sore, stressed, worried

[becky26]

Hi guys hope you are all feeling well if not very gentle hugs.

Well the RA started in my fingers last year and now my knees and shoulder are killing. RA specialist injected steriod straight into my knee 3wks ago but I feel has made no difference. Has anyone else felt that opinion?? I stiffen up all the time and Im not sleeping so im increasingly grumpy. I have 1st session of physio tomorrow as got reffered when my shoulder froze because of it 2 weeks ago. I have an ATOS assesment on Monday and Im terrified im convinced I will fail. Iv worked all of my adulesant life (im only 27) and now feel that I am going to be judged on this horrible illness that everyone says you fail on as it is not recognised enough. To top it off im in a custody battle to get my 6yr old son so back on anti depressants and stressed to the hills. Has anyone else had an ATOS assesment recently? Like iv said im terrified.

[rattusrattus]

tell the truth about how lousy you feel, sadly those wca assesments tend to ask irrellevent questions and don't recognise how we really feel.

if you take someone with you you might have a better chance - i failed because i had a small carrier bag with two sheets of paper in it and a pair of gloves so get whoever is going with you to carry your handbag with them.

dont refuse to do their tests but make it clear that doing it is causing you pain.atoss dont care if you have to carry a bag with your purse and meds in it.

good luck i hope your assesment goes well for you.

[becky26]

Thanku for helping with ur reply. Do u know if they still pay ur ESa while the decision is made? And how long does a decision take? X

[jeanabelle]

I'm really sorry to hear about all that you have going on in your life. It really can't be easy and have to deal with RA at the same time. I'm a pensioner and don't have to be assess anymore so I really don't have any experience advice to offer. I just wanted you to know Becky that I will be thinking of you.

I was told that what is important is not what you have but how it effects what you have to do everyday. So concentrate on how it effects you and not so much on what you have. People in wheelchairs have bee refused because they can do what everyone else can. It's not what you have, it's about what you can't do in your daily life, stress that.

Good luck darlin. Let us know how you got on, don't forget now. Jean.

[becky26]

Thanku somuch you are very kind xx

[Hidden]

Am sending you very best wishes x