walking and pain

Bryando

DLA stated in there decision I can walk slowly with or without aids. I can walk reasonably but in severe discomfort.

What exactly is the criteria. I was under the impression if you walk and are in severe discomfort you have a claim?

I have lower back pain which I take 8 Tramadol per day as well as paracetamol and heat rub.

My lower back was numb and I lost my footing yesterday. not a good sign for somebody in their late 20s!

robpw2

i swear the dla , descision makers are a law unto themselves and just use any excuse, i cannot bend down to get things out of the oven , or carry hot plates etc but the letter i got said i could use a microwave ... the plates still going to be hot and why should i cook everymeal in a microwave . also because i walk with a stick i again got you can walk slowly either aided or unaided albeit with some discofort ..

luminated

Get a new application in, I did when I was given only LRC but after my second application I was given HRM & MRC. My forms were very similar but the second one's answers were cut right down to the essence of the questions asked. I also spent more time (well my wife did) filling in the 'how long it took' to do the various things.

So when I was given the higher, and IMO right, awards I just about fell over when the postman delivered the decision notification.

margaretclare

Bryando wrote: »

DLA stated in there decision I can walk slowly with or without aids. I can walk reasonably but in severe discomfort.

What exactly is the criteria. I was under the impression if you walk and are in severe discomfort you have a claim?

I have lower back pain which I take 8 Tramadol per day as well as paracetamol and heat rub.

My lower back was numb and I lost my footing yesterday. not a good sign for somebody in their late 20s!

The effects of tramadol as well as paracetamol will mean you're at risk of falling. Never mind your age - tramadol is a powerful morphine-like medication which does have side-effects. http://www.drugs.com/tramadol.html

If your lower back is numb it sounds like there is some pressure on your spinal cord. This is very serious. What are the medics doing about it, what is planned for you in terms of surgery etc?

DH recently went through all this earlier this year, although he is old enough to be your grandad. You need something done about this!

PlasticMoose

You really should ask for a reconsideration and then appeal if necessary. While waiting for a decision on the reconsideration, gather any additional information you can.

I was rejected initially despite using crutches and a wheelchair - they stated I had no walking difficulties (even though I had GP and consultant evidence :cool:). Thankfully I didn't need to officially appeal as whoever did the reconsideration actually read the evidence.

Good luck

Bryando

margaretclare wrote: »

The effects of tramadol as well as paracetamol will mean you're at risk of falling. Never mind your age - tramadol is a powerful morphine-like medication which does have side-effects. http://www.drugs.com/tramadol.html

If your lower back is numb it sounds like there is some pressure on your spinal cord. This is very serious. What are the medics doing about it, what is planned for you in terms of surgery etc?

DH recently went through all this earlier this year, although he is old enough to be your grandad. You need something done about this!

The GP sent me to Physio but I stopped after a few weeks of back classess as I was in agony. GP refuses to send me for a scan and reackons its muscle. I've had this for years and getting worse. At times pain going into my leg. But as I said it has starting to feel knumb across the bottom of my back. I take 400mg of Tramadol per day on top of the paracetamol.

Bryando

PlasticMoose wrote: »

You really should ask for a reconsideration and then appeal if necessary. While waiting for a decision on the reconsideration, gather any additional information you can.

I was rejected initially despite using crutches and a wheelchair - they stated I had no walking difficulties (even though I had GP and consultant evidence :cool:). Thankfully I didn't need to officially appeal as whoever did the reconsideration actually read the evidence.

Good luck

I just sent the appeal away but concentrated on the care as I thought I had no leg to stand on regarding the mobility aspect.

rogerblack

Pain while walking is not always an entitlement to DLA.
If your pain exists prior to walking, and continues unchanged during walking, it may not qualify.
If it changes, or worstens, then it should.

However.
Report the numbness to the GP, even if it seems to not help.
If there is another GP in the practice, it may be worth considering switching.

margaretclare

Bryando wrote: »

The GP sent me to Physio but I stopped after a few weeks of back classess as I was in agony. GP refuses to send me for a scan and reackons its muscle. I've had this for years and getting worse. At times pain going into my leg. But as I said it has starting to feel knumb across the bottom of my back. I take 400mg of Tramadol per day on top of the paracetamol.

When you next go to physio, ask to see a consultant physiotherapist.

This happened to DH at the start of the year. He had a physio appointment which he thought would be completely useless - anyway, he went, and he saw the consultant physiotherapist who immediately diagnosed the problem. It was he who said that the numbness was a dangerous sign, and he had immediate access to a spinal consultant, who saw DH and it all went from there. The scans that he had showed that a spinal disc had prolapsed inwards causing pressure on his spinal cord.

The GPs said similar things to the ones you've seen, totally useless, except the one who referred him to the consultant physio and things got moving from there.

margaretclare

rogerblack wrote: »

Pain while walking is not always an entitlement to DLA.
If your pain exists prior to walking, and continues unchanged during walking, it may not qualify.
If it changes, or worstens, then it should.

However.
Report the numbness to the GP, even if it seems to not help.
If there is another GP in the practice, it may be worth considering switching.

Yes!

DH got more help from the most junior member of the practice who is young and up-to-date.

Bryando

rogerblack wrote: »

Pain while walking is not always an entitlement to DLA.
If your pain exists prior to walking, and continues unchanged during walking, it may not qualify.
If it changes, or worstens, then it should.

However.
Report the numbness to the GP, even if it seems to not help.
If there is another GP in the practice, it may be worth considering switching.

I would say it gets worse the longer I walk the worse it gets.