Need some advise on DLA!

[tenpen]

I applied for DLA in July '12 got several letters however i have now received a letter stating that someone will be contacting me to come to my house for a medical. Can anyone tell me what happens at these medicals?

[Hidden]

Well If I can remember first of all the visiting dla doctor asked to see my passport (proof of identity mydaughter retreived it luckily), then asked me what was wrong with me, what things I could and could not do, ie cooking walking, obviously I told her I could'nt do much, then she asked me to stand up and do those stretches, not as much as the last dla doctor, and sat me down again looked into my eyes with a light, near the end, which I found very sore due to vision and cataracts, I could hardly see at this stage and she remarked I must be making me tired, then before she went oh before all this she got me to lie down and looked over my legs for some reason, and before she left she poked my tummy (I have diverticular disease) she also first looked at my throat and said she could see I'd problems with my thyroid, all is all it went well I thought. but I got knocked back as supposedly she put lies down saying I could cook for myself could walk 200 yards, I'm appealing, I rang them up to say it was all false and the man on the phone said he'd send it back to be looked at again, not heard anything since, I was advised to give them a few days to see if I got a reconsideration and if I dont to appeal, so good luck with yours, maybe you'll have better luck, take care xxxx

[Hidden]

sorry I meant to say she remarked she must be making me tired

[SootyB]

I'm frankly appalled by these tales of medicals - you'd think you wanted to be ill, listening to how the doctors treat you! The fact is, those who have been cheating the system for years know how to cheat again on a medical, and people who are genuinely ill will do their best to oblige, even when it is causing them pain - then they get punished for it! It's not like we want to feel this way, and so we push ourselves up to (and beyond) our limits, because we feel bad for being weaker than we would like to be.

I'll get off my soapbox now, but this makes me so angry! Good luck, Claire and Tenpen - hope things turn out in your favour.

Sara xx

[freya19]

I am in the same boat...The 'Health Care Professional' will be making a home visit to me next week. I will be asking questions too e.g. Is He/She familiar with Fibromyalgia? If not, I'm not doing anything like bending, stretching etc. I have filled out the horrendous form & photocopied it! Hopefully they will have read my answers.

I'm just fed up now of the pain 24/7...Just because people can't see what's wrong with us probably think that we are scroungers etc. Maybe it would be better if we had purple spots!!

Wish me luck! And good luck to you. x

[julieevh]

Make sure you make it clear that you can not walk 200metres as that is a main criteria for mobility component. If you think that a normal swimming pool is 25m how many times could you walk up and down without taking a rest and how soon could you repeat it; the swimming pool analogy shows you really understand the length they are talking about.

Talk about the aids you use eg online shopping, mobility/motorbility scooters around the shops, (they are not interested in groceries shopping - but things like buying birthday or Christmas presents are relevant).

Have a repeat prescription list available.

Offer a copy of your careplan and carers diary if you have one.

Offer to show any adaptions you use whether you bought it or it was supplied/fitted by social services.

During the exam when something hurts say so - don't just wince or pull a face as they are less likely to record that. You don't have to do anything which hurts you - just tell them.

Make it clear the help you need - whether you get it or not.

I agree asking whether they are familiar with Fibromyalgia, and any other health conditions, is very important. Don't be afraid to describe the pain against things the person might have experienced eg 'flu where your every bone and muscle hurts, toothache where you want to bang your head against the wall, torn ligaments, childbirth with no pain relief.

There is no harm saying "have you got all that" when they are writing their notes, in fact double check if they need you to repeat something if they are not writing!

This person is being paid good money to come out to you - make it clear to them that you are very deserving of DLA.

The sheets from Benefitsandwork are really good. Send a message to admin with your email address asking for a copy of the B&W helpsheets for DLA and they will send them out to you as soon as possible.

((((( gentle hugs )))))

Julie xx

[freya19 in reply to julieevh]

Thank you Julie..This is exactly the way I feel we need to be. As you say, don't just wince - say that it hurts!!

I'm also wanting a copy of their findings as its me they are writing about!

[aroha2aloha]

When I first applied for DLA I had a Dr come to my house and whatever she wrote I got turned down and went to appeal and got low care and low mobility. since then I had to apply every two years. This year I got it long term still only low rate care but now get high rate mobility. I would say try not to get stressed and make sure you emphasize your pain etc. If they turn you down you must appeal they rely on people not appealing to get away with not paying out.

[ArctoLindy]

I would say that you really need to have someone there with you as a witness. The last home medical I had wasn't too bad and I had the report they'd written checked out by a disability advisor who told me I should get middle or high rate care on the strength of it (which of course I didn't). I now get so stressed at the paperwork, I couldn't actually read it myself.

But you have to be careful, I was a witness for a friend of mine, the Dr read what he's written to my friend before he left and when it came back, he'd added a lot more to it after he'd left.

Also I was alone for my first home medical, I don't have net curtains because I live in an upstairs flat which is eye level with the railway track and I enjoy watching the wildlife, especially the foxes... anyway, this first doctor made me undress in front of my window despite my protests and he made me feel incredibly uncomfortable. Then DLA told me they'd lost all my paperwork and asked me to have another medical, I did request a different doctor and explained what had happened with the first one - funny that despite the fact I couldn't remember the doctors name and they'd lost my records that they sent someone else... cynical? me?

Since then I've never been alone for any medical. I also made sure everything I send them is photocopied first.

[tenpen]

Many thanks for all your responses - got a telephone call at 7.15pm last night from the dr making a appt for this Tuesday (my husband will be there) I will let you all know how I got on. Many thanks.

Tenpen xx