dla refusal

[pokhara]

Hi
i have osteoarthritis in both knees, hypermobility in my other joints, depression, hiatus hernia, irritable bowel syndrome, underactive throid, kidney disease. I take various meds for these.

I applied for dla mainly for the arthritis and included all the other things. I got a letter this morning saying im not entitled, they havent even written to my rheumatologist who i see for the problem, they wrote to the gp, who i never see for the problem, so how do they know how much i struggle.

The letter says:

'Using suitable walking aids, although your walking is limited, you are not unable or virtually unable to walk'

My walking is very limited because i am virtually unable to walk as it is too painful.

also:

'At your own speed, you can safely: get in and out of bed, manage your toilet needs, use a bath or shower, dress and undress, get up and down stairs, get in and out of a chair, move about indoors, manage your treatment and medication'

I cant believe that have they not read what i put on the form, going up any stairs causing the worst pain i have, i have to bend over put my hands on the stairs and go up with feet and hands, this means i don't have to straighten my leg as much, going down it go down on my side, frightened that my knees are about to give way and i will fall, i told them all this.
My ex partner is my carer, he comes down at 7.30 every morning to help with me getting up and helps me down the stairs and gets my son ready, he stays for 20 mins and he is my life saver, he also comes down at 7pm to bath my son and put him to bed. I can get in the bath but cant get out, i have to have my carer hoist me with our arms interlinked and he holds me while i get out, omg, im furious. get in and out of bed, i lay in bed for an hour trying to losen my knees doing excercises physio gave me, because getting out of bed is terrible i try to stand but most of the time fall back because i cant get my balance properly. When i can get my balance i have to stnd there for a minute or 2 before rtying to walk out my room either with one hand on the wall or my carersupporting me.

as for tablets, i take 15 for my kineys throughout the day, 1 for hiatus hernia, 1 for depression, 1 for underactive thyroid. Just taking allthese tablets depresses me, in fact i havent taken my kidney one properley for 6 months because i forget while i am out because i have so many.

I put all this in the

I put all this in the form and why havent they taken any of it seriously.

i am fuming at the gp's, they should have directed them to the rheumy, they are gonn get a tongue lashing from me on monday.

Oh pokhara that really is rubbish.

I couldn't leave this unanswered. I don't know much about the DLA, but I think your first port of call should be a sobbing 'phone call to your GP. If you don't qualify, I don't know who does; your situation sounds so uncomfortable and your quality of life doesn't sound great.

Un MNy [hugs] I hope you can get something sorted out.

pokhara, I think you have very good grounds for appeal against this decision. I think it's around 50% of first DLA claims that are turned down, decision makers are very stringent and have tick lists which if you don't score high enough just refuse. Appeals are often successful though.

Did you fill in the form as if on a worst day/week? Does sound to me like you should be entitled, and I am so sorry you have to be going through this. The system unfortunately is pretty shit and getting worse in the near future. However, go for an appeal, get support from your consultant and ask CAB for advice too. Good luck.

i think they refuse most claim's first time around tbh, in the hope people can't be bothered to appeal.

stupid system, stupid people.

I second the vote to ring your GP and have a cry/rant at them.

I have also just been turned down for DLA ( on behalf of my DH).

I have been advised to ask for ALL the documentation used in the claim to be sent to me. By law the month time limit you have to ask for the case to be reassessed ( differt to an appeal, that could come later) only starts when you have recieved the requested documentation. This means you can look at what the GP has said and see if it supports your claim. then you can go through your claim highligting where you have given evidence of your diffculties.

Basically you have had the standard fob off rejection letter and so it is not based on anythign you have written ( well why woudl it this is the goverment after all )

A good course of advice, if you haven't already been in touch with them, is the welfare rights team in your area.

My son got refused last time, I appealed and he got higher rate. Do you have a local carers association as they often help with filling in the forms.
Often it is the way you fill it in that is the problem and not that your condition isn't bad enough to warrant it. I suspect now there is an element of rejecting in the hopes you won't appeal.

Getting high rate mob for arthritis is unusual but possible , ask for a reassessment and ask for a supporting letter from an OT or other doctor involved in your care if possible. If that doesn't work appeal you should get at least middle care, high rate if you go the the toilet twice a night and need at least ten mins help each time. For high rate mob specify I can only walk 5 metres or whatever it is without being in agony and I have to STOP walking not that you carry on in pain. Good luck I have arthritis and other health conditions and get high rate care and mob.

I have different health problems to you (apart from hernia) but when I first applied in 2007 I got turned down and appealed. The decision at the appeal took maximum of 5 minutes and they awarded it to me.
So much unnecessary stress, can then flare up health problems, it's never ending.