Crohns Disease Question- Help please

bobsa1

Hi, My dh has suffered from Crohns disease for twenty years but struggled to get a dagnosis for about ten years becasue it doesn't always follow the standard pattern. (If there is one with Crohns lol)

He has bowel problems constantly (won't go into details but an urgent need for the toilet constantly one day then followed by agonising pains but inability to go another) and suffers from severe joint pain quite often.

He also suffers from attacks which leave him with horrible red angry patches on his body which look like scalds coupled with high temps, complete body shivering and need to be in bed for two to three days at a time.

None of this was a problem when he was employed by a company due to relatively generous sickness pay however he is now self employed and so when he is ill he can't work. Self employment followed redundancy as with his sickness record he would have struggled to get work.

My Dh works as an audit consultant so works when he is well.

Is there anything he can claim as sometimes he ends up going back to work far too soon as he goes back just so we have some money coming in and I know if can be really difficult for him (having to leave meetings two or three times in course of an hour to go to the loo etc)

Any help or advice appreciated- we've never thought of claiming before but lots of ill health over the last month or two has left us really worried.

absolutebounder

Sorry cant offer help on claims but i would research Chronns treatment in the USA (google) as they seem to know way more than out consultants in the NHS.

Finch

absolutebounder wrote: »

Sorry cant offer help on claims but i would research Chronns treatment in the USA (google) as they seem to know way more than out consultants in the NHS.

What a ridiculous post. As you can't even spell Crohn's, I very much doubt you know anything about NHS consultant knowledge levels.

To the OP: your GP should know about various disability allowances, or at least be able to point you in the right direction. In the meantime, have a look at http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Disability-Living-Allowance.htm.

judy2357

My son is in a similar situation to your husband but actually has Ulcerative Colitis and he claims Employment Support Allowance (contribution based) at the present which I understand replaced Incapacity Benefit. He is a self employed builder.

rosysparkle

NACC http://www.nacc.org.uk/content/home.asp has a wealth of information and factsheets to help you and your husband understand the condition and what help might be available. You can also join the association and get a quarterly newsletter etc, well worth doing IMHO.

I get high rate mobility because I can't walk due to the arthritis associated with Crohn's, I don't currently get care although I think I probably qualify for the lower rate now. I have an understanding employer and work part time, and I qualify for WTC and CTC which helps with finances.

What treatment is your husband having? I had no real results with mesalazine or prednisolone, but once I started immunosuppressants (azathioprine) I am much better - the condition is manageable now I'm not in the 20-a day club (that's toilet visits, not smoking!).

bobsa1

Thanks for the replies so far- It's nice to know we aren't alone with dealing with this.

I'll have a look on the NACC site now.

415SanFran

I have Crohn's have had for the last 20 years, at first it was mis-diagnosed as IBS.

I also have a slipped disc, and was put on pain killers for this, unfortunately the Chron's reacts badly to ANY pain killers.
Didn't know I could claim anything, sometimes I dare not come downstairs as I know I will not get upstairs in time because I cannot "rush" upstairs to the bathroom.

skipsmum

DH has crohns-type symptoms since he had a bowel resection after an RTA. He works self employed (builder) but he gets the disabled tax credits which we save for when hes poorly.
I can sympathise with the OP, DS2 has crohns & colitis and its a very painful and misunderstood condition.

absolutebounder

Finch wrote: »

What a ridiculous post. As you can't even spell Crohn's, I very much doubt you know anything about NHS consultant knowledge levels.

Sorry not the best typist and so typos creep in.. British approach seems to be to operate far more often than is USA. A good friend died after her operation. Prior to that she had seen something about cholamine phosphate and its use in crohn's but her consultant said he had never heard of it and later said it wasnt available in the UK.

Indie_Kid

415SanFran wrote: »

I have Crohn's have had for the last 20 years, at first it was mis-diagnosed as IBS.

IBS is the name given when they can't find anything. IE, all blood tests come back normal.

soolin

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