to admit defeat and be signed off sick and made to live on UC at 39 years old 😢

[SoUnwell]

I have been unwell now for 3 years and lost 4 jobs because of it.
I have gone from job to job in hope I’ll suddenly get better and be able to work as I feel so young to just accept I am unable to.
I have long covid and fibromyalgia ( brought on my long covid ) as well as a b12 deficiency I’ll need monthly injections for life on as my body no longer absorbs anything

I have really tried
I am 2 weeks into another job and can feel all my symptoms coming back
The constant pain and exhaustion is too much to bear

I think the time has come accept defeat and just follow the GPs advice which is to not work tor the time being

How do I go about all of this?

Im already on a small amount of UC as my wages are so low so will they top me up a little until I apply for PIP?
So confused and very worried as have 3 young children

I'm sorry this has happened to you. You need to get sick notes from the doctors to cover a few months and then ask to apply lcwra. Also apply for pip and gather as much evidence as possible to send (I had about thirty pages of letters and evidence).

I had to do this four years ago as my health was (and still is) plummeting and there's no way I could work anymore.

Have you sought help for the inevitable toll that this takes on your mental health? The two are so interlinked so the anxiety of letting down a new employer will likely trigger your symptoms more. Relaxation can help with pain relief. Antidepressants have been shown to bring some relief. Do you do a pacing schedule for long COVID? I think that, if you do take time out of employment you need to still have some structure and build in some pleasurable activities otherwise you could get worse. Pottery or an art class (even if not creative) could really help. Also don't think that this will be forever. Don't let it drag you down. Just do what you need to do but look after your mental health too.

The doctor I spoke to who I have never seen was so rude to me on the phone.
He said he would do 2 weeks sick note but that long covid is something lots of people recover from so doesn’t think being out of work is the right call.

I don’t know what to do now

I would take the 2 weeks and then see a different doctor and focus on your symptoms not the diagnosis. A huge chunk of long Covid is ME/CFS and no a lot of people don't recover from and if he knew anything about ME he would know that the advice is to rest and pace.

Oh bless you. I'm a similar age and I've had to accept that my career is over. I have a disability that causes the most incredible amount of exhaustion. I can handle the pain, but waking up every day feeling like I wish my life would just hurry up and be over is impossible to push through.

I have a small artistic career now that I can participate in as and when I feel able. It's all I can do and I just have to accept that.

I've got no advice (apart from getting a new GP) but sending you all my sympathy 🌺🌺

Can you speak to the GP who advised you not to work for the time being?

He said ME is usually in the mind when I mentioned that and asked if I was depressed

I am bloody feeling depressed now after talking to him 😢

As well as PIP you should be claiming ESA.
There is ESA and there is new style ESA .the latter doesn't take in to account any savings you have .and it is available for people who have paid enough NI over the previous couple of years.
There is no need to be seeing a work coach or be in any of the support groups .
Your doctor gives you a "fit" note ( sick line) and you can be in this benefit for as long as it's needed .
On top of pip.
It's worth trying for .

A lot of GPs do think ME is in the mind, and a lot dont accept "Long Covid" even exists.

PIP can take months, so, in the meantime, try and find a sympathetic GP to issue fit-notes for UC/ESA.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/benefits-for-people-who-are-sick-or-disabled/

** depending on your small income being within the permitted amount .

I really feel for you. I also have long covid. Because I can do things every other day (like cook my dinner) I didn’t make it over the line for pip, because you have to be poorly MORE than 50% of the time. It took me eight months to get through the pip process and I didn’t get enough points to be awarded it. It’s frustrating because having long covid is costing me a lot in taxis and cleaner and other help.

I don’t know if this helps you but I have found working from home works for me. I can’t do any kind of commute but without the commute and largely remaining housebound means I have enough energy to work. It’s shit but working from home is great for my mental health.

Long covid is an absolute fucker - GPs just keep saying that I should expect to feel bad, so just suck it up, and no help with PIP despite being very immobile now. But WFH has really worked for me, now I’m basically just going from bed to desk. HTH.

Work from home doing what exactly?
I don't have what the OP has, I have type 2 brittle asthma, SVT which is a heart condition and severe osteoporosis.

Can you work remotely? I work fully remotely (desk job) with a life-long disability that affects my mood and energy.

I almost never take sick days because I'm willing to work evenings and weekends to make up for unproductive days.

Ignore those saying you have to try harder.

Even if ME is all in the mind, you can’t just reset your mind.

I have fibromyalgia. I only started to make any kind of recovery during lockdown, when we all had to stop.

Stopping now isn’t a life sentence to benefits, it’s the start of the recovery process.

Don’t stop working until you have been through the process though. The stress of uncertainty is no help either.

speak to an advisor about how ill you are, wait until you can see the doctor who first suggested it, keep going back to see whether your various deficiencies are under control.

I’m really sorry. It’s rubbish. I’m in the same boat, but DH is well paid so it’s ok. I’ve been part time in a low stress job for years now.

gloriaisright
I left work just over two years ago, so prob no more help, tho have a bit of other income, which helps.
Best thing is not worrying about work

"I’m basically just going from bed to desk"

This is me 95% of the time. I work abnormally long hours, but I think my diagnosis adds to that.

Do UC need regular sick notes then to decide whether to do the capability assessment or will I still need sick notes the time?

Very stressed now as we don’t have a named doctor here - you just see who is available 😢

No, she wants the state to support her right now, until she is well enough to work again. She has been diagnosed by a GP who suggested she give up work.

She’s suffering from an illness that’s made worse by stress and exhaustion, and may well make a recovery given the opportunity.

At the start of Covid I struggled to manage the stairs. I’m so much better. I’ve increased my hours to 20/week and can do the stairs as often as necessary and walk 5 miles. I still need to be really careful- I’ll never teach again, or do anything stressful or laborious. But it’s a hell of a lot better than it was.

You’re talking about an illness that can leave you bed bound. That some people recover to the point of running marathons! But only by taking recovery seriously.

For PIP it's not the condition you have.. but the help you need to manage your condition.
Some people with Fibromyalgia have it worse than others.. different stages.
B12 deficiency.. l self inject once a week and take folic acid for absorption.. if you're being treated for that it's for life and once medicated the deficiency shouldn't have any effect on you.
Long covid.. now that's the question.. thousands have it.. there is long covid clinics.. it is effecting people in different ways.
Gave my daughter RA and POTs and heart problems.. but there is no proof lawfully or medically and PIP/ ESA won't take these into consideration right now.. because not enough evidence and half the country would be claiming for long covid.
80% of people are turned down after first PIP assessment another 20% get it on appeal.
Get in touch with your local SCOPE.. they help people with forms etc for a donation.

https://workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/what-can-i-claim-if-i-am-too-sick-to-work/#:~:text=You%20can%20receive%20Universal%20Credit,due%20to%20sickness%20or%20disability.

Actually, the GP who suggested anti depressants was sort of right. Your situation is enough to make anyone depressed, so you may feel mentally more able to deal with your illness if you take ADs.

I would ask to see another GP. It seems like every second person has long covid/ ME/ fibro, so this GP should at least know what he's talking about and tell you to take time off.