In Shock!!!!

[Beverlizer]

Morning all, Iv had an awful nights sleep yet again prob managed 3 hours in all, due to the stress of yesterdays phone call, I answered my phone at 9-30am and a nice young ladies voice asked me my security questions so she could forward some information to me from the DWP, I gave her what info she needed then she very nicely told me that I dont have enough points to be eligable for ESA , I did have a "medical" in December but to be honest was never examined just asked questions, I now have to go and sign on and be ready for work,I have Fibro,Arthritis, spondylosis in my spine,depression and on monday I was at the hospital for my left knee which I cant bear any weight on,I will of course now appeal but to be honest its just "another" battle I dont have the strength or energy to fight,

[LindseyMid]

You can appeal the decision. If you don't already have the Benefits & Work guides, then email [e-mail] and Emma can send them out for you.

[Beverlizer in reply to LindseyMid]

Thanks Lindsey,

[Hidden]

So sorry to hear this, can't understand why people can just assume you can work from asking a few questions...good luck with your appeal, try not too worry too much x

[Beverlizer in reply to Hidden]

thanks Mary x

[siskin]

Hi Beverlizer I am surprised DWP/ Atos or any other official body rang you just out of the blue and asked security questions. I hope you will not mind if I say, if you get other calls from OFFICIAL? bodies you say you will ring them back and ask for their phone no. Or ask them to write to you or say you don't answer security questions even better.

Only answer questions if you have initated the call.

Take care

[Carolinee71]

Hi, I had the same thing happen to me. About three weeks after the atos " medical" a nice lady from the DWP phoned me, I was on my way to daughters parents evening.

She went through security questions and I was told that I had got no points so had now been turned down for ESA. To be honest I broke down in tears while on the phone and the nice lady asked me if I agreed with what atos had said which was basically I had no trouble doing anything and had no pain!!! I told her that if that was the case why am I on two types of morphine and what about my severe depression for which I take anti depression tablets and anti psychotic ones.

She then told me I should put in a compliant against the Atos doctor as none of this was in the report, and to lodge an appeal . She told me that my situation was not new to her and everyone she spoke to has appealed , but the appeal will take months but not to worry as the money will be back dated when I win

I wonder why we even bother turning up for these medical as the report I got was so far from what was really said its a fairy story!!

Sorry to go on but I really do feel atos just tick boxes no matter what you say and fail most of us . I appealed last December but am still waiting to hear from them. I don't understand why these people don't talk to our gp's. up until June last year I worked full time often working over 50 hours a week to support my kids then I got ill. Maybe if the government would spend the money wasted on atos medicals into treatment we could go back to work. I really loved my job and would love to go back but with the pain and the problems it causes I can't for the time being. It's not that we don't want to work , we can't!!!!!!!!!

Sorry end of rant for today try and think of happy thoughts for the rest of the day

Take care. Caroline. ((( hugs)))

[Beverlizer in reply to Carolinee71]

I wish u all the luck in the world with ur appeal hun, Id love to go to work my minds willing [sometimes] but the bodys not,,, I just feel like because Fibro is an invisible illness no-one cares,, xx

[Carolinee71 in reply to Beverlizer]

Thanks a lot I hope the powers that be realise that we are not wanting to " be on the sick" and it is not our fault the illness we got can not be seen in a twenty minute medical unless you look for and acknowledge that it is real.

I am lucky as I have the best GP ever who supports me fully

[carmelj]

Oh my Blasted ASOS. All I can say is believe in yourself, right will triumph. I heard a female MP on the radio saying that more and more MPs are seeing the flaws in the ASOS system, especially for people with varying conditions such as....... ME! as ME is a sister condition to Fibro there is a glimmer of hope. We with Fibro have ME just as part of our life, the tide will turn for us. I appealed my Dla and was reawarded it, I had my ESA medical, which was just questions about how I shop how I feed myself and interigator said "I wont examine you" to which I thought too right you wont your not a doctor as youve never heard of arthritis of eyeballs. (thats how bad my arthritis gets sometimes now tell me theres nothing wrong with me!!) all I can say is everytime you see a specialist ask them to write you a letter saying whats wrong with you and how it affects you and send a copy to DWP. my files full of them, so they would have had a battle to say I was "Faking". good luck I'll be sending positive energy. much love xxxxxx

[SharonD]

On the plus side at the moment - I asked why I had been put in the WRAG group after all these years on incapacity benefit and higher rate mobility - and if they were not prepared to put me in the support group I would like a copy of their reasons so that I could consider an appeal - at 8am on a Monday morning they phoned me went through everything and then they said - as all of what I said seems true and that by gp's letter backed everything up they would place me in the support group - until March, 2014 when I due for re-assessment - so once again in limbo but do not have to fight at the moment for my rights - hope you all get some good results - we just do not have the energy to fight these fights when every day is a real challange to us - hugs to all X

[Beverlizer]

STILL awaiting my appeal date , Iv been forced to rehome my little dog as I cant afford to keep her any more,debts are piling up n I feel its all too much n feel suicidal at times, Iv sent in 2 3months sick notes n my last one was for 6 months which takes me up to feb 14th next year, I cant cope without my carers help n Im sinking fast, HOW BLOODY LONG DO WE AV TO WAIT for an appeal date, please anyone???