miraculously cured!!! update!

shykins

just a rant (sorry). yes apparently i am miraculously cured. isnt that marvellous??

have been on dla for many years due to degenerative back disease, damaged discs etc. i also now have severe RSI in both arms BUT i am now cured apparently

ATOS said i was fine and now my DLA has been reduced from high care/mobility to nothing!!! apparently i can walk fine, cook for myself etc etc WOW lucky me, funny cos yesterday i could barely get out of the house and couldnt even cut my own dinner let alone cook it <Sigh>

am already 9months into appealing ESA now looks like i am going to going thru the same for DLA. last time i appealed I had a Doctor come out to me (at lord knows what cost) she was stunned they had turned me down and said so in her report. unfortunately this was 4/5 years ago so is apparently now out of date

i know they have to check up on people, i do understand that but i feel harassed. surely if u have been awarded something and they have been told its degenerative isnt that enough??? well no obviously not

sorry rant over!!!!

benefitbaby

Feel free to rant

Atos is now the equivalent of a visit to Lourdes, they are highly skilled in miraculously curing all sorts of illnessess/disability !!

kingfisherblue

This reminds me of the time I was asked when my son would be cured - he has Down's syndrome.....

shykins

thanks both. benefibaby that made me laugh!!!!

am just sick of appealing all the time feel thats all i have done for about 3yrs now .... oh well into the fray i go again <sigh>

benefitbaby

I can confirm that this does happen and always did even prior to ESA (eg in IB, IS and IVB days) however the ESA team don't pass it on to the DLA dept, the DLA dept request it from ESA when they receive a new/renewal/change of circs claim. This was confirmed to me by a DLA team member during a visit to Bristol DBC.

benefitbaby

Also.. the DLA dept should not be relying on an ESA medical report (ESA85) if that is under appeal.

shykins

u know i kind of thought it was conneced to the ESA being turned down, especially as i was called into the see a DR at the Same place as i had the ESA assessment done, at one point i thought i was going to have the same person (which i was going to object to) but i saw the pair of them chatting away before my appointment and wondered if they had discussed things

one of the big things in ESA is bilateral problems, it was even mentioned on the program that was on., i have RSI in both arms ie bilateral but its completely ignored

just reread it all and they used my Drs' report from early 2010!!! i didnt have the RSI or the upper disc problems then and i hadnt seen him for over 3yrs at that point as was seeing consultant and dr wasnt aware of the effect on my life at that point. i appealed on that basis last time and his report was overturned and i have since explained to him about how i am affected!!

i am so fed up with this i cant tell u. no wonder people just give up!!!

thanks for letting me rant and confirming my thoughts

Ellejmorgan

OP, you have my full sympathies, I too have this condition in my lower back and neck.
My latest DLA award has just been submitted but my last one was low care only..

i'm assessed by ATOS every 6 months and in the WRAG, it's as if discs can repair themselves and magically re-appear, and all the nerve damage is undone..

Op not sure who told you this is called RSI, it's not, the prolapse in the cervical spine causes Radiculopathy, it's not RSI, it's basically the equivelent to Sciatica but in arm/s & shoulder/s and is more painful..

I can't write, hold my daughter, make a cuppa, drive, and many other things..
It's a terrible pain, feels like collar bone is broken and like hanging by your arm all day..

I feel for you, i really do..

Horseunderwater

Can I ask Shykins (OP), what descriptors you thought applied in your original ESA conversion from IB to ESA? It is those that you need to use to get the ESA and into the support group. Read:
http://pseudo-living.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/esa-descriptors-and-points.html
See which ones apply and use their wording to help you draft an answer/appeal. Get hold of the reasons and a copy of the ESA85 medical report sent to the dwp. See where points were awarded. As to DLA - it is similarly based but it is about what you can do re mobility - can you walk 50 meters at all with or with out an aide like a stick or walker without pausing and falling down or being in sever pain? (I know you cannot). But you need to tell them this in simple written terms. For the care, can you get dressed on own cook a main meal safely, need help with showering/ toilets etc. Think about that and answer do the appeal purely that way. Get your GP to write to them in support along with any consultants from whom you obtain regular treatment. You will win, Meanwhile keep smiling and gritting your teeth.

shykins

Elle i do have exactly how u describe, having both bulging and damaged discs. at one point they did say the RSI (think thats just a generic term they use) was caused by my disc problems and when i go again i shall ask them to clarify this - thanks for reminding me. please dont say i am going to have to thru this every 6months!!!

Horse thanks for the link and i did get a copy of their original report when i appealed, basically it said i refused to do certain things eg lift my leg, arms etc. i didnt refuse i was unable to. she said i could walk 100M - i only walked 20M at most when i was there and that was painful and she also said i could sit for 30mins when i was only there for 20. i could go on but u get the gist

i shall fight it but as my last DLA appeal was only at the end of 2010 and this ESA one has been going on since January it just seems so unfair that i have to go thru it all again. as elle says these things dont fix themselves thats why its called degenerative!!

thanks again

mazza111

Sympathies to you. Another stressful time up ahead for you.

Just to confirm what Elle has said, although the symptoms can be like RSI. Any nerves that are trapped/compressed in the upper spine can cause problems in the shoulders/arms and it can be excruciating. My left arm feels like it weighs a ton every day. The medication helps, but doesn't cure. I sleep too often so can't up the medication for it, so it's persevere with the weight of the arm and lack of sensation or drug myself up so I sleep more.....