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[Amy-nel]

I am 27 and have been suffering with left a do pains for 6 years. The hospital have finally diagnosed me with endo. After tellin me I had ibs also a hernia. I am in severe pain and always popping meds to get me threw the day. I struggle to maintain my house as well as caring for my children as can bearly stand up let alone work. I was workin 22.5 hours a week but can't fitful the duties of the job. And now having to attend disaplinary due to having so much time off. I have been told to give up work and apply for dla but don't know if I would be entitled. How have people managed

[Mabes]

Have you had a laparoscopy with excision of your endometriosis? Aside from pain relief what treatments have you tried?

If you do a search on here, you'll see there's other endo ladies who have undergone disciplinary meetings - there might be some useful advice on one of their threads.

On a side note, DLA changed to PIP. You might find the Benefits and Work website helpful - they have some eligibility screening questionnaire things that give an idea of what criteria one has to fulfil. The Citizens Advice Bureau are also helpful. You can claim PIP while working so it is worth looking into regardless of what happens with your job.

[Amy-nel in reply to Mabes]

I have had a laparoscopy procedure. I am now on prospat injections and hrt. It has got me so down the doctors have advised me to start anti depressants. Just don't know which way to turn

[Mabes in reply to Amy-nel]

Did you have excision surgery or laser?

Are you on any birth control or have you got the Mirena coil?

Have you seen an actual endometriosis specialist or just a general gynaecologist?

[Amy-nel in reply to Mabes]

I have a mirena coil and yet seen a specialist. They are tryin the injections first before they decide to do later or full histerectomy.

[Mabes in reply to Amy-nel]

A hysterectomy only resolves the problem if it's in the uterus (like adenomyosis). Removal of the ovaries as well can help and may bring its own problems (hormonal), but neither is guaranteed to get rid of the pain - it depends where the endo is... If it's in other areas then it needs excising from there too.

If you look up the user Lindle on here you will fond she has a lot of information posted about treating endometriosis and finding the correct consultant/surgeon.

[Sam341]

Hi,

Sorry your going through this. I have spent months angry at everyone because the state I was due to endo.

I was luck to get a nice Dr one day who had put me on gabapentin. And I already had the coil. I'm not able to work again full time. I'm on top of my housework and being a better mum. Couple of month ago I could hardly walk. Gabapentin had been a god send for me.

Make an appointment with the nicest Dr in your surgery And ask them to do what they can to help you get on top of the pain. And Ask your Dr to write to your work, it might help. They have a legal duty of care!

You cannot get disability allowance with endo as it is not classed as a disability.

Good luck.

[Mabes in reply to Sam341]

I was under the impression that PIP can be claimed if the daily impact is bad enough (and there have been members on here who have claimed ESA temporarily) as what is assessed is not the individual health condition (like on a list of yes/no), but how the health problem/s affects one's ability to carry out everyday tasks. So if someone is unable to stand to cook for themselves this would be part of the qualifying criteria, the same for needing help washing/dressing and not being able to walk without using an aid amongst other things. Then each of these is assessed on how bad it is and in turn one accrues pints based upon how they are affected with the total number of points indicating eligibility. That's how I understood it from previous discussions. The challenge is proving it - many PIP claims seem to be denied and have to go to appeal/tribunal.

Where endometriosis not being classed as a disability affects for sure is the disability discrimination act - so particularly at work with sick leave and so on. I think there was a petition to get it added to 'the list'.