ESA - WCA Assesment
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi
I have not posted for a very long time. Have just undergone one of these so called assessments, and scored a grand total of 0 points. As a result they have said I am not entitled to ESA and have sent me a P45 for ending my incapacity benefit, and also, rather optimistically one for giving to my new employer!!
Of course I got the P45 without any explanation whatsoever and had to phone them up to have this explained. Bit insulting really, before CS, I worked, paid tax, etc etc. I know perfectly well what a P45 is.
I am going to appeal. I have nothing to lose. They have stopped my benefit (IB). It is funny I spent ten years filling out forms, and going for assessments for IB, they all declared me unfit for work. Now on the say of a nurse, I am cured. I wish!!
However, should I go and claim JSA, they will probably tell me, I am unable to work.as I am not fit. Kafka anyone?
Apart from the stress and the difficulty, and the continual process of having to repeat what is wrong with you and how it affects for your daily life, I think this is worth doing.
Sites that may help you:
Benefits and work.
Black triangle
Dairy of a Benefits scrounger.
Campaign currently going on: "Sparticus Report", Looking at that should lead you to places that can help you.
There are also anti ATOS sites.
I wish you all well.
Love
Juniper
G
0 likes, 3 replies
michelle50
Posted
Just to give you hope I won my 3rd appeal after months of sick notes off my doctor Im still getting over the stress this has caused me i wish you good luck
love michelle50
fifihen
Posted
I am now in the process of going through ESA , I have been off sick from my work since September last year and I am in the middle of Redundancy talks as my Doctor says i am not fit to return to work, I was diagnosed in 2010 with Cervical Spondylosis at the age of 32 but I have suffered from neck and right shoulder , arm and hand pain since I was in my late 20's , I have been told that I will have to go for a Medical for ESA, I am new to all this as I have worked since leaving school, I am feeling very depressed and unsure what the future will bring , , I have Chronic pain caused by CS and on a cocktail of meds , including 2 types of Morphine, gabapentin and amiltriptyline . I have been told that passing this medical is extremely
difficult, I still would like to work dont get me wrong but I have been told I have to have this medical , I just wanted to hear from others that are in the same position x
thanks FI xx
Chelle_Louise
Posted
I am sorry to hear you are suffering with the physical pain of CS (for years I was told 'severe degeneration' - isn't it strange how when it is given a 'label' we seem to sometimes feel better about it and can then
finally get the information we need?!) and I am, like you are, managing it with medication and have
suffered depression and am still taking Citalopram but only 20mg daily. I use Tramadol, Gabapentin,
Amitriptylene, Cyclizine for the sickness from the Tramadol! and occasionally Oramorph but I don't like
the feeling of being doped up and 'away with the fairies' although sometimes it has been a blessing!!
Please don't worry about the ESA Medical Assessment - just take along all your medication and any MRI scan reports you have, appointment letters from hospital consultants etc. and just co-operate with them! They aren't the enemy! I found that when I took a deep breath - currently trying meditation and reading
about Mindfulness to try and 'breathe' through the pain and disengage myself from me being in chronic
PAIN, i.e. there is no break from it, long-term, and it never lets up!
I also try to not feel that it is part of my/our identity - it isn't! I am aiming to work the 'up to 16 hours a week' and apologise if this fact of ESA has changed, I can't lift anything heavy or awkward but also can't sit at a desk for hours and so pub work has suited me in the past because you are moving around and HAVE to
smile! :-) so that has helped. I wonder if anyone else has the awful grim sciatic pain, added to the neck
and back pain and headaches from the angry nerves? I also try to think myself lucky! I nursed my lovely
partner through (head and neck) cancer and all the horror that it brings and sadly lost him but I think
because he was always my priority (ill or not), I just didn't think about myself and my condition, because
obviously he was so much 'iller' than I and so I never felt sorry for myself - don't worry, before when he
was fit and strong I did my fair share of moaning about my aches and pains but really tried to keep it to
myself as there is always someone worse off than ourselves. Of course, we ALL matter but I had to keep
everything in perspective! I think I am on the Citalopram to help with the sometimes helpless,
devastating, all-consuming guilt/sadness/anger feelings I get - but then bereavement is a whole other
different story, isn't it?
What I am trying to say is try to feel positive and ASK for help - your GP, consultants, physio, go for
good deep massage shoulder and gentle neck/back manipulation, whatever helps YOU.
Relax, don't put yourself in stressful situations! Fill in all the forms. Be helpful to the ESA people - you
aren't doing anything wrong, you just need financial support and if like me, you want to work and feel
better about yourself, you will feel better. Just do whatever you can for you - look after YOU and make sure you sleep well, eat well, drink LOADS of water (helps with the horrid other side-effects from our
medication, doesn't it?! and if you can, walk in the fresh air and try to enjoy every day.
I don't want to preach - it has taken me years to come to understand all the above! I wish you well, fifihen and everyone else. Anyone finding that anything else helps them, I would be delighted to hear as on
bad days I would just rather stay in bed!
Best wishes x