can anyone help me applying for dla with bipolar, been refused and now stuck!

jennylovescake

i really dont want to go to cab or anywhere and have done dla forms before for my son who has autism and other siilar problems. i have bipolar and applied about 2 months ago for dla and thought i had filled the form in as well as i could a friend read it (who is a mh nurse) and agreed but i was refused based on psychiatrists report i think so i sent a letter outlining my problems again and still refused, dunno what to do now, im not on meds as currently changing as first one i had didnt help, start new one in a fortnight, im seeing a sychiatrist but otherwise just gp not got cpn or anyone, dont know why. the psychiatrist is horrible, he told me bipolar and the need to die is just like a mans need for sex and nothing will take it away!!! he wrote on the dla form that im stable though all his notes say im not as im not, gp agrees im not, when i asked for reconsideration i asked them to contact gp but they dont seem to have done, they say im not at risk to myself and others but short of attempting suicide again how do i show i am - i really am i know i am. ive no idea what to do now, can they reconsider again or do i have to go to tribunal or something!??! ive looked at all the guides and have definately filled it in as i should have, and i know people in similar situations with bipolar that affects them similarly and they get dla and wrote similar things so i presume its all down to the horrible psychiatrist, hes had me on lithium which didnt help so now they are changing me to sodium valoprate so he obviously can see i need something yet on dla says the opposite!! what do i do!??! i have no copies of letters just seen them at gp's.

MrsManda

Sounds like you need to change psychiatrists as the one you're seeing is obviously not helping you manage your condition.

Do you have care and/or mobility needs?

Have you got copies of all the evidence used to make a decision on your DLA?

swabaxter

Hello,
I also have bipolar disorder that has been undiagnosed for at least 10 years. I have only recently begun to see a psychiatrist and my initial experience is not
good because he does not seem to have a good understanding of the condition, is dismissive and also takes several weeks before I can see him again.
I was declined DLA within the last 2 years when I believe that I should have been eligible. My experience was that the system did everything to defeat
my requests for help. What I am now doing is getting help from my family, my GP and now have an advocate. I am also a member of Bipolar Scotland.
I hope this may be of some help to you.

whispywillow

Can you afford to pay to get the copies of your notes that your psychiatrist holds about you? You can request them under the freedom of information act for £10. Hopefully if you can get the notes, and they are as you say (contrary to what he has written for the DLA) then you can provide them as evidence if you were to go to an appeal? xx

dmg24

whispywillow wrote: »

Can you afford to pay to get the copies of your notes that your psychiatrist holds about you? You can request them under the freedom of information act for £10. Hopefully if you can get the notes, and they are as you say (contrary to what he has written for the DLA) then you can provide them as evidence if you were to go to an appeal? xx

The problem here is that the psych may be writing something entirely different to what the OP is saying. At my last appt I saw a note that I did not want to take medication, whereas what I actually said was that I did not want to have medication in the house because of the possibility of overdose.

If the OP did want to request their records they would need to make a Subject Access Request under the Data Protection Act, not the FOIA.

OP, have you looked at having a private assessment done? You are likely to get a much more thorough report and better advice as to your treatment options.

de1amo

Sympathesis on your situation--when i got refused for dla many years ago i enrolled the help of a mh occupational therapist to come to an appeal board with me--they tend to like days out and standing up for sufferers!--you must appeal the current refusal and then they will arrange an appeal in front of people from the dla(((if it is like olden times??)--they were docs on my board and very kindly--my OT did most of the speaking and it was awarded!
Bi polar is not the end of the world--i did theraphy after i got on the right meds and i concluded that i was know worse off than a person with diabetis---i was at risk but as long as i was watchful and took my meds regularly i woud stay well--its just finding the right meds and that is done by a psychiatrist --if you dont feel well served by your current man you have a right to ask for him to be changed.
İ thank my pschiatrist every day because he got me well and i have been stable for 10 years now--i am back to living a useful and positive life.

snookey

Hi have a look at the benefits and work forum. It was nineteen pounds for the year but I found it really usefull when renewing my claim. Another route would be your local mind who may have someone to support you at the tribunal.
Dont give up as my dla went up from lower rate care to higher rate so it can be done. Its how the bi polar effects you not the actual diagnoises. From what you say you need a psychiatrist who will back you up and I would look into changing to a different one.

olias

Just playing devils advocate, but the OP has not actually stated that they have any care or mobility needs.

Without stating the obvious, you do not get DLA for being disabled, or for having a specific diagnosis, you get DLA if you have specific care or mobility needs that cost more to fund and therefore you require financial assistance from the state to help afford them.

Apologies to the OP if you do have these needs, but your post is written as if you are applying for DLA simply because you are BiPolar.

Olias

snookey

Its written in her post about suicidel thoughts,that she has tried to commit suicide both of which suggest the need for supervision and that she is a danger to herself both components for dla leval of care. Also the medication not working.

GlasweJen

Perhaps the OP has fallen down on the "and have the care needs for a further 6 months" criteria. If the psychiatrist is confident that the new medication will work in the next 6 months and alleviate the symptoms and has indicated this in his report then even if the OP does have care needs she is not entitled to DLA.

snookey

Maybe your right Glaswejen thats not something I had thought of. Maybe best to wait to see if the medication does work although you could argue that it only a treatment not a cure. Even with medication my symptoms only mask not cure the problem but then we are all different.