Appeal Sucess

[tiredandinpainmum2012]

i have yesterday been informed that the exceptional letter that my GP sent in, and the hard work my CAB disability legal adviser Sally did (analysing my DLA form, dealing with my appeal on my behalf) has paid off. My DLA has been reinstated at the same level is was before (high level for care and mobility) after losing it in November.

I wanted to post this to give other people hope. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 8 years ago, and CFS 25 years ago. I also suffer from regular migraines, sciatica, a dodgy knee, and possible Menieres which affects my balance a lot. i actually typed up a lot of the answers to the form in Word files, so that i could come back to it and edit it when i had the energy, or remembered something extra. Even doing that, i only just got the form to DWP in time for the deadline. I put as much detail into my answers, even if i felt embaressed at how personal the information that i had to give. They dont just want a list of symptoms it seems, they want to know examples of how much this affects you in daily life, and to give detailed examples.

I hope this helps, My carer (mum) now keeps a diary noting dates of every flare up, and i am now flaring up more often, because of the stress this process has affected me, but i am glad i appealed. as long as you have the right support and advice, it is possible, be strong, and dont get disheartened, there are sucess stories - not many, but enough i hope in the end to make the government officials see how bad these 'invisible conditions' affect us. sending hugs to everyone going through this painful and upsetting process xxx

[Twiglet]

Well done you. I've just submitted my first claim, fully expect to get turned down but hearing how others eventually succeed helps me and I will persevere if it goes to tribunal. gentle hugs

[tiredandinpainmum2012 in reply to Twiglet]

Good luck Twiglet xx

[LindseyMid]

Well done! I hope this mean that you can now take the time to concentrate on yourself and get your symptoms under better control. DLA is there to pay for the extra costs of being disabled so that people do not make themselves worse or put themselves at risk because of not being able to handle these costs.

[madmaria]

well done you I did not fill in my form because I thought it would be a waste of time and did not think I would get it and still dont know wether to reapply I have to work but do temp work so that when I am in a flare up i stop working some one said you cant get dla if your working ???? i am on my own all my kids are adults and i dont want to put on them because when i am rough I just want to sleep they may find this hard to cope with as they all have busy lives so i suffer in silence glad you got it thogh well done dont think I have the enegy to fight

[FionaP in reply to madmaria]

You can get DLA while you are working. it is there to support extra expenses of having help/assistance, getting around and extra costs incurred. Do apply it makes such a difference

[Rach1977]

Congratulations, that is fantastic and inspiring news.I have to write an appeal for Insustrial Injuries Benefit and just keep looking at it, wondering what to write. I will do it soon!!!!

Hopefully your flare ups will decrease along with your stress!! Bet you are chuffed and make sure you treat yourself!!!

x

[Swannie]

Well done! i too won my appeal 2 months ago after DLA dropped my care componant down to lower rate, i was diagnosed with fibro 2010 and had DLA since 2006 as i have a prodruding prolapse in my spine L4 AND L5 with an inpindgement on my L5 root nerves so im unable to walk more than a few steps and need my wheelchair for outside and a stick in home.

As for working and claiming DLA my friend has back problems and works as a secretary full time and she gets DLA care and mobility she has a mobility car.

Im a new member on here, its really nice to know im not the only one out there..

Thank u for liserning xxx

[tiredandinpainmum2012 in reply to Swannie]

well done swannie, so glad your appeal was sucessful. you shouldnt have had to go through the upset of an appeal in the first place, and i know of so many people with severe back problems that are denied the benefits they so urgently need. xx

[tiredandinpainmum2012]

Thank you so much for all your comments. I hope my story does inspire others to carry on with their appeals. The government are depending on the disabled to just roll over and take the initial decisions made by dla and atos, even if they are totally wrong. It has been heartbreaking listening to the experiences both in my community and on the disabled forums, and i realise i could have been in a lot less fortunate position while i was waiting for the dla decision. i am planning to get a new walking stick with a gel handle and a heated throw to use in this increasing cold spring, as my daughter and i live in a very old cottage, which tends to get very draughty. i will also give my daughter some treat money if she goes on a day out with my ex.

Any time i see a query i can help with on here, i will try and comment on or answer if i can. i have built up quite a library of info and personal experience over the years (unfortunately...) and this has been the most friendly forum i have joined up with, so well done fibroaction!....hope you all have less ouch days than good days this weekend xx

[Kirby in reply to tiredandinpainmum2012]

I so agree with you. I am also doing what you're doing eg I've downloaded the forms in advance of being transferred from my IB to ESA (and also have somehwhere an old copy of my DLA form which I use as a template). I am also keeping a log of my days so that when it comes to doing it I will be half prepared. A really good site is benefitsandwork who give great advice for filling in forms. They charge a small annual subscription but it's well worth it and it's just to cover admin costs.

[SharontheSheep]

Hi there, it took me 18 months for my appeal to go through to get my first dla and I was awarded lower rate for both care + mobility but the tribunal panel apologised to me and explained that they had to make their decision based on how I was when I applied. She told me to ask for a review immediately I received my arrears. I did this and was awarded higher rate for both elements. I asked a close friend to complete my second lot of forms for the perspective of someone seeing how living my life is. I think this helped. I anticipated another fight and was pleased it went through trouble free but also so upset that it meant that I really am ill. Such a strange emotion when most of my time I am fighting doctors to just believe me!

Just before Christmas my employer, DWP, sent me to ATOS for a medical to consider resonable adjustments - they had found out that I was not able to go to the toilet unaided so was not going at work all day and felt that this was not acceptable, also I had started to react badly to the computers. The consultant I saw said there were no adjustments to be made and that he was recommending medical retirement. Again I was in floods of tears, 25 years of service and now they are taking my job away because they know I am too ill to work and yet I face specialists who make me feel like I am some kind of crackpot hypochondriac.

I'm new here and not in a good place at the moment but I will blog my story shortly.

Supporting you all in spirit with a smile

Sharon x

[Sarah-Jane]

Really sorry to hear that you are being treated so badly by ATOS. Were they right or could you have told them what you needed? If you could have, could you appeal? Is there no one at work who could have helped you or could someone have come in say at lunch time to assist you? Is ATOS the same as Access To Work? They assessed my workplace at my request and I now have money to pay for a taxi [i.e. they refund one journey as husband can do the other one] and I also have an electric wheelchair to cover the big distances. I do not know whether a carer could have been paid for to come in though.

I hope things get better for you.

Soft hugs.

[Hidden]

Hi am newbie on site but just wanted to add that I applied for DLA and got lower rate care component, which I hadn't expected but this was cos I have really bad problems with my hands, wrists and shoulders but on other days they seem fine but never pain free. Strangely it was the mobility element I really applied for as my legs, feet, hips, well you get the picture are pure hell but was turned down for this!! Luckily I have a really good GP and had only met me twice when she sent me to see a consultant about being diagnosed with the fibro and she advised me to go to see CAB which I did and they were great. they did the appeal for me which I was successful with and gained the higher rate mobility this after seeing one of their doctors! Can now apply for my blue badge which will help with walking as the thought of walking to the end of car parks puts me off going anywhere so all good.

so just don't be put of with appeals make sure they listen to what you are saying.