Fibromyalgia/CFS/ME & benefits

Leitchboy

Hi im sorry to hear you are struggling. My honest reply is to say... if you have me/cfs you should cut down on all you are doing for your health! As the longer you try to keep going, the more you'll make your self ill!

As far as DLA goes, I think you may struggle getting it if you have a full time job and are looking after a child... no matter how much you feel you a re struggling!

As sad as it is... i know a woman with ME with 2 kids, on her own as her husband left her as she was ill, and she was desperatly asking for help from her local council etc as she wasn't coping, and she didn't work was just trying to look after her kids while she was ill with M.E... and the only option they would offer her was to take her kids in to care!!!

I'm not wanting to criticise your description of your health, with having ME myself i know that alot of people see you as being well, so assume you are, when the reality is very different! However if you are holding down a full time job, and looking after a child i think you may find it difficult claiming DLA.

I've had ME since i was 15, went thorugh school part time, then work part time and when i tried to go full-time relapsed and was unable to work atall! I was a single guy, unemployed after relapsing and struggled to get any help... had to go to a tribunal for my DLA which i eventually won at a lower rate than i think i was entitled to.

So without sounding mean... if you can hold down a full-time job... id be surprised if theyd give you DLA... im not saying they shouldn't! but knowing my experience it may be a hard slog!

Leitchboy

Thought i should put another P.S. as if i were you i'd try and get help in filling in the forms, either from the CAB or if you have a particular illness e.g. ME charities like the ME Association provide help.

At my most ill and bedbound, my mum applied for carers allowance and got declined. She left it there assuming she didnt qualify. Knowing what i know now about the benefits system you have to fight for everything you are entitled to! Sadly its not the people that most need help who get it, its the ones who know how to fill out the forms best!

No doubt people on here will say you're scroungers etc etc. I never understand that, being disabled my self its always been a struggle to get any help! I truly believe the number of people (like my mum whilst she was caring for me) who need the help dont get it! and those who are clever enough to fill out forms and lie to doctors get by.

I think the number of people who are benefit cheats is far smaller than the numbere of people who are genuinly declined or have to fight to get what they entitled to.

Blackpool_Saver

LadyMorticia wrote: »

Sorry to hear that. Maybe the OU could be an option?

Yes, I have been looking at that, thanks

OneYorkshireLass

GlasweJen wrote: »

OP your pain comes from your fibro, not the CFS. I didn't say I had fibro.

Pain is one of the main symptoms of CFS.
To be diagnosed with CFS an adult must have severe chronic fatigue for at least four months with no other medical condition identified as the cause. They must also have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Substantial impairment in short-term memory or concentration
• Sore throat
• Tender lymph nodes
• Muscle pain
• Multi-joint pain without swelling or redness
• Headaches of a new type, pattern or severity
• Unrefreshing sleep
• Post-exertional malaise lasting more than 24 hours

GlasweJen

OneYorkshireLass wrote: »

Pain is one of the main symptoms of CFS.
To be diagnosed with CFS an adult must have severe chronic fatigue for at least four months with no other medical condition identified as the cause. They must also have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Substantial impairment in short-term memory or concentration
• Sore throat
• Tender lymph nodes
• Muscle pain
• Multi-joint pain without swelling or redness
• Headaches of a new type, pattern or severity
• Unrefreshing sleep
• Post-exertional malaise lasting more than 24 hours

I wouldn't say that it's a main one when it's 4th and 5th on a list of 8. Sorry but you're just nit picking now.

Torry_Quine

OneYorkshireLass wrote: »

Pain is one of the main symptoms of CFS.
To be diagnosed with CFS an adult must have severe chronic fatigue for at least four months with no other medical condition identified as the cause. They must also have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Substantial impairment in short-term memory or concentration
• Sore throat
• Tender lymph nodes
• Muscle pain
• Multi-joint pain without swelling or redness
• Headaches of a new type, pattern or severity
• Unrefreshing sleep
• Post-exertional malaise lasting more than 24 hours

Totally agree with you here.

Pain is a very real symptom of ME often not helped by pain-killers.

Torry_Quine

GlasweJen wrote: »

I wouldn't say that it's a main one when it's 4th and 5th on a list of 8. Sorry but you're just nit picking now.

They aren't in order of importance! You just need some of the following symptoms.

I really wish you well in your recovery but you can sometimes come across as very harsh to people who don't fit what you class as ill or disabled.

LadyMorticia

Have to agree with the pain thing (not meaning any offence Glaswejen ). I have so much pain with my M.E which Ibuprofen and Paracetamol don't even touch. I'm supposed to be going on either Amitriptyline or Pregabalin soon (my M.E clinican is discussing with the M.E doctor and my psych as to which would be best). Just want to live pain free (and fatigue free but that isn't going to happen anytime soon ).

OneYorkshireLass

GlasweJen wrote: »

I wouldn't say that it's a main one when it's 4th and 5th on a list of 8. Sorry but you're just nit picking now.

I don't think I am 'nit picking' as they are not in any order. Pain is my second main symptom. It varies from person to person.

GlasweJen

I'd say that the main symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome is chronic fatigue, hence the name. If its main symptom was pain then it would be called chronic pain syndrome.

And anyway, I have talked in this thread about the OP possibly finding it difficult to claim DLA for chronic fatigue and it's related memory problems while working full time as a social worker. Sorry for not being one of the happy clappy "smiles and hugs will get you your award brigade. Maybe I'm bringing this stuff up as I know what im doing with DLA forms, the OP needs to be prepared for what the DWP are going to throw at her.

I wasnt told about my diagnosis of CFS, I read about it 4 years later on a computer screen which was nice.