I'm Louise and after 4 months of chronic pain I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia by my Rheumy. I also have Osteoarthritis in my feet, knees and hands. I had no idea what exhaustion was until this happened and I'm no longer the active, independent 46 year old lady I was. In the past I've always decorated, gardened, cleaned my home, worked full time as a Health Visitor and looked after my two boys (13 & 20) on my own. I have been off sick from work since all this started in September last year and need to go back full time to support my family. I'm waiting for an appointment at pain clinic and physio. My manager and HR department are being supportive and we and going to start looking at reasonable adjustments to my duties soon.
Walking is my main concern and I can not cover long distances. Getting out of the car I'm in pain and have to wait at the side of the car before I can start my journey. Would I be entitled to a Blue Badge for my car? Would I be entitled to PIP for mobility? Gosh so many questions!!
I would love to hear from others who manage to work full time with fibromyalgia and advice about blue badge and PIP please.
Gentle hugs to all.
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Burnsallbabe
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The blue badge is automatic with high rate mobility on DLA or PIP at the councils discretion without these gateway benefits, where they may ask for a medical test or supporting letter from your GP this varies with local authorities taking guidance from the Department of Transport.
I am so sorry to read of the pain, suffering and problems that you have endured, and I genuinely hope that you can find some resolution and relief to these issues with the help of your employer. PIP is payable upon how your illness / disability affects your day to day life, so it is always worth applying for it. Many members have applied for it so they can reduce their working hours by subsidising their salary using the benefit.
I have pasted you a link below to the GOV.UK pages on how to claim PIP:
What is blue badge and p.i.p.? I work full time but only a short walk from parking lot to office. Work in elementary school as school nurse and have to do car rider duty. That is the worse part of my job. I have to stand and walk on concrete for 30 minutes and it is so painful. I'm afraid to ask the principal to take me off the duty because otherwise the job is perfect for me. Not nearly as stressful and painful as hospital was and great atmosphere, happy workplace. What to do, what to do???
I might be wrong but guessing you are in the USA, blue badge in UK is a disability parking badge, & pip is a state benefit, hope this answer is helpful to you. Take care, gentle hugs x
Mell I worked with Fibro for ten years till I could not bend and eventually had to close my sing is possible hop and accept my illness. So please take it gently any thing is possible. I suspect your success at working will depend on how you handle situations. For example the extra time you need to do things- be prepared is such a good motto and if you find some times it is too hard just rest up it is not a personal knock to your ability it is just fibro !
Hi, I phoned my local council about blue badge, had a phone interview to explain why I needed one & it was approved and posted to me same day. Each council different, but it certainly is posible.
I have worked part time from home with Fibro for 5 years & will be stopping this year as the pain & fatigue are making it impossible to work & look after my 7 yr old daughter, so I'm now about to try to claim PIP. from what I have heard from others on here, it is possible to get PIP, but can be a long, process.
Good luck & wish u all the best x
I got a blue badge 3 gears ago after I had my hip replacement, now I've got Fibro I am so grateful for it. Good luck,x
Hi I worked full time until everything got worse and found it hard to keep going. Then I had a really bad flare up and was off work for approx 8 months, I was then advised to only go back to work part time so I went back working 16 hours a week claiming DLA and tax credits. Last year I had to give up work because I became really unwell and I now get DLA and ESA (but still waiting for my medical).
Hi there. When I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia I applied for DLA and awarded high rate for mobility and care component.
I have a blue badge.
Before you apply go to your doctor and ask if they would support your claim. The council always write to doctors for information.
Hope everything works out well for you. Take care
Hi Louise,
My goodness, I know your pain, so to speak! I am not sure at all about the blue badge and pip-but, I am sure about working full time with Fibromyalgia, Lupus and Hypermobility. I teach, and up until this year, I did so full time. My choice to go to 4 days a week was partially because of the new educational measures, I lost some Drama from my time table-and, it worked out well to have an extra day to collect some spoons en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoon..., at least spread them out a bit! The main thing is to learn to listen to your body and don't be afraid to say 'No'. For years, I didn't do that and would crash at the weekends sleeping 40 hours straight-but, now I am able to. I never wanted to be seen to be 'weak' and that was silly-I often tell people when I do struggle-and it is amazing how they support-it sounds like you will have that at your place of work which is 90% of the battle sorted. Some days my arms and hands don't work at all-and I just ask for help. One thing that has helped me-after making sure that I am not hurting myself-has been exercising. It has been a long road, but after years of going slow, I am building muscle and stamina. I also swear by my Amitryptiline at night-and a few other meds that I keep tweeking with the doc. I start a new one this Thursday Methotrexate and had a conversation with my Head 'just in case' I don't respond well-and have to have bloods etc. he was awesome. It can be done-Louise.
Most Councils use PIP/DLA approval as the benchmark to getting the Blue Badge. They have a criteria that you cannot walk 20 metres without severe discomfort. I have ESA support and Get the badge as I have multi conditions. I failed my DLA some years back mainly because I answered them on my good days not my bad?
I would of loved to have been able to carry on working but my health issues beat me in the end.
I am in the exact same position - I had to give up my career as a registered nurse as I didn't feel I could do what was expected of me and started working as a receptionist but even this is too much now but have to grin and bare it because I have no choice! I hope you find the answers cos I have no idea where to go from here! X
It's nice to meet you, it's a shame it is under these circumstances! My name is Honor I'm 55 year old female, I have been unable to work since 2002 aged 43 at the time, I was diagnosed in 2000 but now with hindsight ive been suffering with Fibromyalgia since about 1995/6 & working fulk time a massive struggle, that was me on NSAID's Voltarol (Diclofenac) I weaned myself off them & since I've discovered they are known to cause strokes & heart atacks! I only take paracetamol on worst days, today is a bad day, I have a blue badge, so yes you should apply, it cost £20 my badge is for 3 years known as a discretionary blue badge! I wish you well, in your endeavour to continue working full time, the only real comfort & relief I get is when I'm in the swimming pool as the water supports the muscles & joints, with love & gentle hugs xx
I am awaiting a consultation with a rheumatologist. I have failed ESA, too long to list but have long term Hypothyroidism, cervical spondylosis, and osteroarthritis in left foot awaiting another injection and possible op. I feel I ache all over with Fibro symptoms. Only taking Meloxacam but does not help much. Interesting as I just read about this NSAIDs and strokes etc. Think I will even stop that now and just take paracetemol. Feel depressed and low. Put back on jobseekers but going back on ESA I hope.
Hi Louise I remember this article so I must have read the book. Do you take that medication Guaifensin?
Hi I have had osteoarthritis in knees and thumbs for 4 years and was able to continue to work on reduced hours but now I have it in hands feet and many other joints and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and sero neg RD in March 2014. I found it increasingly difficult to cope with work with the pain and the fatigue and I went sick from work and have been unable to return. I got a blue badge from my local council when I phoned them and told them my situation with my knees and mobility problems they sent someone around to assess my situation and registered me disabled. I too miss doing the things I used to like decorating, gardening walking and cycling and can longer do any of these things. Its hard to know things are not going to be the same again but I am slowly learning to adapt my life around things and finding new ways to cope do things differently. I am hoping to get some raised beds in the garden so I can continue growing things. Goodluck and gentle hugs Joolz.x
Thank you for your reply. I'm slowly adapting to my new circumstances but it isn't easy. Some days I cant do anything but sleep others I pace myself. I'm going to apply for a blue badge. Just to be able to park in a space were I can open my car door and climb out with relative ease would be a treat.
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