thanks

      X

    • deborah_69928
      deborah_69928 lors23

      Posted

      You have nothing to lose by applying I'd never claimed anything before as well but the whole thing took about 11 weeks and I got awarded for both ...good luck xxx

    • denise15811
      denise15811 lors23

      Posted

      PIP isn't about working. It's a disability benefit for those who struggle in daily life. People claim this and work. ESA is the benefit for those who can't work. As long as you have plenty of evidence for your PIP claim there's no reason why your claim won't be successful. I've been claiming it for just over 2 years. First time for me. Don't currently have the enhanced mobility part tho. Waiting for a decision to be made regarding my recent review for that. It seems possitive so i'm keeping fingers crossed. Take a look online at the PIP descriptors and try to understand what it's about to give yourself more knowledge. There's plenty of info out there. smile

    • anthony97723
      anthony97723 denise15811

      Posted

      Good advice Denise. Claimants often make the mistake of stating they need PIP to pay for their life style. As you correctly point out that is not what PIP is for, it is designed to help with the extra cost of disability (care/travel expenses) and stating you need PIP to pay your other bills is a massive mistake.
    • anthony97723
      anthony97723 les59996

      Posted

      Les let's not hi-jack another thread. This is Lors thread and we really don't need to hear your story again, it's more than well documented on this site.

    • les59996
      les59996 anthony97723

      Posted

      Sorry.

      ?All I was trying to explain by giving an example is that my care needs are greater than my wife's who has Arthitis in nearly every joint at age 71. She agrees. Yet for the life of me I cannot understand why those suffering from Arthritis should get PIP awards (and in my wife's case - the day & night award for Attendance Allowance) yet I am classed by the DWP as not having any care needs after having had a rigorous face to face assessment for my Attendance Allowance claim.

      ?On the face of it and based on that result any PIP application that could have been made had the DWP not cocked it all up would have failed in any event. Totally confused, annoyed and angry.

      ?I'll shut up then.  

    • deborah_69928
      deborah_69928 les59996

      Posted

      You don't need to shut up les your entitled to your opinions like everyone else who uses these forums....but I'm 43 and have worked for 22 years as an orthopaedic nurse but now I find myself with arthritis in almost every joint...today has been particularly bad as it hit home how useless im becoming rapidly...I don't have the energy to do anything...im going to theatre tomorrow to get the 1st of many joints replacement!!...arthritis is cruel and it should be recognized by the DWP ....and I thank god it is

    • lors23
      lors23 les59996

      Posted

      I don'agree les l am sorry l have went through 3 major ops due to my OA and been in constant pain why should l not be entitled to pip? I am inly 43 and had to go part time at a hobnl loved as a bank manager. What excludes me from help if l need it when l have worked all my lifecpaid my taxes and n.i now l have had part of myblufe taken away because of an ilness. I have bot slept in my bed for a full year next to my husband. So l am confused at tour reply.

      Laura

    • les59996
      les59996 deborah_69928

      Posted

      I don't deny that you are in pain and based on the descriptors you are entitled to PIP - Good luck to you - I know from personal experience how you must be suffering.- my wife is riddled with the same disease and I know how it affects her on a daily basis. Because she didn't realise that she could have claimed DLA all those years ago it was only when she got to 69 did she make a claim for Attendance Allowance. She, quite rightly like yourself, was awarded the highest rate of Attendance Allowance - equivalent to High Care DLA/Enhanced Care PIP indefinitely eventually.

      ?My situation and this is the point that I fail to understand, is that I have to take MST 100mg twice a day + Oramorph - as much as I want + 300mg Gabapentin twice a day just for some relief from the pain - Upper & Lower back damage (as per the Spinal Unit) as well as Chronic Pancreatitis.

      ?And just on the pain factor I find great difficulty in managing the pain and have to live with it 24/7. Obviously I have found a work around but this is still limited. Yet when I claimed Attendance Allowance the DWP (and after a horendous face to face assessment) they write to tell me that the needs and care needed is not enough for me to qualify. Even my wife can't quite believe it as in her difficult position still has to care for me.

      ?It just seems to be that well understood conditions are more likely to get an award than those arising from the less common situations.

       

    • lors23
      lors23 deborah_69928

      Posted

      Good luck today Deborah not sure what joint you are having replaced but l have had both my hips and 1 knee done so l am here if l can be any help or give you advice.

      Best of luck

      Laura

      Xx

    • anthony97723
      anthony97723 les59996

      Posted

      As I said Les if the point you want to make is specifically about you (or your wife) then start a discussion of your own. It is not fair to other forum users to consistently hijack other discussions for your own ends.

      Nothing you have posted here is of use to Lors. If you have a criticism of her right to claim PIP then fair enough but give proper reasons rather than a one off direct comparison with your circumstances.

    • anthony97723
      anthony97723 deborah_69928

      Posted

      Deborah could you then explain what value there is to Lors by posting your own problems in her discussion? I agree everyone has a right to an opinion but shouldn't you start your own discussion if you want to broadcast your own difficulties rather than selfishly hijacking a discussion where someone else has asked for advice?

      Maybe I’m missing something but where is the advice to Lors in either yours or Les’ posts?

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