diagnosed in september 14, refused PIP. feeling low.

I have tried many different things. I take vitamin supplements including vitamin D. I understand managing our conditions ourselves. But surely our doctors are there for a reason and everyone deserves a healthy life. Just because there is an increase in obesity, this shouldn't mean sufferers of fibro should be forgotten about. I don't blame you for not knowing but I have folders upon folders of research into fibro. I know what studies have shown and I have tried to do everything suggested by researchers. I'm just at my wits end now. I'm not bothered about the amount of PIP I will recieve, its more of a fact that I want someone to recognize my condition, and after all these years of suffering without an answer I think that's the least I deserve.

I'm glad to hear you take vitamin D3.

To get most UK adults to an effective 25(OH)D level between 125 and 150nmol/l requires between 30 and 45iu Vitamiin D3 daily for each 1lb that person weighs. Somewhere between 5000~10,000iu is typically required. Only after you've kept your 25(OH)D above 125nmol/l for a year or more(while also ensure the necessary vitamin D cofactors are present) can you be certain that vitamin D insufficiency isn't a factor in your case. 

@  surely our doctors are there for a reason

But doctors are constrained by consensus guidelines and these are set with the best interests of big pharma in mind, rather than the health of patients Doctors are not given sufficient training in nutirition and NHS dietary guidelines are largely responsible for the increase in obesity, diabetes, dementia and cancer. If we promote a grain based high carbohydrate low fat diet the results are inevitable.

Many people with Fibromyalgia find eliminating gluten from their diet reduces their symptoms.You will be very lucky to find any UK doctor aware of the connection. 

See "Clinical impact of a gluten-free diet on health-related quality of life in sevenfibromyalgia syndrome patients with associated celiac disease."

I'm not sure if you are aware of the website Benefitsandwork the guides they offer to Benefit claims are excellent.

I'm not saying we should not provide extra help for people with disabling conditions,

I'm simply pointing out that over the last 20 years things have got worse year on year.

With the increasing incidence of chronic conditions the progressive decline in availability of scarce financial resources is going to continue. Each of us must do our best to reduce our demands on an overloaded NHS and Benefits system.

If you think the current situation is bad then don't be surprised if in the future it is even worse. 

Good luck with your outcome.

I also agree with that. They get penalized for passing too Manny cases as it means more money. They'd rather see people who are in need go without. I say again as I did in my original post, I know many people claiming DLA who really don't need it yet there cases are passed everytime. Its like a kick in the gut really x.

Hi there

It does seem so un fair im still waiting to hear about mine ill proably get it turned down like everyone else but like everyone else i will appeal lol but life can be so hard and cruel to us all

Love to all

Cherl

Feel the exact same way. Its so unfair. Hope your actually recieving something now?? If not I would deffinatly appeal.x

Yes that would be good but cant see it some how but who knows at the moment its taking them ages so doesnt look good my form went in August still not herd apart from we are dealing with it and it could take till Jan next year before a desion is giving so hey ho thats life , my hubby says if we do get it he wasnts a new car as i dont drive but im still not sure about things between him and me at moment so not gonna make any decsions yet xxxx

I also put my claim in august. So hopefully your receive your decision soon? Have you had your medical ssesment yet? It only took about a week after my medical for them to tell me I wasn't entitled. But the lady who saw me wrote everything wrong down on the form, everything I Told her, she wrote the opposite.. Not to sound harsh but don't think of your hubby at this stage, think of what's best for you x be nice to add you on something like Facebook if you have it? X

You would only get help towards a car on the higher rate of mobility anyway hun & the car is for you not him. ?.nuff said lol. Xxx

Hi Stephieee...I have appealed twice, I get nothing... Its so wrong...   Regards Anne

Hi Anne,

Have you written your DLA problems on here before? Even appealing twice and losing does not mean you're not entitled to DLA, I have helped a few people on these forums now and not one has completely lost the whole DLA Award. What you need to do is enter more content and become descriptive as possible, with your disorder.

Perhaps I can help you, I have got a few people through and have plenty of practice with writing letters for appealing on new grounds, perhaps there is something that you missed off your claim, if you look at a descriptor guide and then look at your own symptoms, you will see just how much you apply to your own case. I'm not implying you should lie, basically it is the way you fill the Award form in, you go in to details.

When you come across questions asking for Yes or No, in which you have to just tick boxes - by just placing a tick in either your just stating you either agree or not. What you want to do, is this - example:

Question 8:a:  Can you stand and sit down? "Yes" or "No"?

Now, this question could be answered with a "Yes" or "No"

You answer "Yes"

All this states is you can stand and sit down, and to ATOS they would look at this and straight away, see a "Yes" - But, let's look at that from a different perspective. Yes, I can stand and sit, but I have problems with severe pain in my back, and hips when trying to get to fully stand up, occassionally this is an intermittent pain and prevents me from getting up at all, so I have to wait until the pain, mainly in my spine goes off enough to allow me to stand fully. This is also affects my mobility during very bad days, I need help to even get up to a sitting position when lying in bed, my body feels like it locks up, and may take me up to 30 - 45 minutes to get out of bed and dressed.

As, you can see ATOS will need to read the entire description why you are having problems with sitting and standing, and being intermittent you cannot guarantee it happens everytime. But this states you cannot just sit down and stand everytime, which would be the case if you just tick a box saying "Yes". 

Providing ATOS with information like this will give you a better chance of being Awarded DLA. Let's say you filled in your entire Award Form detailing each problem or pain and where it hits you worse, in each case is going to give you a very much detailed report of your disorder and how it effects you. Even if you know the descriptor points value and pass rates, you can easily pass the scoring rate. 

In my case I've only ever seen a doctor hired by the DHSS back then, and he couldn't believe that the DHSS said there was nothing wrong with me, nearly 30 years ago now - that doctor even paid for a cab to get me back home, and he wrote to the DHSS that they should not believe everything a GP states and he suggested they get a second opinion if they did not believe his report. I have many problems wrong with me, so my DLA Award was given to me with no 'face-to-face', the same applied for ESA. I don't have just one Consultant, I have 6 at the moment, visit the hospital every 10 weeks for BOTOX injections and take 40+ tablets a day! I have 3 volumes of health records. Take the past 6 weeks, I have seen my doctor 4 times, had blood tests done 3 times including today, ultrasound scan just before Xmas, looking for prostate cancer, luckily I was clear, but my doctor did ask for a second opinion from my Urologist. My prostate was clear apart from calcium, normal for my age, fat around my liver again normal, but she did spot a polyp in my epidermal. I have had cancer before so its a case of checking myself regulary. Blood tests for today was for checking to see if I still had an infection, because I had pleurisy! I hate being in my 50's LOL... 

Regards,

Les.

Hi Les

Thanks for the information, I guess maybe I did fill in the frm with simply yes/no answers. And added information where there were boxes available to do so. I am guessing I should have done as you stated and added more info on separate paper. Sounds as if you should fill it in for me! I used to be such a good form filler and an excellent writer, I now have a job signing my own name as my writing has gone so bad. Yes, I know what you mean about being in the 50's Never mind, it's only a number...Best Regards...Anne...

Hi Anne,

You are very welcome Anne.

You are not alone there, by a long way - many people either do not read the Guide to filling in the Award form, or give it quick glance and think that's it. Which really is the wrong approach, if you read it, you get some idea of what they are asking - but when it get's to filling in the Award form, which in many cases looks like it is asking the same question multiple times. The fact is every question is different, but they word it in such a way, that confuses many people. This can cause a person to quickly look at it and just place it as Award denied, which is why many fail on the initial stage.

May I ask, when were you last turned down for DLA or PIP? Possibly, from the date of the letter? You have the same problem as me, regarding signing things, my signature is never the same - even my 14 year old can write neater than me! lol 

I can send you details on DLA, and how to fill the form in, it's gives the same answers but, asks you the questions in wording you would understand. I'm sure if I send you these details you would stand a better chance of obtaining at least one form of DLA, and not nothing at all.

I will private message you after I finsh this post, asking just for your email address, nothing more. Do you have Adobe Reader installed on your computer at all? If not I will give you the address to download it from, its just a reader for PDF documents.

Regards,

Les.

 

I was wondering if u could give me some advice..I just got my reply back from PIP and I got zero points. I'm going to appeal. i've had 2 hip replacements and my back was damaged during my second op. Im in constant pain all the time and have differculty wit almost every thing i do. regards Chandon

Hi Chandon,

Is this your first claim for PIP? The reason I ask is because some people get the idea that by adding further ailments to a existing claim may improve their chances of being awarded PIP.

This is not the case, all ailments should have been put on your initial claim form. I am assuming you have a copy of all the original documents you sent the DWP? They have been using many excuses lately of cases being delayed, losing award forms, medical evidence, etc. This is why you should always keep ALL documents from the DWP. There are many legal Acts which you could take if they were a company, but the DWP is EXEMPT in all cases conveniently!!!

Zero points is not even possible with PIP, unless you are completely fit and well and I can show you why, but not on here. If you Private Message me, then I will send you all the latest information I have.

I will need an email address to send the information to, it contains many places that can help you, even with an appeal.

Regards,

Les.

Hi les. I was awarded 0 points for eveything. Yet i had to giv up my job as a carer because i didnt hav the strengh or grip in my own body due to my arthritis. I work in cinema and hav been there 10yrs but i was working as a carer aswel. My mri scan has showed arthritis in my back. Yet i got 0points and not fit there criteria

Please send me info

Hi Lea.

This is my 2nd time with PIP. They have been very rude to me. I've been given no points at all. I have ME, hypothyroidism, suspected sjorgrens syndrome that includes burning arms and legs. Back pain for years down to disc degeneration. My pain spreads to my ribs. Gp only said today though she thinks that's down to nerve pain. I'm shocked at the assessors report it's terrible. What can I do? Thanks

same thing happened to me, i scored 0 points for everything because my pip assessor lied in her report. i got a writted letter from my GP and from my rheumatologist and sent in a request for a mandatory reconsideration and proved in writting that the assessor lied, i won and was awarded care componant & mobility componant. I hate the way we are treated by these people, it shouldn't be allowed. 

Hi les63 I have fibromyalgia, anxiety depression and panic attacks and I am in constant pain every day. I applied for pip in may this year and have just had a letter saying that I'm not entitled to it and scored zero on all the points. Is there any chance u could help me with my appeal plz? X

Hi,

i scored 0 points for everything despite them saying they had contacted gp for medical proof etc, they did not and lied to me

the assessor lied in her report, despite the fact she could see the AIDS I use around the house, disabled wetroom, stairlift commode etc, no mention of these in the report, so I'll do as you did and do a mr, how long did the mr process take with you

Take it all the way to tribunial which is a court of law. There the lies become perjury and they are not quite so eager to say that what they have said is true under oath.

 

Thanks for reply, I am taking it to mr and hopefully I can win it at that stage, but if I need to take it to appeal I will, lies throughout the report, one of the problems I suffer from is severe depression, my son let her into the house and I did not look at the assessor once I just looked at the floor which I always do even around family. Assessor put down that I maintained constant eye contact, it beggars belief with many more lies in the report

'Constant eye contact' is one of their favorite lies. I have actually said in my tribunial appeal that I was accusing them of commiting blatant perjury.