Need advice for benefits CAB saying not eligible for anything?

[RubyTTC]

Hi everyone, this is going to sound like the most ridiculous thing but I had to leave my job as anemia finally overpowered me iron levels are 3 and Hemoglobin 85 - normal range is 115. I can barely do the bare essentials to look after myself. Prescribed iron gluconate as I’ve been trying others for the last few years and just don’t get anywhere. Side effects are making me worse with nausea and the rest of it. Called CAB as can’t get by on DH income alone and they weren’t much help. I don’t know where to go from here? Apparently he earns too much as we have to do a joint application? I need some sort of income ASAP! Any suggestions welcome

Hi RubyTTC I can’t help on the benefits but would an iron infusion be possible? I’ve also had anemia’s this bad and it’s just terrible. After the infusion i felt better within a day or two.

Have you run it through www.entitledto.co.uk ?

You declare as a household so it's likely that is correct but it's possible to get contribution based benefits sometimes for a limited time and pip is not means tested. Before uc I think it was 6 months before they looked at your partner's income

Hi serenachitte, they tried to do an iron infusion as I ended up being referred to A&E when I went back to the doctor for chest pains and just not being able to catch my breath. I had an allergic reaction within about 20 seconds - scariest thing ever!!! So because I’ve not had any luck with the other iron salts they’ve put me on iron gluconate which is just as bad tbh and really not feeling a difference in energy levels a month on. They’re watching my hemo levels at the moment so if they drop anymore then they’ll try to do a blood transfusion but hospital and drs both very reluctant to that

Thanks both! I’ll check them out

You need to push for investigations into why your iron stores are dropping, particularly into your intestinal system (assuming you have normal periods). It is not normal and shouldn’t be accepted as “just the way you are”. They need to look for reasons that you are either slowly & chronically bleeding, or not absorbing iron.

My sister had a similar problem & she was given iron transfusions, but they would only last 6 weeks before her iron stores plummeted again. Eventually she had a colonoscopy and they discovered Chrohn’s disease.

Could call turn to us. They will ask you a few questions about finances and calculate what you may be entitled to.

PIP isn't means tested though? And it's based on your needs, and the effects of your long-term condition, rather than having a formal diagnosis. Did anyone suggest you have a look at claiming it?

Jcurve I’m so sorry to hear that! They called me for a scan today as the first doctor that saw me almost immediately decided woman + low iron = period related.. so I’m just waiting on the outcome of that and we’ll go from there. They’ve restricted the iron prescription apparently, which suggests they’re going to keep digging until they find out exactly what’s causing it - after years of low iron! I don’t think i ever recall it being over 5!