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just had a review for dla refused

Posted , 5 users are following.

gixxer1
gixxer1

i have fibromyalgia, angina, raynaurds syndrome, had a heart attack six months ago and have an upper limb missing. i applied for dla and was turned down i do not know what to do or where to turn, i am new to this so please bear with me any help would be appreciated 

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • EileenH
    EileenH gixxer1

    Posted

    I'm not sure this is the right place - because very few of us with PMR or GCA would qualify for dla.

    What I do know is that it is worth appealing the decision. Many decisions are reversed at appeal.

    Did you complete the procedure yourself? If so, it is also definitely an advantage to get the help of experts to do it all. CAB have people who will help, the various charities associated with various disorders do too. It is all about the right triggers in the first place. 

    I'd suggest starting with CAB - who may be able to suggest other options.

    • gixxer1
      gixxer1 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply think I will go down the cab route like I said new to this and it is a complete jungle
    • constance.de
      constance.de gixxer1

      Posted

      I am a qualified CAB adviser.  Don't advise now, but they will definitely help you.  You may need an appointment, so it may be advisable to phone first.

      Good luck!  

    • EileenH
      EileenH gixxer1

      Posted

      My daughter applied for dla because her 14 year old daughter has very severe asthma - she is nurse and the application forms defeated her! The specialist nurse helped her, as did someone from the asthma charity. She still got a very sarky phone call from a pen-pusher who wanted to know why a 14 year old required supervision at night to take her inhalers. She's not been breathing well, wakes, is oxygen-deprived and sleepy, confused and she has to use the things in particular orders, time intervals and do breathing exercises and so on - of course you can't expect a 14 year old to take responsibility! She can't walk to school because of distance and hills, there isn't a bus - you get my drift. 

      Good luck

    • gixxer1
      gixxer1 EileenH

      Posted

      I do we don't live on bus route and only have one surgery in area where I constantly attended saying I had chest pains and they kept saying it was the fibrosis. Six months later had heart attack it's hard to find help anywhere but am definitely going cab
  • lars61542
    lars61542 gixxer1

    Posted

    Hello, what you need to do is get a copy of the descriptors that are used to decide DLA claims and tailor your answers on the application form to fit those descriptors .I.E describe your illness and *most importantly * how it affects your life using those descriptors .Go into great detail but stick to facts using the descriptors.This is very important.Describe in detail how far you can walk, how your meds affect you including any side effects etc,***Remember - it is how the illness affects your life NOT the illness that DLA is decided on.***

    get as much supporting detail as possible from carers,doctors,friends anyone that knows how it affects you.

    there is a superb website that gives advice about DLA and they can help you tailor your answers corrctly.Not sure if I can name it here but google two words...benefits ...work. Through them I won my DLA after being turned down FIVE TIMES ! Good luck.Do not give in .

  • SteV3
    SteV3 gixxer1

    Posted

    Hi ,

    Firstly, I'm sorry that your Award was not granted at all, I have been there once and I did not like the outcome at all. I appealed to have this Award decision reversed within the 28 day period, but it took me awhile to gather the required evidence needed. I contacted my own local hospital, asking for a copy of all my records dating back to a certain year, as you can imagine this was quite a large volume of paperwork, but in my case I was not really angry, but not happy with the outcome they gave me, so in return I thought I would make them take notice that I was not a person to let things lie, I even asked for a 2 week extension period on top of the 28 days, so I could 'cross-reference' their appeal form with my records quoting dates, consultants, and what was discussed at these meetings, including medications, etc. I also got my own doctor to supply me with any records held on their systems, for further backups on medications the hospital were unware of.

    Okay, that took some putting together, but to me it was worth it - I don't remember how much it cost to post but I even made them sign for it.

    The actual outcome from this was DLA was granted at Care Middle Rate and Mobility High Rate. And I left it like that for years, only recently (well last June) did I apply for the High Rate on Care because of my disorders became worse, the form got stuck in a back log and I was sent a letter apologising about the delay in September. Then in December, I had the Award letter stating it had been increased, and they even asked why I did not apply for the higher rate before. With DLA you can appeal against a decision within a year if you need to go on an higher rate, but it must be done from your the date of initial application.

    Let me know if I can help you further.

    Regards,

    Les.

    • gixxer1
      gixxer1 SteV3

      Posted

      This was my review the gp I'm with does not recognise fibromyalgia as a real illness says it's in my head. I attended surgery four times complaining of chest pains. Was told paranoid cos husband had had heart attack and it was just my ongoing illness I had heart attack three weeks later. We live out in the sticks and this is only surgery we have it is a very high class area and I feel we are looked down on so I do not have the backing of my gp. Also they have flagged me as malingering as when I attended hospital with heart attack I was left for two hours and offered a diclafenac for pain

    • SteV3
      SteV3 gixxer1

      Posted

      HI Gixxer,

      But aside the doctor for the time being, after being turned down for DLA does not mean you've lost, see it just has a simple set back and the possiblity of more back pay. The DWP at the moment does not like anyone appealing especially at this time of year, they have a back log to clear so appealling will just get them further behind and they must consider any new appeals, with additional information being added as more of a nuisance to their current mess, which the Gov't is pushing on ATOS before the buy out occurs.

      Let me look into this for you, I may need your email address but I will only ask you for this in Private Message and not on these forums. I can send you information that you can view at your own pace. Don't rush, just because you have been turned down by DLA or DWP, doesn't mean you've lost it all. For a start you have a 28 day period to which you can appeal, on top of this you can ask for an extension of 14 days - so basically you really have 6 weeks to put your case together, don't worry I will help you sort this out and get the diagnosis corrected if need be. Whatever you do, do not rush it - you are more than like to make a mess than anything else, so sit back and take a few long sighs!!! The drug Diclofenac is for pain and an inflammatory, I know hospitals are running on 'skeleton' staff I was in one just before Christmas. It was a nightmare, Ambulances were queued to get in to A&E, it was mad, and David Cameron says everything is fine (maybe for him and private hospitals).

      That guy does make me angry, he always picks on the old or disabled, and in March hes bringing that stupid new law for medications that make you drowsey, you are not allowed to drive. That will affect me straight away, my wife suffers from hayfever, hence she takes antihistamine tablets and makes her drowsey, she drives me to appointments at the hospital, clinics and doctors. I rely on her because I am wheelchair bound, this gov't does not think how it affects people with their stupid rules, even doctors are against it.

      Anyway, it's not far off 1am so I better get off.

      Regards,

      Les.

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