Hello to everyone,

Could someone please help me? as l have an appeal this month for dla.

I suffer with fibromyalgia, arthritis, polycystic ovaries, endometreosis, carpel tunnel, and had a bad break on my left ankle two years ago, which needed a plate and screws to fix it.
I suffer alot of pain in my lower back, neck, well everywhere really. I find it extremley painful when walking, and have to stop many times. I am a mum of three and they all have special needs, my eldest son who will be 21 next year suffers with agoraphobia, youngest son 17 has autisim, and my 10 year old daughter needs extra help at school.

My eldest son's friend comes round regularly every week and will go shopping with me, sometimes l stay in the car and he shops for me, or l use a mobility scooter in the shop if they have one and depending on how l am feeling on the day.

My mother suffers with lupus, diabetes, and have had breast cancer, so have her own health problems, but is always on the phone for moral support when l need it.
My father died three years ago, so dont have anyone else for help. He was always there for help and support.

This is my second time applying, l had an appeal last year and got turned down, but have since been back to the hospital and now have to where a pain killing patch weekly,splints on my wrists for carpel tunnel, also waiting for some special insoles to be made for me because of my gait problems.
I have also seen the occupational therapist who had my couch and chairs raised for me, and gave me some foam to put on my cutlery as l have problems with my hands. She also wrote a report for me.

I do have disability rights representing me next week, my appeal is 21st Nov.

Any help and advice will be very much appreciated.

Thanks for reading
Belinda

Hi Belinda,

Welcome to Benefits and Work forum.

Regretfully, we cannot give advice about individual claims in a public forum see our post "Help with Benefits' in Spotlight in the forum.

As you have a Disability Rights Representative (DRR), they will have access to all your case papers, which naturally we don't, so they are in a far better position to give definitive advice than we are. If you are attending your appeal with your DRR, your chances of success are around the 60% mark.

Have you read our guides on DLA and appeals in the members section HERE

Also, you can find out about how the appeals system works on the Social Security Appeals area of the Tribunals Service website HERE

Hope this is of help.

Jim

Hi Belinda, I hope your appeal goes well next week, this site has been invaluable to me,I would read all you can to make sure you are well informed about the appeal system.

I had a self assessment form for incapacity benifit and through reading all the information here and being well informed I passed it.

Good luck Belinda, Best wishes Lunis

Hello again,

Thankyou for your good wishes, and what best to look at.
Congratulations Lunis on passing your self assessment.

I had to go for a lone parents interview last week, and my adviser suggested that l go on incapacity benefit as she has noticed how my health problems have worsened. She said nothing would change, but it would stop me having to go every 6 months to see her. But l would have to go back there for another interview with another adviser then may have to go to shaw trust for six appointments, but that will be more stressful for me and that will make my health worse. So not sure what to do.

Thankyou Jima1 for your helpful links you left me, they were very helpful. The walking speed and how far you can walk is one of my problems, as l am in so much pain in my lower back, l use a stick and alsways go with someone who l hold onto, as the pain makes me go light headed at times.

I went away with my family in the summer to Butlins, and had to hire a wheelchair because l couldnt walk through the pain in my back. I am 43, but feel really old. When l think back to when my children were younger and l used to beable to run about with them, and play bat and ball, and now l am unable to just walk with them, it really gets me down. To be honest its my kids that keep me going.

Sorry to go on.

Take care
Belinda

Hello Belinda, your not going on, I'm sure everyone that uses this forum can relate to your frustration and upset as chronic pain is no joke, so please don't apoligise about going on as your not at all, just you tell it like it is like you have here and surely anyone with half a pea brain will help you.

All the Best, Good luck with your appeal,kind regards Liz

Hello Liz, thanks for that, l told the (DRN) that l felt like giving up on the appeal, as its hard enough getting up to face the day as it is.He said that is want they want, to put you off fighting for it.
I will let you know how it goes.

Take care
Belinda