petitions.number10.gov.uk/chronicpain/#detail

i am a sufferer of fibromyalgia currently in reciept of income support as unfit to work through health. i am dreading the point where i have to change to ESA - earliest review is may 2011 - because of all the awful things we are hearing.

whilst i know from experience that these petitions tend to produce little except hot waffle i think this is a good one highlighting a specific hole in the ESA regs (i know its one of many but have to start somewhere) and the more we make a noise the more chance there is of someone listening.

Hi there,

I totally agree with your comments. I suffer from CFS and have been through the whole ESA process and found it hopeless. ESA takes no account of debilitating fatigue whatsoever. I am glad to sign this petition and will pass the details on to as many as possible as the whole system is a joke!

Kind regards

Vikki

Hi
I also suffer from chronic pain and fatigue and was glad to sign the petition. Thank you so much for the link. I was able to sign up even though I am an ex pat!
Regards
Wendy

thats great wendy - as an optimist i am hoping that by the time they decide to transfer me (my IB said earliest review may 2011) they will have sorted it out somewhat - otherwise back on the appeal circuit again

Thank You for the petition, I have just signed up to it. Have you heard of the chronic pain coalition www.paincoalition.org.uk/ So much more needs to be done to highlight the plight of those of us suffering from it.
I was startled to read that less than 12% of those suffering recover within 3-4 years the majority suffer for 20-30 years, not a prospect I relish now in my 4th year of constant pain. Lets hope that not only can we get those at ESA to take notice but also get some funding for research, I personally don't fancy another 35 years of pain killers.

no hadnt heard of them before but am going to look now.

i am 5 years into this and have a nice copy of a letter by my doctor stating that if the symptoms dont resolve in the first five years they will remain for at least another decade