DLA...Well you could have knocked me over with a feather!!

[freya19]

Last month I had a visit from the Health Care Professional re: DLA. He arrived and was very pleasant throughout the visit. I asked him if he had knowledge concerning Fibro and he replied that he had. We went through the form filling stage, then he asked if I had any aids to assist me. I told him that they were upstairs and would it be possible for my husband to show him and before I had finished the sentence, he said that it would be better if my husband showed him the aids, i.e. bathroom & bedroom. He came back down saying that he had satisfied himself that all was in order. He finished off by asking a few more questions, took my blood pressure and felt my back (very gently)! He said that he felt he had done everything needed and the DWP would be in touch around 4 - 6 weeks, and promptly left.

I honestly felt that I was going to get knocked back, when low and behold, the dreaded letter arrived yesterday, I was awarded the higher rate for Mobility and the middle rate for Care!! This was due to the fact that, filling the forms in is a drudge, but just keep repeating yourself, don't just put a yes/no answer in a tick box (write next to it more details) make sure that you haven't been tricked into contradicting yourself along the way!! Make sure that you write as if its the worst day you've had, although we all have constant pain each day. Good luck to all filling out the DLA form. We all deserve it.

[Flips]

At what point should someone apply for DLA? I'm capable of showering (as long as I hold the hand rails on the back wall) but its sometimes difficult stepping into and out of the bath as the shower is over the bath and there are no handles to help me get in. When my back and hips are bad its a challenge! My daughter and I take it in turns to do meals and my daughter-in-law helps clean and do laundry, however she works part time and also has fibro (but early stages)

I do the food shopping on my own but have to go to bed for hours after. In fact whatever activity I do I have to sleep after. My pain at the moment is manageable with my meds and I don't have to much that I find unbearable (but that's not always the case).

I sleep at some point most days and haven't got a car. Life can be very boring as all I seem to do is plod along and walk my dogs!

Sorry for interupting your blog but you sound like your more in need of help than myself. I don't junk im too bad till I look back at how I used to be.

All the best, Flips

[Ozzygirl64 in reply to Flips]

I would say that there is no reason why you should not claim now. But I would seek advice on what to put. THey would possibly assume you could shop all the time, and I think there may be a set of descriptors to look through for DLA. The problem is if you can do one thing on one day they would assume(but wrongly so)that you could do it all the time. If you fill it in then fill it in as if you were having your worst imaginable day where you can do nothing at all. It is best to avoid telling them all the things you can do on a good day if you canxxxxx

[Ozzygirl64]

I am very pleased for you. It is great to hear good things about our claims. I got mine manyyears ago indefinite, but I know I will have to go through it again when they change to PIP xxxxx

[Flips]

Thank you for the advice

Yeh on my bad days I can nearly get out of bed, infact I have been in bed all day many times hardly even able to get up for a drink or use the loo.

Thing is im able to do a lot of things but my body always makes me pay for it. I suppose trying to claim I haven't lost anything. Xx

Pleased for you though, I just hope when things change they don't come down to hard on people who genuinly need the help xx

[stormwytch]

It's always good to read DLA success story. I've not claimed cos I doubt I'd qualify as I'm probably not as bad as many of you - well maybe not as often anyway. It sounds like you were really lucky to get the HC prof that you saw pity there aren't many more like him

Storm x

[freya19 in reply to stormwytch]

Hey Storm. I felt exactly like you...people worse off than myself etc. It was my Physiotherapist asked me how long I had Fibro and when she found out that it was 2 years, she said apply for DLA. I still feel a fraud, but I have been saying since day one, it would be great it we had purple spots all over the areas that are painful for us. Maybe then people would recognise that Fibro is not only Dibilitating, but is a Disability, no matter whether you think you aren't as bad as the next person...hence the two year gap for me. I thought the same.

Good luck when you fill your forms in.

[nicely]

well done to you very pleased you got the help with dla that you so deserve good luckxxxx

[hamble99b]

well done freya! thanks for the good news.

regards,

sandra.

[julieevh]

Well done Freya - justice has been done.

Flips - put in a request to the DWP and ask for an application form for DLA .... your money will commence from that date. Then email Admin with your email address and ask them for the Benefits and work helpsheet for DLA - it is invaluable as it tells you what kind of things will get marks; I'm convinced lots of people are entitled to DLA but because they don't put details in the right box they get turned down.

Julie xx

[josieowl]

i had a lady from the pension services (DWP) come to the house to help me fill in the forms. she was really good, though by the time she left i felt worse as she concentrated on the worse days and kept reminding me that all the way through!, it was pointed out to me from another DWP worker that the first question sets the tone for what they think. it was the one on how far can you walk before you feel pain or discomfort. she said most people put a distance but she asked me if i was in pain sitting there talking to her, i said that i am in constant pain all the time. she then said well the distance you walk before feeling pain is 0 as in pain before you start to walk!.

[freya19 in reply to josieowl]

That's exactly what I put down. I followed a focus on how I feel everyday and I can assure you that I can't walk anywhere without pain. I have been in constant pain 24/7 for the past two years, but I always felt that I wasn't sick or ill enough to apply! I lost my job due to this Fibromyalgia (I was a Lecturer/Consultant). Now I can hardly string a sentence together due to "Fibro-Fog". I was told by my Physio to apply, I took the plunge and have been rewarded by getting DLA. I wish you all the best and hope that you get DLA. X

[traceybarker]

well i carnt believe it i sent my dla form 9 september an got a letter back saying i havnt being awarded nothing again ,i wouldnt mind it was nt me who wrote the forms out it was welfare rights would did it for me ,i reckon they didnt even bother looking an just said no ,i being fighting it since 2009 now which is 3 years ,getting so dam angrey now ,no need for this anymore ,i am appealing again hopefully better luck next time .

[freya19 in reply to traceybarker]

Apply again and make sure you write it this time...Make sure you have someone who knows you help fill it in. Read the whole form and make notes first. Do not give up. Write it as if its your worst day and for walking put 0 if you are in constant pain. Do say if you have come up against a question that is kind of the same, write; "as I have stated before on question whatever" repeat the answer e.g. walking or care. Good luck, but never give up! xxx

[lynnh]

Congratulations, great news. I got turned down straight off when I applied about 18 mths ago, reapplied last month using the benefits and work guides and this time they are contacting my gp so fingers crossed xx

[freya19]

Thank you! I will keep my fingers crossed for you...let me know when the good news arrives! xx