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PIP

Posted , 5 users are following.

shellyb26
shellyb26

Hi everyone. I have fibromyalgia and arthritis but my GP refuses to let me see a reumatologist as she says they won't do anything for fibro other than offer me pills which she can do herself. I am not able to tolerate most pills and just use naproxen and paracetamol. I also have reiki which is extremely helpful. I applied for PIP in March and following an assessment was turned down. I asked them to reconsider and was again turned down. I am now going to apply for an appeal and wondered if anyone else has gone thru this process as I find it all stressful which then makes my fibro worse. I also have primary immunodeficiency and a nerve in my neck that is being pinched, causing terrible pain in my neck, shoulder, arm and hand. I struggle to pick things up or grip with my left hand. My depression has deepened with all this. They have made me feel like a hypochondriact. Thank you. 

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • trisha87499
    trisha87499 shellyb26

    Posted

    I have the same illnesses as you and have been diagnosed for years and have never seen a reumatologist, I've had to do my own research on it. I have really bad depression following being ill all the time, I was allocated pip after an appeals process which I found terrifying.
    • shellyb26
      shellyb26 trisha87499

      Posted

      Hi Trisha thanks for replying. Sorry to hear about your awful battle. Do you mind telling me if you decided to attend the appeal and why was it so terryifying? 
    • trisha87499
      trisha87499 shellyb26

      Posted

      I decided to attend appeal, mainly because when the initial medical was done, the examiner had put down wrong information and twisted a lot of the information that I gave her, she was verging on being incompetent, I put a complaint in about her personally after the appeal. The appeal terrified me because there were 6 strangers asking me questions about my past present and anything, I felt very exposed and intimidated, however I had nothing to hide, I stood my ground and won my appeal, and proved the original examiner had not been totally honest. I'd do it again though.
    • shellyb26
      shellyb26 trisha87499

      Posted

      That does sound terrifying! I am going to persue it though and I think it's great that you made a complaint against the assessor. I feel she has ignored everything I told her. I broke down twice when being assessed and I also had a second person in the room sitting next to her observing which I wasn't told about before hand. 
  • anni_04141
    anni_04141 shellyb26

    Posted

    I applied for pip with the same condition as you arthritis, I was turned down after my assessment with 0 points. I asked for a reconsideration and got more medical information on me sent to them and also my GP wrote a letter. After reconsideration was given 6 points for daily living and 4 points for mobility so no award. . I took it all the way to the tribunal which was stressful and I appeared as apparently you have 50% more chance winning if you go and be heard. I won my appeal and was awarded daily living lower rate. This  process took over a year and I'm now going through the horrific experience of re applying as my claim has run out. Keep fighting the DWP don't get it right a lot of time! They hope that people like ourselves won't take it to tribunal as it is stressful. And I'm sure a lot of people don't on that basis as one point I nearly gave up as thought i would have no chance. 

    Gather as as much evidence as you can reasrch the Internet as theirs useful sites on applying for PIP. 

    • shellyb26
      shellyb26 anni_04141

      Posted

      Thanks for taking the time to reply and for sharing your experience. Well done anni! I think my problem is that I don't have medical evidence such as doctors letters and my GP said that they are not allowed to write letters such as this anymore. She just gave me the name and number of a local organisation that help with this issue. I guess I could ring them. It's hard enough having so many health issues without having to PROVE it to strangers who tick (or not in my case) boxes. I should of been awarded some points for sure. Thanks agains.
    • anni_04141
      anni_04141 shellyb26

      Posted

      It's also useful in future to take someone in with you for your assessment like a family member or Someone who can confirm your problems. I only had consultant letters which explained what condition I had and the treatment plan I was undergoing. I don't know why your GP has said that mine will write if I tell them what to say and what I struggle with there is a small charge but it's totally worth it as who can disagree with a doctor!

      my assessor lied and made things up I'm sure they earn points to decline people. Maybe try a different GP at your surgery see if they can write a letter saying for example ... You struggle to cook a meal due to arthritis in your hands etc. My mother also wrote a supporting letter as she is my main carer and she came to my appeal to back me up. 

      Definitly take it it all the way I read that 60% of claims taken to a tribunal end in success! Unfortunately this government are making it harder and harder for people like us to get the financial assistance we need. 

    • Boqer
      Boqer anni_04141

      Posted

      Hi Shelly

      yes Anni is right about the GP as mine also wrote me a letter, and it was worth the charge as I don't have a lot of othe medical things. Although the the whole procedure is extremely stressful, it is worth it. I think, like Anni, they turn you down as a matter of course, just hoping that we won't appeal. I did and it took a year but I was successful and they awarded me PIP for a year, which was by then was up, so within a week of hearing the tribunal result I had to make a new claim. A nurse came round to my house to assess me and I was successful without needing to appeal again. The whole procedure is ridiculous.

      I hope all goes well for you and if I can help you with anything else, just pm me 😊

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