Hi all just to let everyone know I have been to my DLA appeal today, let me just say this is my second attempt ! Well got there, had to use my wheelchair as its just to far to walk from the car park. Took a fab letter from my Doctor who is supporting me really well! Well got in and from the first look on the panels faces I had no chance of winning! Questions asked were, `did I have a holiday last year?` next question `if I can drive a short way in my car then how come I cannot peel a banana`? I was treated like something they had walked in outside, to which case I lost everything no award given even on all the supporting evidence I had! 
please can someone tell me why is it I cannot go on holiday even with having Fibromyalgia? Arnt we allowed to have a break away anymore? I am so mad grrrr Its took 17months to get to appeal and what for? If they are not going to allow us any support why dont they offer just to have us put down instead!! The last appeal took over two years to get to appeal, that one also turned down! Any advise would be appreciated! I know I have to fight on, got a appointment with my MP tomorrow as they dont know why I have been turned down when I have to use a wheelchair! Will let you all know how i get on with appointment tomorrow! Also a Wefare Rights person was surposed to have been there to represent me but didnt bother to turn up! My MP has said this is so wrong as they get funded to support me on my appeals and paper work!
What a load of rubbish: Hi all just to... - Fibromyalgia Acti...
What a load of rubbish
Totally weird . I do get dla I can't peel a banana I haven't had a holiday in 12 years I can't drive anymore ........but I am not in a wheelchair... Which I would have thought was a much more deciding factor...
good luck with your appointment tomorrow with your MP
Fingers crossed
VG x
So sorry you've had to endure this, sadoldred, but you are not alone. So many people are enduring the same thing - it's as if disability is not bad enough, but we have to endure trial by hostile jury as well.
Keep trying, and remember that you are in the right. These people get paid a lot of money to 'clear the decks' of benefit claimants . According to a recent TV program i watched, they get £14,000 for each person they get off DLA!
I have not checked that amount, but have no reason to believe the BBC got it wrong, and it certainly makes sense of the hard way in which they deal with people!
It makes you wonder how they sleep at night, doesn't it?
Moffy x
Who gets 14k to remove a claimant. The appeals board is independent and is usually a doc a solicitor or professional and public, usually disabled. I had two appeals turned down and I had the decision reversed by the government. 4 years it took me, and I learnt a lot. I hope you finally win op, and I think the days of Pip and our treatment are ending. There's a lot of adverse publicity from press and media regarding appeals and pip and ESA and especially at0s . Inward the IT teams building the new universal credit systems have been told to leave and stop as its up in the air. Plus all the protests and media I think its going to fall flat and not be as bad as we think it will be. I tend to look at the bigger pictures and I am rarely wrong at what I see and predict. Good luck.
I went from being a confident, stressed police officer to a blithering idiot who couldn't find the right words in conversation and had short term memory problems. Most of these probs come with CFS and Fibro. I always take my husband with me wherever I go, be it doc's surgery, meetings, shopping etc He always remembers the stuff I forget, which is most of it. Sadoldred you need someone to be with you when you have such important matters to deal with, someone you trust who knows all the in's and outs of your case. It must be very stressful for you and under those conditions you won't always do yourself justice. I hope you get another crack at it, don't give up.
I got DLA on appeal because i said i wasn't well enough to attend the tribunal and the Dr that came out was amazing. She could see i was struggling with getting dressed (i wasn't dressed) walking, moving, etc. I cannot cook for myself. My food is delivered and is ready prepared. I live on home made soup, cereal and sandwiches most of the time unless my daughter is home from uni then she will cook. I spend 2/3 of my time in bed on a daily basis.
My body sleeps at night because of the pills but my brain only sleeps some of the time. I suffer from the usual pain, fatigue, depression, etc and i also have arthritis too.
If you have only £100 to give away (for instance) who gets it? The person who can hardly get out of bed and rarely out of the house or the person who can drive themselves and/or can go to work?
It took me a year to fight for my DLA and ESA support group so i know what it feels like to have to keep fighting, it is very stressful and depressing.
Yesterday i went by taxi with my daughter to see the ballet, it was amazing, but now i shall 2-3 days in bed, but there are somethings that are worth the extra extra effort. I wouldn't have gone on my own.
I have just had my appeal date through today for my dla appeal and im having a panic attack over it already, I don't know how im going manage at the actual hearing if im a quivering wreck now. I will have to get a sedative off the doctor !! This is terrible, the way we are made to feel about trying to claim certain benefits..
Best wishes to all
xx nannyjenno
Thank you all for your support. Update- I have been to my MP this morning also CAB this afternoon, as everybody says both parties I have seen today really dont agree with what has happened to me. So I will fight this through. I ordered another claim pack yesterday so will keep trying! x
I know its weird that they think if you can go on holiday, then you are fit to work!!! My sister has progressive MS, she is confined to a wheelchair, she cannot lift a cup to her mouth/ she cannot walk/ cannot feed herself/ she cannot go to the toilet and has a catheter. Her husband has to lift her/ shower her feed her and change her, She has now also lost most of her sight. She has difficulty swallowing. and it is very hard now to understand her when she attempts to speak. BUT she goes on holiday a couple of times a year. She has been to Australia, Spain on cruises, etc, This is all she has in her life. So I dont see that going on holiday means you can work. Its crazy.
Thanks again all. I have been in contact with my MP now he has asked me if I want them to write to the tribunal and ask to be reconsidered again, but I said to them I dont think we can do that! Went to CAB got appointment for them to look at my forms and letters that went to tribunal. I will fight this all the way Gang, I`m not giving up, going to fight for all of us! Told my MP that the way we are all being treated is inhumane and they have agreed with me! So together we will fight x
just need to have a rant and also say ty xx
Utterly broken
Esa messed with my head 
Oh my word....what were we saying about racing....a disastrous day.
A little bit of good news today! DLA tribunal!
