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Migraine and Answering Questions About Symptoms Without Medication or Treatment
- MigraineSucks
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2 days 18 hours ago #304493 by MigraineSucks
Migraine and Answering Questions About Symptoms Without Medication or Treatment was created by MigraineSucks
Hi there,
I'm working my way through the UC50 using your guide as I suffer from chronic migraines and there's lots of medication I can't take for other medical reasons.
I read I think on The Migraine Trust benefits advice that the DWP is supposed to look at your condition without medication, so how you would be without taking pain medication. I'm not quite sure how to answer the questions in this case - and am just making myself more confused trying to understand this (and giving myself a headache which is getting quite migrainey). Advice is to speak to a specialist adviser but in my experience it's very hard to find people (even consultants) who truly understand the kind of migraines I get.
Any advice, or should I just write reams on all the ways migraine can affect me and has affected me without medication and treatment, and the saga of trying different medications and treatments?
Thank you so much!
I'm working my way through the UC50 using your guide as I suffer from chronic migraines and there's lots of medication I can't take for other medical reasons.
I read I think on The Migraine Trust benefits advice that the DWP is supposed to look at your condition without medication, so how you would be without taking pain medication. I'm not quite sure how to answer the questions in this case - and am just making myself more confused trying to understand this (and giving myself a headache which is getting quite migrainey). Advice is to speak to a specialist adviser but in my experience it's very hard to find people (even consultants) who truly understand the kind of migraines I get.
Any advice, or should I just write reams on all the ways migraine can affect me and has affected me without medication and treatment, and the saga of trying different medications and treatments?
Thank you so much!
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- BIS
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2 days 14 hours ago #304523 by BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by BIS on topic Migraine and Answering Questions About Symptoms Without Medication or Treatment
Hi MigraineSucks
I'm not sure why they write it that way. The DWP wants to know how a claimant's condition affects their daily living and mobility, as per the PIP criteria, and they want to know whether they have been prescribed medication. I have never heard an assessor ask someone how they would feel without their medication! If you're not able to take certain medications - you should tell them - but you don't have to write reams.
BIS
I'm not sure why they write it that way. The DWP wants to know how a claimant's condition affects their daily living and mobility, as per the PIP criteria, and they want to know whether they have been prescribed medication. I have never heard an assessor ask someone how they would feel without their medication! If you're not able to take certain medications - you should tell them - but you don't have to write reams.
BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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- MigraineSucks
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2 days 11 hours ago #304529 by MigraineSucks
Replied by MigraineSucks on topic Migraine and Answering Questions About Symptoms Without Medication or Treatment
Thank you so much.
I'm also concerned as there are so many drugs that are not suitable for me for various reasons and so I have made the most improvement with going swimming frequently (even when I have a migraine coming on) and doing intense exercise in between attacks. (I also have to do daily physiotherapy when I can for back pain.) My consultant was really impressed and encouraged me to keep going, but I am worried that they might not appreciate how it impacts me to try to keep up this regime despite my symptoms, and how much worse I am when I can't. That they might not appreciate that it is therapy? There are days when it is all I can do to exercise and then have to go back to bed for the rest of the day, but it is my top priority as without it, I am so, so much worse.
I'm also concerned as there are so many drugs that are not suitable for me for various reasons and so I have made the most improvement with going swimming frequently (even when I have a migraine coming on) and doing intense exercise in between attacks. (I also have to do daily physiotherapy when I can for back pain.) My consultant was really impressed and encouraged me to keep going, but I am worried that they might not appreciate how it impacts me to try to keep up this regime despite my symptoms, and how much worse I am when I can't. That they might not appreciate that it is therapy? There are days when it is all I can do to exercise and then have to go back to bed for the rest of the day, but it is my top priority as without it, I am so, so much worse.
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- BIS
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1 day 17 hours ago #304558 by BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by BIS on topic Migraine and Answering Questions About Symptoms Without Medication or Treatment
Hi MigraineSucks
Push hard on the fact that you are trying to overcome these difficulties but be really clear about how debilitating it is. After all you have just said that after swimming you have to go to bed - that is not what people without your condition do. If you go swimming as you are starting a migraine, I would emphasise if true that you may well swim more slowly than others, getting out of the pool is tiring and getting home again. Do emphasise that this is therapy that your consultant has suggested and you are doing your best to comply. Say if there has been times when you are too ill to try it.
The swimming will not count as therapy - because that is about what you do at home. Your daily physiotherapy is therapy. If you need any help with that - you need to say so. I would also tell them about the impact. If it has not had a positive effect or you are exhausted afterwards or have increased pain -say so.
Never think that the person you are talking to understands the position you are in. You have to tell them.
BIS
Push hard on the fact that you are trying to overcome these difficulties but be really clear about how debilitating it is. After all you have just said that after swimming you have to go to bed - that is not what people without your condition do. If you go swimming as you are starting a migraine, I would emphasise if true that you may well swim more slowly than others, getting out of the pool is tiring and getting home again. Do emphasise that this is therapy that your consultant has suggested and you are doing your best to comply. Say if there has been times when you are too ill to try it.
The swimming will not count as therapy - because that is about what you do at home. Your daily physiotherapy is therapy. If you need any help with that - you need to say so. I would also tell them about the impact. If it has not had a positive effect or you are exhausted afterwards or have increased pain -say so.
Never think that the person you are talking to understands the position you are in. You have to tell them.
BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: MigraineSucks
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