Need advice please help feeling fedup

[jayuk]

Hope everyone had a good Christmas and have a good new year. I work 30 hours a week and I'm really struggling with ache pains and extreme tiredness. I'm unable to drop my hours as it would be a struggle to pay bills and basically live. I was thinking of applying for pip as I feel I would be able to drop my hours and continue working if I got a little bit extra, I keep reading about people not getting this and it puts me off applying also would it be worth the stress. I'm rubbish at filling forms in and explaining how I am day to day as everyday is different. My current illnesses are fibro, under active thyroid, b12 and folate defienticy. Would I be looked on differently because I can work and why should I get anything extra because I can work. I feel work keeps me going and some days I could cry knowing I have to go into work when I feel so crap, I feel I have to keep fighting with myself and to push myself but I know it's not helping .

[bluebell99]

Hi jayuk

I am sorry to hear of you struggling with your health at the moment and I would suggest you apply for PIP, particularly if it means you could reduce your hours.

When you receive your forms from DWP make an appointment at the Citizens Advice, which will help you with the answers.

Photocopy the unfilled forms so that you can practice what to write in pencil and rub out if necessary.

Collect copies of all your clinic appointments letters from the specialists from your GP surgery, going back about two years or so. Discard any that are not in your favour. There should be no charge for this.

Make a double appointment with your doctor and go through all your various conditions. Ideally you could ask him for a "To Whom It May Concern" letter which usually costs about £25.00

Also get a copy of your repeat prescription. When you are ready, make several photocopies before sending off.

PIP is not means tested so any wages you earn will not be taken into account,

I wish you luck. It may be a little stressful but you have nothing to lose.

Kay

[uggycat]

well if you do not try you will not get it anyway, get the citizens advice to help fill the form in for you, they know what answerers the relevant department wants to hear xx

[naturalnikki]

I'm sorry you are struggling. Have you tried juicing? I know it would be difficult with working, but I honestly get more benefit from it than anything else. Magnesium chloride oil helps transdermally. Stretching and range of motion exercises, injury prevention exercises. Apple cider vinegar with mother, raw honey, lemon and distilled water drink in the morning seems to be helping. Trying to increase water intake and veggie intake.

I do hope you can find something to help you.

Take care×××

[TheAuthor]

Hi jayuk

I am so gneuinely sorry to read of how you are suffering and struggling and I sincerely hope that you can qualify for PIP. It is always worth applying; as they say, nothing ventured nothing gained! As bluebell99 says make an appointment to talk to your local CAB and get help filling in the forms.

I want to sincerely wish you all the best of luck, and please take care of yourself.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken

[Loraine121]

Hi Jayuk, nothing ventured nothing gained,

I don't know if you get working tax credits of but there is a part for people who work with a disability it maybe worth enquiring about,

If applying for any benefits alwsys think of your worsed days when filling in the forms , that is the advice i was given when I first applied for dla which is not changed to pip ,

Good luck

Loraine x

[peck]

Hi jayuk , I hate your feeling this way , you should at least try.Im in the US but understand it is stressful but if they could help would be worth it. Best wishes.Peck 🐤

[Leonwp]

Hi, good for you for continueing to work all you can while dealing with your problems. Firstly PIP is not means tested in anyway and plenty of people who work recieve PIP although i imagine since the criteria has changed so much since DLA that the numbers will be reducing. However you can apply for PIP and you should apply if your problems fit the orofile they apply to claims. Even a competsnt form filler would find the PIP form a challenge and most of us turn to CAB or some other source for help, the problem with that is that from when you receive the form you only have 28 days to return it so you need to be quick finding help or have it lined up. It did occur to me that working 3p hours you should be able to apply for working tax credit if you havnt already done so. Good luck. Blessings.

[jayuk]

Thank you everyone for your kind words and advice . I will wait till new year is over and I will ring for a form, like everyone said I won't know if I don't try. I will look for all my letters and try and get everything together .

[rosewine]

My advice would be to try but get as much professional help as possible. theca seems to be a bit overwhelmed so I would book an appt ahead of times and then send for the form. There arenas sea of sites out there that have the descriptors so you can look ahead of time for the questions. Janet our own brilliant advisor details in blue to the right of your screen on how to contact her has access to the Benefit and Works guides as well, I wouldn't have been without my subscription to their site.

I know of people who worked full time who got DLA LR care and HR mobility but PIP is rather more difficult to get especially for the mobility element so do get help.

If you have problems with a specific question do ask as somanyod us have already been there and worn the T shirt as they say.

Nothing ventured nothing gained and it sounds to me you are understandably stressed already trying to work the 30 hours. Good luck with it all let us know how you get on.x

[skit]

hi jayuk

I endorse all above. Would like to add Benefit and work site has great info on PIP.

Before I lost my job I had disability assessment where I worked to see if there were any devices/adaptions that could help me stay at work.

Get in touch with your local job centre I think for help as to where to go.

PIP will probably want face to face assessment- take someone with you and 2 tape recorders and plenty of blank tapes. The sad fact is they could write down something you never said!

Best wishes for 2017 keep forum updated please.

[Hidden]

I have fibromyalgia and work 36.5 hours per week. I found that the nature of my work makes it easier for me. My work involves walking around a large Tesco store picking customers shopping. I have found that with fibromyalgia, inactivity brings on the pain. So if you are not moving around at work ie, sitting at a desk, the chance is that your pain will flare up. Not knowing what type of work you do its hard to advise. However don't give up your job. Therapist advise that being active makes one feel much better. I applied for pip. I failed because I'm so active. If you are on prescription drugs, the side effects could be causing you to feel the way you do. I am using herbal remedies. Since there are no side effects, I feel much much better.

Hope you can continue to cope. Be positive. You are doing well at working with fibromyalgia etc.

[jayuk]

Thanks again for all your support and advice. I work with adults with learning disabilities, I enjoy my work but just feel drained all the time and whole body aches. When I get home from work the next day I cannot do anything and feel I have to save my energy just for work. I have no life as I'm just knackered all the time and everything I do leaves me drained the next day. I wake up like I've got a hangover and don't even drink.

[pretty1]

hi Jayuk,

Yes I am having the same issues and because my job is not permanent as well as not being paid within holidays..it is an everyday struggle. Some days am sooo glad am working but on bad days, it is a struggle. I have also been toying with the idea of claiming for pip and other benefits that maybe available for my disabilities. I think I have had fibromyalgia for many years as have had pain and muscle problems as well as having physiotherapy. Only recently, I have been diagnosed and hoping doctor will prescribe me with nabilone as apposed to antidepressants which am very adamant to take due to side affects. Osteoarthritis also adds to my condition too.

Do let me know how you get on and would greatly appreciate any suggestions on what I may be entitled to. Hope all goes well and can totally sympathise with how you are feeling as go through the same. I am anxious about work tomorrow as my neck feels tight and can feel pins needles across my shoulder...normally this means I won't sleep well and will be in pain tomorrow.

pretty1

[jayuk in reply to pretty1]

Hi pretty thank you for replying to my message, I've not put a claim in as I feel the stress maybe to much for me, I'm at the pain clinic tomorrow to see a pain phycologist that should be fun, just hope I get something out of it also in work doing a 24 shift. Life so depressing at the moment. Work has put me on a 12 month sickness monitoring as I've had two sickness in 12 months and both were for the same thing viral infection, I feel as tho my immune system is low as seem to be coming down with sore throat and then it turns into a cold. Might make myself appointment at the doctors and see if there's something else going on to add to my illness. However said life begins at forty is telling lies, in my case . Pretty if you got the strength then Try and apply. Good luck if you do.

[pretty1]

Hi jayuk thanks for your reply. Good luck with pain management. I have just recently had my last appointment and have to say they were very helpful, though is was all talking therapy with advise on slowing down and taking regular exercise...easier said than done! Went out on my bike today and fell off now my shoulder is getting pins and needles and pain. Up at 6 tomorrow for a long journey to work! I will make a claim and let you know how it all went. Do let me know how you got on with pain therapy. It is useful but not always practical with their advise.

All the best..pretty1

[jayuk in reply to pretty1]

Hey pretty, not much to report as they just asking questions about when did it start and a bit of history but I do hope I get something out of it.