AIBU to cry my eyes out over this?

[alessthandomesticgoddess]

I got my decision from DLA today on the grounds of fibromyalgia and bi polar type 1. Nothing. That's bad enough but after a statement, a GP report, a report from my psychiatrist who I've seen once and a medical assesment it has been decided that I don't have anxiety or panic attacks, I don't need help at night, to get up the stairs, to dress, to get out or in bed, to get in the bath and I can also lift and walk perfectly normally.

This is all bloody news to me. Should I just throw my crutch in the bin and run everywhere? Get a hold on my emotions? Fuck.

So I'm really upset and have put in for a new decision before I appeal. My head is all over the place, I'm manic yet uncontrolably crying and I can't get hold of my CPN.

AIBU?

Should I post this in MH instead? I just posted here not thinking.

YANBU. I've heard that a lot of DLA applications are denied the first time round, and allowed in appeal. Might be worth speaking to citizens advice on how to proceed.

That's really shit, I'm sorry. Do they tell you why they don't think you're entitled to anything?

And you might get more knowledgeable advice in MH, yes. Possibly more posters there with direct experience of DLA?

YANBU. I'm so sorry, and so angry on your behalf.

This is what is happening to so many of the most vulnerable people in society. DLA and ESA decisions seem to be miraculously curing some of the sickest people.

Please do keep pushing and go to appeal if they refuse the decision. Many, many decisions are overturned at appeal. Could you get to see another psychiatrist do you think if this one has not been helpful? How supportive is your gp? Getting some help from the HCP's can give you some good ammunition.

Sending un-MN hugs - it's bad enough living with chronic illness without this kind of shit being thrown at you :(

Yes , appeal! I have heard this too

I'm sorry. DLA is very hard to get, it may be worth your while appealing. You do need some help with the form though. Can you get to the CAB? They will help.

They turned my son down as well. He's hypermobile and can only walk a metre before needing to stop due to pain. He needs help getting undressed, chopping food up etc and can't go out by himself as he falls into the road. They are arseholes.

My Mum is 92. She applied for Attendance Allowance because she can no longer cook, shop, or do housework. Because she can wash herself she was turned down. Agreed, they are arseholes.

I've phoned my HV who is in direct contact with the CPN. Tried the GP but no appointments, emergency or otherwise until drop in in the morning. Hopefully the CPN will get in touch.

It's my fiance's birthday today too. I feel so awful to be so out of it today.

They've said I can walk normally over 100m (lie), that I don't need care help etc when it completely contradicts everything I've wrotten and told the assessor. I'm getting ESA and my partner is applying for carers as he spends all his time bar one day a week studying caring for me. He doesn't get to go out as sometimes my paranoia takes over and I'm irrationally thinking he's cheating on me.

I'm on lots of medication (750mg Depakote for bipolar) and this is my first manic episode since starting them 5 weeks ago but it's a biggie.

I was toying withh the idea of DLA. Knew other peoples experiences and came to the unhappy conclusion that they would cause me so much stress and grief as likely to put me back a stage or two. I admire your determination. You must not be put off. And I promise I won't kick off about the people we see in the media up to all sorts and getting DLA. They are in the minority, but begs teh question if the system is so strict, how do they get past it.
Don't throw your crutch away, pin your colours to it and forge on.

I went through a year of appeals to get the DLA DS was entitled to but got there in the end. No help to you at the moment OP but maybe you will too. It is disgusting that with a fraud and error rate of 0.5% they are aiming to get 20% of claims ended. So 19.5% of genuinely ill people being screwed

OldGreyWiffle, can you appeal for your Mum? Mine has dementia and can't do those things but can wash, although needs reminding. She got the higher rate.

Could you speak to your MP, they can usually help.

Unless they are a Tory MP. Mine fully supports the reforms because so much revenue is lost to fraud apparently. Tosser.

Not a Tory MP. What do I say? Do I bring up the DLA changes and how it's affected me, a genuinely ill person, pesonally? What do I ask him to do?

I've never written to an MP before.

I have an aunt on DLA. She is not ill or disabled in any way, she is just fat. She took up all the tiles on her keitchen floor last week, and hung her old kitchen cupboards up in her outhouse with no help. I wish there was some way to give her allowance to you OP.

I second the appeal route.

Here is the link. They are really good at dealing with email communication as it is centralised and will contact you to make sure you have had a response. Tell him what you have told us and do include the figures I mentioned. Good luck

I'm a GP, and as far as I can see almost everyone is being turned down for DLA at the moment. I imagine it's a bit like insurance claims - the companies turn them all down as a matter of routine, then only truly assess the ones who appeal. It's hoped that enough people won't bother to appeal, so some money is saved. I think it's crazy though because the cost of administering appeals is probably quite high, and most of the genuine cases will win their appeals anyway, so no money will be saved.

This is the Big Society! It's very depressing.

Definitely appeal. My Mum had to go through it twice and she's housebound and 95% immobile after two botched knee replacement ops. I will never understand how they thought her capable of anything because she just isn't. For the appeal someone from Age Concern helped with the form - I know that doesn't apply to you but if you can get some help I think it really does put you at an advantage.

Yes definitely appeal, a similar thing happened to my brother, but he won his appeal.

Sounds like this happens a lot, it's almost like the appeal is becoming part of the routine procedure. It's a crazy system, but if those are the hoops you have to jump through to get the help you need, then it's what you have to do.

Definitely appeal.

They reject all the applications. They don't even read the form you have filled in.
They reckon they save money by delaying it all and also that anyone swinging the lead will not appeal.
You have to appeal. When you do they will check your appeal info against what you originally wrote, so if you make a mistake like saying you can walk 2 meters instead of 3 meters they will reject.

You will be fine. Just appeal and double check that you give the exact info. They may also tell you that they have lost your original claim form. They haven't - again it is to check that you give the exact info.

CAB are phoning me back within 48 hours for an appointment. I'm phoning DLA now to see if I can get a reconsideration and appeal at the same time or otherwise just to appeal.

This is a very good resource. I subscribed when I was appealing DLA and it was well worth it.

For a reconsideration you need to send in new evidence. They didn't tell me this which delayed the process for another 12 weeks until the first appeal stage.

I paid for ds to see a phsio every week for 2 years. They didn't write to her, just to the GP who's seen him...once.

Can I get my original claim form back then? I've just checked and I can do both but do I need to remember every little thing I said on the original claim?