1st Time claiming ESA for Husband

cit_k

sunnyone wrote: »

You should and will be billed for the prescription that you fraudulently obtained, it has nothing to do with the doctor because the onus is on you/your husband (whoever completed the back of the script) to have the proof needed for free prescriptions which is normally a plastic card, you even have to pay for scripts until the card arrives and then claim back the money even when you are entitled to free ones.

Never heard of this plastic card thingy, who on earth issues those?

FleurDuLys

Hi Cookieee, please don't fret - the surgery that your husband needs is not as rare as you'd realise, and neither is it something that only gymnasts get! I do voluntary work with spinal patients as well as having had these surgeries myself. I'm not a doctor so I should clarify that you should only take advice from your husband's consultant, and that what I have to say is just me sharing what I have found from my own experiences. Apologies for not commenting on the financial questions you have but I thought you may find it helpful to have some reassurance *hugs*

Dgenerative Disc Disease is a normal part of ageing, and by the age of 40 most people will show some signs of it. Most will be asymptomatic though, and it's unusual (though not super-rare) to have the problems that your husband is having. I think you may need to clarify with his doctor regarding the "spinal fluid" - this only exists around your brain and in the top half of the central part of your spinal cord. It sounds like you have got confused with the nerve signals (= electrical messages from the brain) which allow mobility and feeling, as everything you say then makes sense.

As I said above, I know a lot of people (myself included) who have had the surgery your husband needs. I've had a lot of spinal surgery over my lifetime but the last one I had, two years ago, was identical to this. I was back climbing mountains two months after having it done How easily you can bend will depend on whereabouts in your spine you have the fusion, and how many vertebrae you have fused. However I have all of my spine fused from the base of my neck to the bottom of my back apart from one vertebra right at the bottom and I can still bend to touch my toes; now I have recovered it doesn't limit me in any way. So hopefully you won't need to be putting on his clothes for him! I found that as soon as I woke up from the surgery I was already in significantly less pain than before.

Good luck to you both, fingers crossed his surgery makes him loads better

dmg24

cit_k wrote: »

Never heard of this plastic card thingy, who on earth issues those?

The plastic card (like a credit card) is issued to those with a medical exemption or who qualify by virtue of their tax credits award. I was not aware that it was issued to those on IS/ ESA, but am happy to be corrected on that.

Cpt.Scarlet

dmg24 wrote: »

The plastic card (like a credit card) is issued to those with a medical exemption or who qualify by virtue of their tax credits award. I was not aware that it was issued to those on IS/ ESA, but am happy to be corrected on that.

You get a plastic card for PPC but never seen one for ESA(IR) or Income Support, you're supposed to use your entitlement letter for these.

Cookiee

FleurDuLys - You are a wonderful person x
Thank you hun for your advice. This is is the main thing I am worrying about. I might be slightly confused about the wording the 1st surgeon used about the fluid, your right I think it was about the nerve path. I saw it on the MRI and it looked awful. My husband was hit in the back with a pickaxe handle and had suffered ever since. We have the 2nd specialist surgeon on Wednesday so hopefully the plan will be clearer. The 1st surgeon said he had only seen this injury on gymnists (Oh I wish he was :rotfl:) lol
He so wants to go back to work and to hear someone who has gone through something similar is fab! I dont know anyone who has gone through back surgeries or this treatment so thank you.

To all - thank you for your advice. I will update once we have received some word from ESA people. Thank you all about the pescription certificate and will look into this. I will also go to the chemist and "triple" confirmed what I was told and if I need to pay then trust me I will pay. I might only have £10 to my name at the moment but if it means keeping myself and my husband honest and obeying the rules then I will do so gladly.

Cookiee

Hi fellow MSE forum people
Well just a quick update on my thread.

I went to the chemist and spoke to both my husbands doctor and the chemist about his pescription. The doctor confirmed that because my husband was in serious pain (hubbie underplayed this and doc confirmed he was actually crying in pain) that on this occassion he agreed to have this for free. The chemist also agreed that they authorised this free on the advice of the doctor. I offered to pay as per the advice on this website but they said because of the cirumstances and the doctor was present they gave him the pain relief. They also confirmed that he would have to pay from now on and helped me with the certificate to help over the costs :T

Still no update from ESA about if he passed or failed. Should hopefully hear next week but we FINALLY got some money so we have managed to eat yay!!

And another plus ... hubbie wont need surgery for the moment.:D They want to try some mussle injections 1st to see if this will aid the physio. So with some luck and the correct balance of painkillers he will be able to slowly be able to get back to work.:j

suelees1

I'm glad you cleared that up for some posters Cookiee

nad1611

Cpt.Scarlet wrote: »

You get a plastic card for PPC but never seen one for ESA(IR) or Income Support, you're supposed to use your entitlement letter for these.

We had a plastic card when we were entitled to free prescriptions through wtc and one for the PPC thing. Like people have said not all pharmacists ask to see it though, I often forget my PPC and they just say to sign and tick the relevant box.The PPC does save you loads if you're spending that much on presciptions.

nad1611

Cookiee wrote: »

Hi fellow MSE forum people
Well just a quick update on my thread.

I went to the chemist and spoke to both my husbands doctor and the chemist about his pescription. The doctor confirmed that because my husband was in serious pain (hubbie underplayed this and doc confirmed he was actually crying in pain) that on this occassion he agreed to have this for free. The chemist also agreed that they authorised this free on the advice of the doctor. I offered to pay as per the advice on this website but they said because of the cirumstances and the doctor was present they gave him the pain relief. They also confirmed that he would have to pay from now on and helped me with the certificate to help over the costs :T

Still no update from ESA about if he passed or failed. Should hopefully hear next week but we FINALLY got some money so we have managed to eat yay!!

And another plus ... hubbie wont need surgery for the moment.:D They want to try some mussle injections 1st to see if this will aid the physio. So with some luck and the correct balance of painkillers he will be able to slowly be able to get back to work.:j

Glad you've got some good news.