Hope everyone is doing as well as can be 😊 and for those who are having a bad day, I'm sending lots of hugs to you all 🤗🤗🤗🤗
So I have my telephone PIP assessment tomorrow afternoon and I'm filled with so much anxiety about it! I'm not good at talking to people about my health, especially people I don't know. I get upset everytime I talk about my difficulties 😢
And this has made me even more nervous - I've been doing some research on what kind of questions are asked on telephone assessments and I came across an article that said telephone assessments are mainly used for those with mental health issues as they don't need to see how your physical health affects you.
Now after reading that, it's making me think they are only going off my mental health and are not so much bothered about the details I put in my form about how my pain affects my physical abilities.
So my questions for you lovely people on here who have gone thru the PIP process for Fibromyalgia are:
**has anyone else had just a telephone assessment and did they ask you about your physical abilities still?
**And how did you find the assessment? Is it quite daunting or are they good with you?
**And any other tips for the PIP assessment would be much appreciated 🙏🏼
My claim is for differing conditions that affect my daily life, T1 Diabetes, Fibromyalgia, lumbar spondylitis and anxiety and depression. Unfortunately I couldn't get any professional help with my form so I filled it in myself, and looking back over what I sent, I don't know if I've been very clear and used the correct terminology to show how often I struggle with the asked activities so I need to make sure I tell them everything in this phone call, paint the full picture as they say.
I'm so nervous today, God knows what I'll be like tomorrow 😫 I also have another assessment to get onto an insulin pump tomorrow too, I've been waiting 2 years for this so I hope I don't mess that up! 41 years of multiple injections everyday has taken its toll on my body and to have an insulin pump fitted instead would be a much welcomed break from multiple daily injections 🤞🏼🤞🏼
I thankyou all in advance for your replies ☺️
Angela 😇 xxx
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misspicky82
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Hi, I had a telephone assessment and was awarded PIP.
They asked about everything, same as the forms do, including physical, mental and social difficulties, how they affect everyday tasks and how much help you need etc
I was horribly nervous beforehand too, but so much better when it was over. It didn’t last too long either, maybe 45 mins, but I realise every assessment will be different.
I made sure to have a copy of my forms with me, plus pen & paper. For comfort I suggest a glass of water and a box of tissues too.
My assessor was female, calm, soothing, sympathetic and patient. When I got upset or lost my train of thought, she just said it was ok, take my time, take a deep breath.
She was more than willing to repeat things or explain further if I didn’t quite understand. She was also helpful when the questions were about estimating distances that I was able to walk - I am awful at that sort of thing - so she explained it in terms of bus-lengths and other things that were easy to visualise!
So, try not to be embarrassed if you get upset or confused. It must happen all the time, as they’re dealing with very personal and emotional issues, not to mention the stress we all feel when money problems are involved as well. (If anything, I think it reinforces the fact that you’re not coping as well as you might and need support…)
Let them take the lead, but also be prepared to speak up, request a pause and clarification if you’re unsure of anything. It’s their job to ensure that they get a full picture from you, so they must ask the right questions, in a way that you understand, to give you the best chance of a fair outcome.
Remember that even if you think it went badly, like a big exam or something, it probably wasn’t as bad as you think. And if it turns out not to be the outcome that you think it should be, there is a process for appealing the decision that seems to be well worth putting yourself through. (Perhaps someone else on here can add their positive experience of this process?)
Your comment has replaced me a lot. I know I'm going to get upset, I cry my eyes out at every health appointment when that dreaded question comes "so how are you" it sets me off big time! Mind you, that was pre-diagnosis as I didn't know why the hell I was feeling so unwell all the time but getting nowhere with the doctors!
I'm a little better talking about it now that I understand what I've got, I actually got 3 new diagnoses after changing GPs and got an answer about issues with my back and hand which I had been struggling with for 15 years! Yet no previous GP bothered to send me for an xray. I'm so glad I changed GPs.
I have 3 appointments tomorrow, the PIP one being the last one so I'm a little worried I won't have time to go over everything just before my assessment as the appointment before it is only 2 hours prior and I've got to travel in that time. I'm trying to get everything together today but I'm also preparing for my insulin pump assessment too so busy day today. I suppose it doesn't give me time to stress about it tomorrow so that could be a good thing and I can guarantee I'll be tired during the PIP assessment.
Do you know roughly how long they take to make a decision after your assessment? I've had some medication changes since I sent my form in so I'm guessing I'll need to send another repeat script into them.
Thankyou again for your reply, it's really helped with my nerves 🙂
Crikey! I’m exhausted just thinking about 3 things happening in the same day. I would have been tempted to postpone at least one of them…
But so often you have to take what you can get, as the stress of re-arranging an appointment and then having to wait longer is probably worse than just getting it all over and done with on one day.
I think they came back in just a couple of weeks for me, so I hope they can turn it round just as quickly for you.
I really hope so, I'm absolutely desperate for some money, my car needs MOT and work needs doing on it to pass, my girls gymnastics fees are well overdue and they've been mitering me about it a lot this week. If I don't pay them soon, she'll lose her place 😢 it's that bad at the moment. Just been told yesterday that my rent is going up again from September and I'm already claiming housing but the LHA is nowhere near enough for my private rent charges, however, the rent he charges me is alot less than other 3 bed semis in this area, so I have to appreciate he's still keeping it low in comparison of what he could be charging. There's just days where I feel like I'm never going to get out of this finacial mess I'm in. Since being out of work, I've gone thru all the money I had set aside in my savings so now I've no safety net at all. I really wish I could go back to work but I'm in no fit state to, especially when I'm trialling new medications, but I do really miss my job, I worked so hard to get into that profession and I'm grieving the loss of it now. I've found that the hardest part to accept. I pushed thru for a year before I had to stop bcoz I just couldn't do it any longer and I wasn't practicing in a safe manner.
I just wish my dad was still here, he would have supported me, he'd never have seen me struggling 😢 mum...... well that's another story, no chance of any help from her, yet she expects the earth from me. I know she resents me for getting diabetes at such a young age, 16 months old. She also likes to often remind me of the fact that she had difficulties bcoz of the birth of me.
So yes, PIP is my only hope left. I honestly don't know what the future will hold for me if I don't get it...I think that's why I'm so nervous about it.
And yes, I wish I could have rescheduled my appointments but I already had a consultation booked in for tomorrow morning with my psychologist, then came the PIP date, then I gets a phone call inviting me for the insulin pump assessment and I've been waiting 2 years for that so there was no way I was going to not accept that, not after all that time of waiting. So it is what it is and I'll just have to push thru as best as I can. I could maybe reschedule my appointment with my psychologist in the morning as at the start of her call, she always asks how I'm feeling and am I feeling up to the session, so I could reschedule that, I just don't like doing it as we have appointments booked in for every 2 weeks so it will mess up the dates unless I just miss this week and wait another 2 weeks. I did want to talk to her though about some things I've been struggling with, but is it worth losing that preparation time for 2 assessments that are both really important for my future? 🤔
Thank you kindly again for your advice, it really has helped to calm me ❤️🤗
I used to joke about winning the lotto or having a rich husband and not having to work. But being unable to work sucks. I’ve got a hard working partner who keeps the bills paid, but we’ve just been pounded with several huge bills at once and don’t quite know how we’re going to deal with them. Just when we thought we were getting somewhere and paying down debts etc, we get dragged down again.
The guilt of being unwell and fearing that you’re a burden is terrible…I have to remind myself that I didn’t choose to be unwell, and that if roles were reversed I wouldn’t want my partner to beat himself up about being unable to work. It could happen to anyone, anytime…
Anyway, let’s keep plodding on! And yes, I think rescheduling the psychologist is probably a good idea. Slightly less time pressure on you, bit of breathing space x
I agree, that feeling of being a burden is such a horrible feeling isn't it 😢 but like you say, if roles were reversed you would do the same ❤️ I've decided I'm going to tell my psychologist to just cancel our morning appointment, feel a bit bad letting her down at short notice but I do need that time. I've been doing a refresher course today about counting carbohydrates, which I know how to do but if I can at least show that I've done a refresher as some things have actually changed, then that should show I'm willing to keep up to date. Then in the morning I'll make sure I've got a good amount of information on my blood sensor app to show I'm doing what's needed to prove I'm injecting the correct amounts then there should be no reason why I'm not put onto the training for the insulin pump. There's so much training still to do, I hope I will be able to get thru it given the issue of brain fog 😬 but it still be so good to not have to do multiple injections every day, it'll be a big burden off me!! And then PIP prep, I have to get that right tomorrow, I'm desperate and I just hope I get someone understanding and relaxed. And not someone who tries to trip me up at every opportunity they get!
I'm so tired now, just a bit more to go and I'm off to sleep, the Amitriptyline has kicked in and my eyes are closing 😴 xx
The call lasted an hour n half and she called me 30 mins early so I wasn't fully prepared. I'd just printed out all the descriptors and was planning on putting notes on underneath each one so that I didn't forget anything but I didn't have time to jot the notes down so I felt very unprepared 😕
Also, she kept stopping me mid flow saying, we'll get to that bit after; like she wanted to do the questions on each condition one at a time but alot of my difficulties are due to a number of conditions and not just one. Plus when she asked a question about a difficulty and I'd answer it depends if I'm having a bad day... she'd then cut me off and say we'll get to variability later 🤷🏻♀️
She just made it very hard for me to explain my difficulties and it was all jumbled up in different orders and there was a lot of repetitive questions but asked in a different way. I thought the assessment was about how your abilities are affected and not about your conditions so I don't really understand why she was so adamant about wanting to discuss each condition more than my difficulties?? 🤔
Looking back now, I wish I'd just said no, you'll have to call me at the arranged time as I'm not ready but I was nervous as hell and I didn't want to p**s her off before the assessment had even started
I got a text off DWP 25 mins after the call ended saying they had received the written form and will be on touch within 8 weeks. Seems the report was done very quickly which I don't understand as fibromyalgia is a complicated condition.
We'll see within 8 weeks I suppose although I wish it was sooner. A family member got hers the week after her telephone assessment!
It sounds just like the way my telephone assessment went. Wait for your letter and see what she has written down, if it is bad news like mine was then you MUST not give up. Fill out the MR form and explain how you felt you was being cut off and not listened too. Also ask them to listen to the recording. Hopefully you will get good news but do not be disheartened as I was. I was eventually awarded it after filling in the MR form.
Good Luck, there is light at the end of the tunnel, just don’t give up
It's really playing on my mind that I didn't give an accurate account of my difficulties and I don't feel she asked me to expand on the information I'm the form. She asked if social services were involved with my younger children and I heard her typing up about that. I'm now worried that a referral will go to them as I said I struggle but their dad does everything which I told her 😕 maybe overthinking.
At an MR are you allowed to rephrase some of your answers as I feel I answered incorrectly on a few areas after listening to it, I got mixed up with the questions and so didn't give the right answer but I only know that now from listening to the recording after. I was so nervous too ams allowed her to guide some of my answers about timing and now I've realised she was actually making it so it sounds like I have more than half the week where I'm capable of more but that's why I don't think it should have been done by condition as those answers were specific to that 1 condition but on other days, I could have something else going on from a different condition if you understand what I mean? It's hard to explain.
How long after your assessment did you get your letter?
And I understood that you can request a copy of the health professionals report after 48 hours from the assessment, do you know if this is correct?
I understand exactly what you are saying. Honestly these assessors really try to muddle you up and put words in your mouth. Do not worry it could be good news. But as I have said if you do have to go through the MD stage it’s just a chance for you to write down your case and explain how muddled and confused you was and you felt unable to get your points across. Wishing you all the luck in the world, please keep me informed if you can. Fingers crossed for you x
You could even state how they phoned you 30 minutes early and that you suffer greatly with anxiety and timing of things
I'm going thru my recording today and noting all the areas down where I feel I was stopped from giving my full account and where I felt pushed into an answer or I was confused what had been said so if it does come to it, I'm ready and prepared!
Was within a week, mine lasted over an hour and half on the phone assessment. When I got my letter saying why I’d been denied I was gobsmacked so I explained everything in the MR and countered every decision they gave. You will get it x
I just want another go at the assessment so I can get across everything I needed to and wow, they said 8 weeks to me but my neice got hers a week after too
Hi I am sorry that you are struggling with so much. I am praying for you. Bless you that you get resolution to these trouble some matters. Mary
Thank you for your kind words, it means alot. I really appreciate everyone in this group ❤️
Had my PIP call this afternoon, didn't feel it went very well though, see my reply to LunaBess above 😟 now it's the waiting game, 8 weeks!! Why they need to take they long I don't know 😕 xx
I had a great assessment over the telephone and I got the same award as I had previously. Where I didn't have issues I said no I'm good with that. I am also a social worker and had to discuss how I can do my role, how I hybrid work, do some appointments over Microsoft teams to reduce the traveling and how I crawl into bed at 5pm each night in order to work the next day. I have ADHD and I explained how it helps me hyperfocus in my job and find solutions for people, but I am shit when it comes to my own life and can't shop or order my medication. How even though I can't sleep because of fibromyalgia, my ADHD helps me with that.
Sorry I missed this comment last night 🙈I'm glad you had a good assessment and that you are able to carry on with your career, I really wish this had been the case for me, I really miss it. I just can't see me being able to go back unless something drastically changes with my health. I've got a few different conditions that cause difficulties with my functioning 😟
So I'm guessing you was awarded PIP? I hope you don't mind me asking, what activities do you struggle with?
I just wish I could redo the assessment as I forgot to mention quite a few things and listening back to it, I can see where I should have expanded upon my answers and not let the assessor keep stopping me when I was trying to explain things to her, I should have taken more control but I was too damp anxious too 😢
If it goes to an MR, I hope I'm allowed to have another assessment but I'm not sure they do it like that.
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