Hello

[Golfer15]

Hi there everybody. I havent posted for a while but I still check in occasionally. This group is a good support. I have gone through a rough patch but hopefully coming out of it. I had a part time job for about six weeks but realised I couldnt cope with the stress, so I left that. We must realise our limitations. I am not thinking about getting another job yet but just looking after my family and myself.

Living with depression takes away all energy and interest in everything. We must not let it beat us but also allow ourselves to rest occasionally. It is ok to rest but difficult to explain to others. My sons have just got home from school and asked me what have I done today. I made up a few jobs but really I havent done anything. Well I dragged myself to the gym earlier this morning, hoping that would give me the motivation to do a few things but it didnt really. It may have kept my mood up so I could do a couple of phone calls. Even achieving small things makes me satisfied.

Im still waiting to get my benefit sorted out. My ESA was stopped in April, and I was told I was fit for work. My GP has signed me off and I saw a psychiatrist recently who confirmed I was depressed but the DWP still stopped the ESA. Im going to a tribunal to appeal against this decision. Has anyone else gone through this process recently. What have I got to expect. How do I get some support for this?

I just take life one day at a time. Im starting a course in Yoga tomorrow so that might help. I will let you know.

David

[secondhandrose2]

Hi David

It sounds as if you are coping well at the moment despite being considered fit for work when you are clearly not feeling well enough. I don't know whether it's any help but in our area there is someone at the DWP who can help with appeals and is impartial - may be worth asking locally, perhaps by phoning the nearest Citizens Advice office or googling them and e-mailing to ask.

It's good to see you online now and then. I am also coping though right now have a streaming cold which I think has turned to pleurisy so I am seeing my GP in a n hour's time, probably he will give me antibiotics so I should feel better in a day or two.

Other than that... our kitchen is being updated but it is dragging on and the fitter does not keep us informed so it all feels very stressful and irritating. Now the extra units we hoped would be a nice contrast to the existing ones have turned out to be a wishy-washey colour so will have to be re-painted by the decorators we use - more money and not really satisfactory but not much we can do as we have already paid for the units... I bought a little printing press recently but haven't had the energy to use it yet, perhaps once I am feeling better and the kitchen is finished. I'm still quite depressed a lot of the time too, and like you I find doing things is better than not though it doesn't help lift my mood much. I haven't been feeling good enough physically to go rambling so am unfit again as well and as a result my weight has also increased again...

Life goes on doesn't it. We have a LOT of lovely rambling and climbing roses flowering at the moment, the back garden is overgrown with them and if only the rain would stop beating them down they would look lovely! Where has our summer gone?!

Nothing much more to say now.

Keep in touch and keep yourself battling at it.

Suexx

[Golfer15 in reply to secondhandrose2]

Hi Sue, nice to hear from you. It seems most of the `old` members have gone quiet.

Im glad its not just me who doesnt have the energy to do much. Im pleased to get through a day without major issues. Sorry to hear about your bad cold. Thats enough to make you fed up. I know what you mean about your kitchen making you stressed. I hate having workmen in the house. I have a gardener coming later in the week. At least he is outside. My sons think I should do the garden myself. I just dont have the energy to do heavy jobs. I need hedges cutting. I can cope with cutting the grass and a bit of weeding.

The weather has been bad here today but is brightening up now. Hope it dries up for tomorrow then I can get in the garden.

Take care.

David x

[Photogeek in reply to secondhandrose2]

Hi Sue oh I hope you get an antibiotic as you can get ill quite

Easily with chest infections. I'm sure you will be glad when that

Kitchen of yours is finished.

Take things easy until you feel well again. I'm sure you will get back

To the rambling when your up to it.

Hannah x

[Hidden in reply to secondhandrose2]

Hello Sue

Hop all went well with your GP appointment, mind you are not supposed to spread the smit throughout the surgery.

Mind it is taking a long time to finish your kitchen, what you want to do is tie the fitter to the taps until the job is done LOL

BOBX

[Photogeek]

Hi David nice to see you here. Sorry your not I n good form, that's a tough time

For you. It's hard for you if you don't feel motivated , I find that I push myself

To do things and I don't wait to feel motivated or else I would never get

Anything done.

I am ok and managing to do a few things I like, which helps. David you and

Only you know what work if any you can do, so be kind to yourself. It's been quiet

Here and lots of new people come on once maybe with a lot of problems

And then disappear, but I guess that's the nature of a site like this.

Take. Care and look after yourself.

Hannah

[Hidden]

Hello David

Sorry to hear you are stressed, when low just do what you can although if the kids are around I suppose you will be kept busy with them.

This Government seems to be determined to cut down to the bone and that I suppose can be a worry when we are not well. I reach my sixty five soon and now I understand when people I know had gone before the worries they had.

So take life as it goes, please do not worry it all just makes us worse

BOB

[Hidden]

Hi David it's great to see you and I am sorry about your last job and battles with ESA. I believe there are online sites which can help so it might be worth googling them.

I know what you mean about work making you stressed and your depression worse as I had that in my last job. I think a lot depends on the job and the autonomy you have as you can have a bit of a doss day if you need to when you have this. Being expected to 'perform' at full capacity is very hard when suffering from depression isn't it? Someone on your back the whole time is very pressurised.

I am just grateful that I am now retired on my private pensions, but do feel for folk of working age like you. Often it's a case of you are not completely fit to work but not sick enough to get benefits - caught in the middle as it were.

From when I was dismissed at my last job (for too much time off sick) at the age of 56 to 60 when I got my private pensions I don't think I would have got ESA so I stayed signed on JSA (which was easier and less stressful than ATOS meetings for ESA). I knew I wasn't really fit enough to work any more, and while I did look for work did not look too hard - just enough to satisfy them. It did involve getting a sick note from the doctor from time to time when they kept trying to send me on senseless courses (how to do letters and cv's etc.)

If you do get turned down for ESA and have to sign on JSA your doctor could do you a letter limiting the hours and maybe even types of work you could do. My doctor did this for me and it was a massive help. Good luck.

Bev xx