Been forced to sign on for work with over-active thyroid

[Britney23]

Hi i have an over-active thyroid also 4 children to look after, two boys age 12 and 15 years also my two granddaughters age 5 and 7 years old. I am a single parent and find it exhausting running around after the children 24/7 . I had applied for E.S,A as i feel constantly tired all the time' have frequent panic attacks and dizzy spells, also get Migraine headaches which are crippling. I was told by the DWP that i did not get enough points to pass there medical and to sign on for job seekers ?

They have stopped my claim now and i do not know what to do but put in an appeal .

I Really do NOT have the energy to look for work or be running around here and there looking for work or training courses as i just about have enough energy to look after the children.? Clean the house, ect ect.

I am so upset, depressed, and feeling really ill with worry as i am afraid that this will put me into a really bad health and i will end up losing my children ,? If i had the energy and did not suffer so much with migraines and the drowsy affects of sleeping tablets i take each night to help me sleep this would not be a problem. I am really needing some advise as i am 52 years old and not able for all this stress, i could probably even get evicted now because they no longer help with my rent' or council tax ,i am receiving no money.

I am also going through the Menopause and the up,s and downs can be horrific' despite taking the H.R.T. But out of love for my kids and grandchildren i just struggle through each day and do the best i can to meet all there needs, and if i am unwell my older daughter steps in and help,s out every now and again.

Can anyone please advise me what i can do ?

[Clutter]

Britney23, you need to sign on for JobSeekers and see what housing benefit and council tax help you qualify for immediately to avoid falling into arrears, This site may be helpful in determining your entitlements and helping to appeal the ESA decision.

benefitsandwork.co.uk/

[Britney23 in reply to Clutter]

I will first thing tomorrow thank you.

[Rose54 in reply to Clutter]

Hi Clutter

I have replied to Britney's post

Job Seekers Allowance no longer exist It changed to ESA

Two groups ESA Support Group or ESA work related

Support Group is in two parts those who due to ill health are not expected to look for work and those who are able too work but need support to look for work .

Things are changing more over the next few years .

Regards Rose

[shaws]

I'm sorry you are in such a predicament and it's bad enough being unwell without all of the additional stress re money/work on top of it all.

I hope Clutter's suggestion will help and you can get the professional help you need.

Are you being treated properly for hyperactive? I am hypothyroid so hope someone can ask you the appropriate questions.

[Britney23 in reply to shaws]

Thank you shaws, its all horrible ,it really is, i do not know what is going to happen but i will try my best to sort this out. I Feel terrible since i went for that medical 3 weeks ago, it was degrading and dehumanizing to say the least. I felt stripped of any dignity i had left after 2 hours of questions and the women was even answering her own questions 'it was unreal and i think i was in shock at such treatment. I did not know was i going insane or was this women at the medical insane ? i felt totally hopeless and exhausted after the ordeal. To tell the truth if i would of known what i was letting myself in for i would never have went. I Would rather wash the streets on my knees than go through that again. While there it brought back all the feelings of years ago when i was raped in my flat ' it was scary' she asked me when did i start feeling depressed and very quickly i replied saying when my partner passed away , i cried a bit as it was so painful losing my partner and i really felt she was pressurizing me for information. Anyway i will go to the job centre and see what happens ? They seem to think people are pretending to be ill, i have this thyroid problem 12 years now and its horrible ,it affects all aspects of my life ,i take Carbimazole to control it for now till i get the thyroid removed. I Have seen my Consultant and sometimes he says i am Clinically euthyroid 'which means my thyroid is normal ? Yet i will tell him i have been having awful pains in my actual bones and feeling drained with rapid heart beat and sweating , he then says it could be the Menopause and then advises me to go discuss it with my Doctor, then when im telling my doctor he says its most likely my Thyroid ?? or maybe im just feeling a bit low ? I do not know weather i am coming or going with both Doctors lol, i just have to laugh as it all seems so crazy. I have so much to be grateful for really ' i have beautiful children, grandchildren, i always make it my business to know were they are if they are not at home, and who they hang out with, the older ones do have there teen moods but nothing i can not handle, and my grandchildren are always with me were ever i go, i work really hard at bringing my children up decent and proper and encourage them to be the best they can be, its far from easy but its my whole world' and i want to do the best i can for them' yet i feel this society expects us to be Machines and if we are not capable of working and bringing up children we are useless ?? I wish t God i did not have this Thyroid or Menopause ,my life would be a hell of a lot better , i could do lots of stuff' stuff i enjoy and get paid for it also' but right now i just feel stuck. Thanks again for advice

[Britney23 in reply to shaws]

Thank you Shaws , yea i will be fine ,i am getting confused on this lol but i really appreciate all your support it means a lot to me .

[Jose651]

Hi Britney23,

You are doing a great job there my dear,

Is there such a thing as CAB......citizens advice bureau...where you live?

I hope there is a CAB office, as they will help and advice you how to proceed to get all the benefits you need for you, your sons and grandchildren.

Take care

J

X

[Britney23 in reply to Jose651]

Thank you so much for your kind words j i really appreciate that ,thank you.

[Jose651 in reply to Britney23]

Keep in touch Britney23

Jose651 👍

[Britney23 in reply to Jose651]

Yea i will Jose, thank you.

[Britney23]

Hi yea, my boys are great support ,they study hard at school, they are never ever in any trouble and do try around the house' i am so very very proud of both of them, and i thank God every day for blessing me with such good kind hearted boys , also my grandchildren would of been put into the care system and now been looked after by foster parents if i was not willing to take care of them. I took on the care of my grandchildren 'i did not take the decision lightly 'i did not take on my grandchildren just to take the easy option and dump them with childminders. My grandchildren have been through enough already and i need to full-fill my duty to them as a grandparent and be there for them emotionally and make sure they feel secure at all cost. No Job or anything else comes before my children or grandchildren, they are my priority , if i wanted to have an easer life and be selfish i could of just let them go into care like many other unfortunate children but that is not who i am, i am not afraid of hard graft, and trying been both father and mother is not easy never was and never will be.

[shaws in reply to Britney23]

I think you have to be commended for putting the children first and yourself last. You'll be rewarded with their love although they may be too young yet to understand what it takes to give children a safe and loving environment.

Some people in certain jobs seem to be very harsh, as if the person themselves has caused their illness. I do hope you take up some of the suggestions of who can assist you.

If they remove your thyroid gland ask if you will be given an alternative to levothyroxine if it's not working as you expect. Many feel much better and some don't.

[Britney23 in reply to shaws]

Hi Shaws ,i rang the job centre and i got an appointment for Monday at 2pm. I Told the girl on phone that i needed an earlier or later time as that time is going to make me very late picking up the children from school, but she said that was the only time she had ? She wanted me to go job centre tomorrow at 2pm but i told her again its not a good time, then she suggested 2pm Friday ? Makes no sense ?? I have nobody to pick the children up as they all at work 'so am i suppose to just rush down to job centre and forget i have kids ?? If i told her once i told her a hundred times i can not make that time because of school run yet she ignored me ?

[shaws in reply to Britney23]

She maybe hypothyroid and cannot take in the information Eh!

I would write to the office and say you need an earlier appointment, and the reason, as you then have proof plus you may get a suitable appointment in the morning.

[Britney23 in reply to shaws]

lol yes i think so haha, i will first try ringing them and if i get no were i will write to them .

[Hidden in reply to Britney23]

Definitely you need to see the CAB asap. You need very specialist guidance - clearly it is in your grandchildren's best interests that they are able to remain with you. You might have to formally adopt them, for example - I don't know how the system works, but the interests of those two vulnerable, very young children, need protecting.

That may be a different route to take to get help, because it doesn't sound as though you will get any disability payments.

[Britney23 in reply to Hidden]

Yes you are right' i am getting nothing but stress from the job centre ,i will find out were cab are and make appointment to see them as soon as i can, also the children are fine and happy thank you, i spoke with a friend of mine and she told me that the job centre need to find me some work within the hours my children are at school ,like between 10am and 2pm ? maybe some voluntary work or training course ,but in reality i can not see anybody given me a job within these hours ,as what if i have to get the children from school if there sick ? or my hospital appointments ? repair appointments ? other dentist appointments ect ect.

[Rose54]

Hi

Sorry you are feeling so low

If your ESA has been stopped due to you not keeping your agreement to look to work as you feel so ill .See your GP and asked to be signed off sick you will still be on ESA but as long as have a sick note will not be expected to look for work after I think it 12 weeks you will then be called in for a medical and will then either stay in the Support group or be replaced back into ESA work group .

Job seekers allowance has been replaced by ESA Work related or support group .

Also look into Warm Front Discount

Its done through your energy provider so you may be entitled to £140 of your electricity .

Best Wishes Rose

[Britney23 in reply to Rose54]

Thank you Rosie