What are your experiences with ESA, good or bad?

Tehya

Mupette wrote: »

yes ... i did read the whole post....

but on here half the time you don't know if someone is joking, being sarcastic etc..

i',m not pulling out of context the way you might think... just wasn't sure, my brain doesn't work properly so just checking.... ok?

Awww don't worry about it Muppette, you're not the only one I too had to read it twice. And I consider myself to be pretty much awake even if I have been up all night with hubby in pain for the fourth night running.

System

My first encounter with ATOS went ok. Medical lasted 20 mins then the nurse left to speak to a colleague and when she came back she said i could go. Got a letter a few weeks later saying i was in the support group.

Have now got another medical in 3 weeks and honestly i'm dreading it, even though my condition is worse than it was at the 1st medical. just praying it goes like last time.

Tehya

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

My first encounter with ATOS went ok. Medical lasted 20 mins then the nurse left to speak to a colleague and when she came back she said i could go. Got a letter a few weeks later saying i was in the support group.

Have now got another medical in 3 weeks and honestly i'm dreading it, even though my condition is worse than it was at the 1st medical. just praying it goes like last time.

Oh gosh it's awful waiting isn't it? Good luck to you though and definitely come back and let us all know how you get on.

Maybe we should start the MSE Worry Club for ESA renewal folks? I have a bad feeling about my husband's claim this time. Hopefully I'm worrying for nothing but with everything I read on here it's hard not to. Like you his condition is a lot worse now and I get concerned about the effect these renewals have on his health as stress really does have a mossive impact on him and he's not said a word since the ESA50 came.

Oh well I'm hoping that because they didn't call him for a medical for his DLA they might not call him in for this either but I doubt it.

FleurDuLys

I had a straightforward experience with ATOS. I filled in the form myself (it didn't occur to me that I should get help with it), went along to the medical, told the truth and did what was asked of me without exaggerating anything. I was placed in the WRAG which I was very grateful for as it allowed me to work towards a new career as much as I was able whilst I recovered from my illness.

It's only since coming on these forums that I've heard how many people have terrible experiences with ATOS and I feel fortunate that mine was so straightforward. I do wonder if the fact that I had always worked and supported myself up until I needed to claim counted in my favour, and if they are more likely to be harsher in their dealings with people who (through no fault of their own) haven't got such a solid work history.

celinepatricia

Think you must have just has a medical examiner with some brains. My husband had worked all his life, never out of work once until he turned 53. He was diagnosed with cancer, went for Atos medical and got zero points and told he would not be receiveing esa. Its it all sorted out now, but, for a while it was very worrying. Not what you need when you have been diagnosed with a terminal illness...

FleurDuLys

celinepatricia wrote: »

Think you must have just has a medical examiner with some brains. My husband had worked all his life, never out of work once until he turned 53. He was diagnosed with cancer, went for Atos medical and got zero points and told he would not be receiveing esa. Its it all sorted out now, but, for a while it was very worrying. Not what you need when you have been diagnosed with a terminal illness...

That's shocking, Celinepatricia! Was he having IV chemotherapy? And did he claim DLA under the special rules? Both of these things should put you in the Support Group. What did you need to do to sort it out? I sincerely hope he's stable right now despite his prognosis.

I'm in the same situation now, annoyingly - I was diagnosed with cancer just before Christmas, and told it had metastasised at the end of January so it's considered terminal (not that I have given up yet, not by a long chalk!!!). My Macmillan nurse was very helpful in claiming DLA under the special rules and I can recommend that anyone in this position seeks their help.

celinepatricia

yes Fleurdulys, we did ckaim under special rules. Thanks

My point is though that atos/dwp had all this information and if they had bothered to read it a lot of time and worry could have been avoided.

bertiebat

FleurDuLys wrote: »

That's shocking, Celinepatricia! Was he having IV chemotherapy? And did he claim DLA under the special rules? Both of these things should put you in the Support Group. What did you need to do to sort it out? I sincerely hope he's stable right now despite his prognosis.

I'm in the same situation now, annoyingly - I was diagnosed with cancer just before Christmas, and told it had metastasised at the end of January so it's considered terminal (not that I have given up yet, not by a long chalk!!!). My Macmillan nurse was very helpful in claiming DLA under the special rules and I can recommend that anyone in this position seeks their help.

I agree that it's shocking, but actually the system doesn't properly allow for incurable cancer diagnoses. Everybody assumes that being diagnosed with metastases automatically entitles the claimant to be classified under the special rules.

This however is not the case as the definition of terminal for benefit purposes is a reasonable expectation of death within 6 months. This means that this is very dependent on the doctors interpretation of 'expectation' as to whether the form is signed or not. Most doctors take the perfectly understandable decision to sign the form knowing that the probability is that their patient could expect a longer term before actually becoming terminal (not life limited).

However some doctors are refusing to sign the form because they are stringently sticking to the 6 month rule, leaving some people no option but to be ESA assessed and if not on IV chemo (tablet chemo doesn't count) then they can be found fit for work and denied benefits of any sort.

I think it is dangerous to rely on the current system with doctors bending the rules to cater for life limited conditions. The rules should be changed so that this group can be properly catered for. Fairly I would like to see such a group pensioned off by the state (since some will never actually get to pension age anyway) in the same way work pensions would pay out.

jakes-mum

When I first had my medical assessment in april 2010 and I asked for a home visit as I knew it was going to make my illness alot worse, and was refused, my mother took me and I was put in the work related activity group, I appealed to be put into the support group as just attending the interview had rendered me housebound, ATOS said I had to have a brand new medical as my symptoms had changed. I had to fight tooth and nail for a home visit the second time and was told only one doctor in the county did home visits and I had to wait for him to be free. I kept chasing them for an appointment (was still on the initial ESA assessment rate of pay) and told yes I was in the queue. In march this year, when I rang again I was told I was in the work related activities group and my money had been increased to that rate whenever the dicision was made and that also my claim was due for renewal. I had never been called to another medical and never called in for a WRAG meeting?? I have just got my ESA50 through and am filling it all in again and have a very big dread that as my symptoms vary so much from hour to hour im going to have to fight all over again to get ATOS to believe me.
I've just been as honest and discriptive as I can be and am contemplating writing a supporting letter to go with the form describing in detail how M.E is so fluctuating its completely impossible to judge how I will be from hour to hour and how finely balanced my life is with regards to energy useage and how any change to my routine will render me house/bed bound. The forms are so hard to fill in with this illness to try and explain what it does to your life.

p's sorry if this doesnt make alot of sense I have problems with memory and explaining myself

celinepatricia

I totally agree with you bertiebat, My husband is on tablet form chemo, and will be for the rest of his life. He has all the side effects that somebody on IV chemo has , seeing what he goes through with these side effects I dont know how anybody who suffers them could hold down a job.