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Lacking evidence due to double diagnoses
- Chlorinated
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9 years 2 months ago #129409 by Chlorinated
Lacking evidence due to double diagnoses was created by Chlorinated
I had CFS for a few years and was put in the WRAG. Over the years I became worse and worse and then developed a mental health disorder.
As I fill in the form I find myself talking about both medical problems as they both affect my everyday activities. Unfortunately as I have been seeing a psychiatrist for years I had stopped seeing the CFS clinic for years now. This means I have no recent evidence to support my statements regarding CFS.
I should be scoring points for both physical and mental descriptors. However as all my evidence for CFS are old what can I do to get points for things like walking? MY CFS is not something which my psychiatrist spoke about much.
1. Should I submit CFS diagnoses papers from years ago? What can I do to get points for my walking problems when there is no documentation talking about it.
2. Should I request me psychiatrist to write about it(I think she has some awareness of my mobility problems)?
3. When completing the pip form, is it best to talk about both conditions equally or should I just write about my mental issues more(make them the point of focus to get points for a descriptor as my recent medical evidence will be in line with this)?
Anything else you can suggest. I really don't want to miss points for mobility because I have no evidence when the symptoms.
Anything else you can suggest.
Thanks
As I fill in the form I find myself talking about both medical problems as they both affect my everyday activities. Unfortunately as I have been seeing a psychiatrist for years I had stopped seeing the CFS clinic for years now. This means I have no recent evidence to support my statements regarding CFS.
I should be scoring points for both physical and mental descriptors. However as all my evidence for CFS are old what can I do to get points for things like walking? MY CFS is not something which my psychiatrist spoke about much.
1. Should I submit CFS diagnoses papers from years ago? What can I do to get points for my walking problems when there is no documentation talking about it.
2. Should I request me psychiatrist to write about it(I think she has some awareness of my mobility problems)?
3. When completing the pip form, is it best to talk about both conditions equally or should I just write about my mental issues more(make them the point of focus to get points for a descriptor as my recent medical evidence will be in line with this)?
Anything else you can suggest. I really don't want to miss points for mobility because I have no evidence when the symptoms.
Anything else you can suggest.
Thanks
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- Gordon
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9 years 2 months ago #129416 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic Lacking evidence due to double diagnoses
Amonia
1. Having a confirmed diagnosis of CFS will help so I would include letters that show this.
Most people with CFS will struggle to get medical evidence all you can do is work around it. First of all document how your walking is limited and to what degree, it may help you if you keep a diary of your walking, if you do then I would recommend that you record the distance, the time it takes and if possible the number of steps you take. if you can do it for a week or two you should have a reasonable picture of what you can do. Remember "reliably".
2. You can ask but they may not be able to comment, but you are no worse of if they cannot.
3. You need to look at each question on its own, so as an example preparing food; maybe you need to be prompted to prepare a meal, but when you do so you are limited by the time you have to remain at the cooker due to exhaustion. In this example I would include two "paragraphs", one for the prompting and one for the tiredness. As long as the information helps your case then don't be afraid to make multiple entries.
For a Mobility award you can score points from both the Going Out question and the Moving Around one, you need 8 points in total for a Standard aware and 12 for an Enhanced one. The Going out question is primarily based on your mental health issues so concentrate on those in your answer. the moving around one is about your problems walking, so use your CFS issues there.
Gordon
1. Having a confirmed diagnosis of CFS will help so I would include letters that show this.
Most people with CFS will struggle to get medical evidence all you can do is work around it. First of all document how your walking is limited and to what degree, it may help you if you keep a diary of your walking, if you do then I would recommend that you record the distance, the time it takes and if possible the number of steps you take. if you can do it for a week or two you should have a reasonable picture of what you can do. Remember "reliably".
2. You can ask but they may not be able to comment, but you are no worse of if they cannot.
3. You need to look at each question on its own, so as an example preparing food; maybe you need to be prompted to prepare a meal, but when you do so you are limited by the time you have to remain at the cooker due to exhaustion. In this example I would include two "paragraphs", one for the prompting and one for the tiredness. As long as the information helps your case then don't be afraid to make multiple entries.
For a Mobility award you can score points from both the Going Out question and the Moving Around one, you need 8 points in total for a Standard aware and 12 for an Enhanced one. The Going out question is primarily based on your mental health issues so concentrate on those in your answer. the moving around one is about your problems walking, so use your CFS issues there.
Gordon
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- Chlorinated
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9 years 2 months ago #129425 by Chlorinated
Replied by Chlorinated on topic Lacking evidence due to double diagnoses
thanks gordan.
My doctor has given me a letter saying that the difficulties caused by my mental condition make me to distressed to undertake activities like cooking. since my evidence is largley for the mental condition, should I just elaborate how that stops me cooking rather than go into detail about the cfs.
as for the cfs which is just as bad really(but more difficult to prove) should I just write one sentence saying the activity exhausts me and so I avoid, rather than go into detail about it?
as I have two conditions affecting the cooking, I might end up writing a lot, the cfs side of which is not so well evidenced or appreciated.
My doctor has given me a letter saying that the difficulties caused by my mental condition make me to distressed to undertake activities like cooking. since my evidence is largley for the mental condition, should I just elaborate how that stops me cooking rather than go into detail about the cfs.
as for the cfs which is just as bad really(but more difficult to prove) should I just write one sentence saying the activity exhausts me and so I avoid, rather than go into detail about it?
as I have two conditions affecting the cooking, I might end up writing a lot, the cfs side of which is not so well evidenced or appreciated.
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- Gordon
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9 years 2 months ago #129433 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic Lacking evidence due to double diagnoses
Amonia
I'm not sure that I can explain this any better than I have in my previous post.
If you are unable to perform a PIP test because of your mental health issues alone then obviously you should only reference these, but if you are also limited by your CFS even in part, then it is to your advantage to document this.
AS long it is relevant there should be no problem with you writing a lot.
Gordon
I'm not sure that I can explain this any better than I have in my previous post.
If you are unable to perform a PIP test because of your mental health issues alone then obviously you should only reference these, but if you are also limited by your CFS even in part, then it is to your advantage to document this.
AS long it is relevant there should be no problem with you writing a lot.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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