Any f2f success stories for daily care + question

Hi

I have my first PIP appointment coming up and I have been using the guides to prepare. I have never had an assessment before and would like to prepare to the best of my ability. I have always had paper assessments but I feel the fact that I mentioned I receive DSA support at uni has triggered a f2f. I read that there are informal observations from the moment I step foot in the centre which is making me worry about my assessment. I currently receive standard daily living and nothing else and by looking at me I look completely healthy. I could be breatheless but that’s it! All of my pain and symptoms are internal. I would feel dizzy and fainty and have throbbing pain but it will not show. I have arthritis and I have never had redness swelling on my hands but my pain would be so intense that I wouldn’t be able to lift my duvet off me in the morning. I am extremely worried about the assessment and I feel like I am going to fail as I don’t use walking aid nor is my condition visible. I need help with dressing up, cooking and showering and this still stands but besides that I am fairly independent. I would be grateful if any of you with invisible disabilities on standard care and no mobility can share their success story with f2f.

Also, if I manage to complete physio exercises without sounding in pain or breatheless does that mean I will be rejected? My condition is complex as I don’t feel immediate pain but the pain develops after I complete the activity. I can’t bend to anywhere above my knee and I am able to move my upper half. I would be able to stand on one leg but the pain will not hit me until I relax my body and sit down. I always get this with climbing stairs I would be fine going up but as soon I get all the way there I feel fainty, get sharp pain and become breathless. I would try to breathe slowly to regulate my breathing but I assume that wouldn’t be enough of a physical indicator of my pain.

Apologies for the information overload.

Hi nj1990

Have you supplied the DWP with any medical evidence of your condition/s? as I found that really helps. My assessment was more question based, the physical part of it was minimal. If you have any new medical evidence since you applied then take that with you. If the assessor asks you to do something that you know will cause you pain then explain it to them. I have a visibly deformed knee due to osteoarthritis and the assessor made note of that and barely touched it. I was only asked how far I could straighten it. I was awarded both care and mobility. in part for arthritis and also because I have ms.

Gary,

Thank you very much for clarifying this, I have a better understanding of what I need to do now. I heard that the physical examination will involve me putting my arms behind my back but funnily enough this is the position I take when I feel arthritis pain in my shoulder and chest. Would that go against me? or in other words does qualifying for PIP require that you 'struggle' to do all of the MSK examination? e.g. folding my arms across the chest eases my pain actually but it does not really say that I can carry pans and pots without pain or that I can wash my hair without aid. Doing this exercise for one or two seconds does mean I can proceed to wash my hair for 5 minutes everyday if that makes sense? apologies for the rant.

Hello Becky,

I supplied a hospital letter, GP letter and medical assessment report from DSA so hopefully that reduces the duration of the assessment Glad that your assessor was understanding and that you receive your award! Unfortunately you don't always hear of good assessment experiences on the forum.

Thank you so much for your advice!