Sharon66

[geddissharon]

I have been off work a year diagnosed with disc disease in neck with narrowing spinal canal suffer severe back pain numbness in buttocks and legs can t stand or sit too long without discomfort I also had menerie,s for 8 months now turned to vertigo the pain brings this on so I have vertigo every day I had my assessment and received zero points and told to return to work I have worked in retail all my working life and in same job 13years this job involves manual lifting and on feet up to 8 hours a day how can I return to work now I am told to sign on or return to work

[Danslatete]

Challenge the descision. Ask for reconsideration. Take it too tribunal if necessary. There are sites that can help you do this. I think it's called benefits and work of something like that.

Did you get a full list of doctors notes etc. you need as much supporting evidence as possible.

[geddissharon in reply to Danslatete]

They did not ask my doctor for my medical records so on my assessment this part is blank

[earthwitch]

get the help of someone like CAB disability advisor to appeal.

[sianr]

Good morning Sharon sorry to hear your going through so much grief, please don't give up with claiming . Clearly the individuals who did your claim don't understand what spinal stenosis is and how it can impinge on your spinal cord , you can't go back to a job with part of it is heavy lifting, standing around can increase your symptoms as you well know, can you get a job description from your place of work? Maybe compiling your own evidence is what's needed, unfortunately from reading people's experiences and my own we have to help ourselves as much as possible cos no other bugger will despite our expectations. What about a letter from your GP to support your claim ? Your medical notes should be enough but if Doris doesn't understand what it entails and that's people from the medical profession they don't know it all Have you had a recent MRI ? Many of us tell the majority 'we are fine' to try and maintain as normal a life as possible to try and cope its mentally draining I hope you get there please don't give up 😊

[geddissharon in reply to sianr]

Yea my doctor thought at first it was my ovaries that were causing the pain so I had a ultrasound but this was clear so it ruled this out so still waiting to see spine specialist but the waiting period is 60 weeks that means it will be may 2016 before I will be seen by specialist

[sianr in reply to geddissharon]

Oh no phone the spine specialist secretary and tell her your happy to come in anytime if there's a cancellation, only if it's possible you might get one earlier . You soul what a journey but at least you can off load here it may only help a little we are happy to listen anytime☺️

[geddissharon in reply to sianr]

Yes its nice to know that im not the only one going thought this I have tryed ringing for cancellation but told I have to wait they work down the list for cancellation s my doctor says just keep phoning phoning them so maybe they give in so will try

[sianr in reply to geddissharon]

Sharon go back to your GP tell them pain is worse and is there any chance they can make your appoint urgent I don't know why you're not waiting to see a neurologist , firstly you need MRI of neck and rest of spine to determine what's happening the waiting time is 12 weeks that's the targets the NHS has. Then they can determine what the next course of action is. Unfortunately with the NHS it's all a tick box and follow protocol exercise. Doesn't help any but please don't suffer any more pain if no joy from GP go to A+E dept they will refer you to orthopaedics who can then contact your local neurosurgical unit if needed for an assessment .

[sianr]

Oops dept not Doris, just read they didn't have your medical records how can an accurate assessment be made without them ...... jeeessso please don't give up !!! Is there someone in your area who can help fill in the forms? Good luck

[Suzyhayes]

Your symptoms sound like you have stenosis and need surgery to relieve the spinal compression. I had an operation called a lamenectomy for this condition.

Have you had an IRM scan? You need to see a neurologist I think. If you don't get treatment your condition can only get worse.

[geddissharon in reply to Suzyhayes]

No have not an IRM still waiting to see a specialist doctor just keeps giving me painkillers naproxen codine and to relax muscles baclofen the pain the other night felt like my whole body was in a spasam even got a feeling of needles in my lip never had this before

[Suzyhayes]

I live in France so access to good medical care is excellent. If I am right about your condition you need urgent diagnosis starting with a IRM scan. Can you not see a specialist as soon as possible.

[geddissharon]

If I had private health insurance I could be seen tmr but the good old national health service the wait is 60 weeks I was referred 29th Mar so it could be may 2016 before I am seen

[johnsmith]

See an agency/charity who specialise in benefits. You need to discuss with them the issues in the 2015 disability handbook. I am reluctant to say on this forum what these would be as the law keeps changing and there are a lot of people out there who are not genuine and are looking for ways to cheat the benefit system.

You need to contact your GP and the agency/charity post haste to get an appeal underway. Your local library and CAB should have an address for the relevant agency.

You getting zero points does not surprise me if you did the form on your own. When I did my ESA assessment they got 30 pages of typed A4. You need the help of specialists. You have a tricky situation in that the appeal to a tribunal could well fail as a tribunal only re-considers the information you provided for the assessment and you have probably provided the wrong information. The agency/charity who specialise in benefits hopefully should sort this out for you. The CAB is not specialised enough for this.

Hope this is helpful.

[geddissharon]

Thanks john I will ask doctor for medical report as this was not provided at time of assessment also I was attending physio will get a report of him a can only but try and gather as much evidence as i can and thanks everyone for your help and advise

[geddissharon]

Hi folks good news was with my doctor this morning being referred to an neurologist my doctor going to phone him and tell him my systems and I could be seen pretty soon my doctor said he want me to get a brain scan he wants to rule out m.s and the back pain he has spinal stenosis thanks everyone for your input also dhss my adviser cor work focused group said I hope your appealing she has been with civil service 30 and said the e.s.a is a joke and people like me that has worked leaving school are a genuine case are treated this week because of all scroungers out there everyone suffers

A

[Steve49 in reply to geddissharon]

Hi Sharon. Good on you!!! Yes you need to know your stuff when it comes to e.s.a. It looks like you are getting somewhere now!!! You have to be a Pest nowadays uther wise you get nowhere in Life.

Steve.

[geddissharon in reply to Steve49]

Thanks Steve no one these days wants to be on e.s.a especially if you earned a good wage and have always worked for a living I know I don't its not thought choice as many of us

[Steve49 in reply to geddissharon]

Hi. Yes I know how you feel. I have also worked since I left school many "moons ago"

I also worked for the NHS for over 10yrs !!!'!!!

I'm not asking for any thing more than others. We are all born on planet earth.

So we should all be treated the same regardless off religion & ethnic origin !!!! I seem to be going around the country for "Pain Relief"

Mind you I would go anywhere to get some form off Pain Relief !!! I'm not living at the moment just existing !!!!!!!!!

Steve.

[sianr]

Hi Sharon how are you ? How are things , are you any further forward? X

[Dragonfly32]

Oh my I am so sorry Sharon! I think there needs to be more initiative on the diagnosis and prognoses. I really feel for you I have facet syndrome from a severe whiplash car accident of last year. Was not expecting it to have been this bad. I haven't worked in over a year and was also told I could return back to work. Which is impossible. I managed a retail center for 10 years, there would be know way I could get through even a few minutes. Have you seen more then one Dr? I've seen almost every Dr imaginable and finally was told that I would not be able to work under my condition.

Andrea

[geddissharon in reply to Dragonfly32]

Went to liaison centre this morning have got my appeal sorted now just waiting game hopefully I might hear about my MRI in the meantime fingers crossed

[Dragonfly32 in reply to geddissharon]

My fingers are crossed for you! Let us know how things turn out on the MRI. Stand your ground you know your body more then anyone.

[geddissharon]

Hi everyone got letter on sat morning from neurologist he is sending me for m.r.i my doctor did phone him and told him my systems so hopefully this will not take long now to get a diagnoses he will see me after the m.ri so this has been very quick just seen doctor on the and letter few days later

[geddissharon]

Hi folks got letter today to say that I will receive e.s.a while my appeal is being processed so they have paid me the month payment thank god no joke when no money is coming so hopefully I might have my m.r.i in the meantime fingers crossed hopefully things are coming together for a change

[Hidden in reply to geddissharon]

Good news there keep going