DLA Fail

DarkFallout

Supernatural wrote: »

I'm not trying to claim for the actual disease, lots of people have it after all and live a normal life, but the problems the complications personally cause me. I have gastroparesis too, and just this week been investigated for kidney problems, because everything else has gone wrong all at once they are worried I've got every bit of nerve damage going.

My eye consultant says I must have been undiagnosed for 10-15 years for the degree of damage I have developed, when first tested my blood sugar was 31.9. Sadly this disease has wrecked my body and taken away my health, and I'm not even 40.

gastroparesis, kidney problems (unless on dialisis) ,blood sugar levels, etc. are irrelevant for this benefit ...

what is relevant is if you can walk reasonably 50-100 yards, get dressed and washed and get to the toilet ...

regarding your vision if you have a certificate of partially sighted you may be awarded lower rate mobility, but it is unlikely otherwise ...

DLA is not about your wrecked body, but about mobility and care needs ...

shegirl

DarkFallout wrote: »

gastroparesis, kidney problems (unless on dialisis) ,blood sugar levels, etc. are irrelevant for this benefit ...

what is relevant is if you can walk reasonably 50-100 yards, get dressed and washed and get to the toilet ...

regarding your vision if you have a certificate of partially sighted you may be awarded lower rate mobility, but it is unlikely otherwise ...

DLA is not about your wrecked body, but about mobility and care needs ...

That's what some people seem to forget.They think because they have some form of illness that they are entitled to DLA,despite the fact DLA is for disability rather than just illness (they can be seperate) and requires that you need assistance with things!

Brassedoff

shegirl wrote: »

DLA is for disability rather than just illness (they can be seperate) and requires that you need assistance with things!

You are so right. Many people think I have a hang up on this, but disabled is disabled, ill is ill. Too many people who are ill claim to be disabled, both are different, both may require care.

pwales_2

Brassedoff wrote: »

You are so right. Many people think I have a hang up on this, but disabled is disabled, ill is ill. Too many people who are ill claim to be disabled, both are different, both may require care.

spot on :T:T

Supernatural

Well, that's the whole point, I can't walk 50-100 yards without being in severe pain and exhausted, the neuropathy in my feet and legs is agony, can't sleep for the burning and itching and need help at night to get me to the toilet (still weeing a lot, diabetes uncontrolled does that) because I'm so doped up on medication I fall flat on my face.

My feet and hands constantly go completely numb and cold, I get shooting pains that make my hands twitch and spasm (try holding cooking utensils with that happening) and at the moment I have a huge bleed in my right eye meaning I can't see much out of it because of a huge black blob. The amount of laser treatment I need means I'll lose my peripheral vision (and bye bye driving licence most likely, not that I can drive any more with the pain, but still, I worked hard to get that)

I genuinely need some help here, I'd trade all the money in the world to be fit and healthy. I wouldn't give a hoot about claiming DLA if I could go about my daily life unaided.

stayontheground_2

Well, I don't really now where to start, I'm beginning to feel like a sick joke!
I have narcolepsy,had it all my life and coped perfectly well until I started to need medication so had to have a diagnosis. I was a PhD Chemical engineer, working towards my professorship, I aso worked in Foresic Toxicology. So had a good job. All this disappeared once I was diagnosed. I would say I was 'gently' retired, I wasn't massively concerned at first, until I started to realise that nobody wanted to employ me, I became a recluse for about a year (they took my driving licence away too) I completely lost my confidence. My Partner, who's an entertainment rigger, trained me in ground rigging. I was doing really well until I found lump on my upper inner thigh, anyway to cut a log story short, three medical mishaps later, I now have a fistula which has branched off all over the place inside me (and outside in a few places, including my leg) I have had four operations since last April to try to correct it and it's jusyt not working. I want a colostomy, I never thought I would ever say that and it was a great fear for me for months but now I want one.
Anyway, after my long winded introduction, I was advised to make a claim for DLA in Spetember,I didn't claim for a month as I just hoped it would heal, then I noticed I had started to become incontinent. I claimed and was turned down within a week, I contacted a disability help service and they advised me to apply for reconsideration, My gp has wrtten me a very good honest statement but I have been waiting for 7 months now, is this right? I've never claimed anything before. I can't walk properly due to the pain, I can't sit properly and the district nurse has to come every day to check me as I'm always off my face on tramadol, the pain is immense. I don't know what to do for money, I can't leave the house the way I am, I'm scared I'll have an accident. I am, once again, a recluse. Please somebody give me some advice as I just feel they are wasting my time and I find it all absoloutely astounding is 7 months normal?
Regards
Andrea

jetta_wales

What's their explanation for the delay? It's supposed to be within 12 weeks at most normally. Have you been ringing them?

stayontheground_2

Hi, They say thay are still waiting for the consultant's report, they have had my Gp's report. Unfortunately I made a formal complaint about the initial surgeon as I feel I shouldn't be in this situation and he didn't do his job properly. His statement mad me and my GP look like liars even though he hadn't seen me since I complained in September.
I don't know what's going on, I just received a letter from my consultant stating the he couldn't answer some questions on the form and I really don't understand why. I've been like this for a year now and I can't take my narcolepsy meds because I'm on tramadol, uppers and downers. I actually suffered from serotonin syndrom last year when I tried to go back to work, I can't work without my narcolepsy meds but I can't function with the pain either.
I don't know what to do, I have called them but they just fob me off by saying they haven't had the consultant's report.
Do I just go and sign on? I can't drive or walk (or even sit) without pain (and bleeding sometimes too) If I can't take my narcolepsy meds I have night hallucinations and they are horrendous. I feel upset all the time and I'm starting to think that I'm just a drama queen. That's obviously what they think! I'm so fed up

CouponWoman

supernatural and stayontheground - please contact your local council and ask if there is a welfare rights officer, most councils seem to have one, or know of one. The reason most people are turned down for DLA is failure to fill the form in properly. It really doesn't matter how many illnesses people have, its all about the care or mobility needs you have.

There are so many misconceptions about DLA that unless you are extremely lucky I would guess that most people are turned down.

Please contact someone who knows what to do about your problem, don't try on your own.

Don't give up

CWxx

rogerblack

DarkFallout wrote: »

gastroparesis, kidney problems (unless on dialisis) ,blood sugar levels, etc. are irrelevant for this benefit ...

what is relevant is if you can walk reasonably 50-100 yards, get dressed and washed and get to the toilet ...

regarding your vision if you have a certificate of partially sighted you may be awarded lower rate mobility, but it is unlikely otherwise ...

DLA is not about your wrecked body, but about mobility and care needs ...

To paraphrase from the guidance to decision makers 'Any ability to walk while experiencing severe pain or discomfort is irrelevant, the test in law is the ability to walk without severe pain or discomfort'

So, even if one could in fact run a marathon in a world-beating time - that would not of itself disqualify you from the mobility component of DLA, if the act of walking caused severe pain or discomfort.