Nervous about IB Medical

ScorpioLady_2

Can anyone give me some advice, please.
I finished work a year ago due to stress/anxiety/depression and have regularly submitted sicknotes to that effect. Anyway I have been called for a medical (my doctor has written that due to my agrophobia, would I be able to have a home visit). Any idea what will happen at the appointment? This is causing me great distress at the prospect.
What happens if I 'fail', or can't answer the questions properly? I am a single parent with two children and worry that our money will be stopped. My own doctor knows how badly this condition is affecting me but I'm so worried about seeing a stranger.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

cattie

Have a read here of the guide for claiming on mental health grounds so you can be prepared for the kind of questions you may be asked & how you may score on the points system. http://www.bhas.org.uk/incapacity/index.shtml

If it's any help to you I've had to attend 2 such medicals in the past for severe mental health problems & found the doctor to be very kind, gentle & understanding.

Whether the doc is coming to your home or you have to go to the medical centre & you'd prefer to have a friend or relative with you for moral support then this is ok.

If you are called for the medical at one of their centres & fail to attend then your benefit will be suspended, so please bear this in mind.

Good luck & let us know how you get on.

ScorpioLady_2

Very Many thanks Cattie for your quick reply and very helpful link. I've had a read through and it all seems quite intimidating, (roughly though I scored 19 points), but whether I can articulate everything is a dfferent matter. There seems to be so many negative stock answers the examiner could interpret your answers into.
At the very worst scenario (the condition always makes me paranoid) and if I didn't manage to get everything across then my family would still be covered by income support wouldn't it? ie I get IB topped up with IS now, so as a single parent would just be entitled to IS. Maybe that is an idea instead of going through this additional stress?

Angelica_2

You would continue to receive income support as a lone parent if you kids are under 16 but if you have been sick for over a year you probably get extra income support because you are ill. If you decided not to go for the medical you would lose the extra money on your income support called a 'disability premium'.

Have you thought about claiming DLA as well?

Hope this helps and good luck.

lexi

Scorpiolady, i wish you all the best at your interview. I apprciate how you feel. 6yrs ago my husband had a nervous breakdown & was called for a IB medical. Unfortunately for him he had this uncontrolable shaking, so as he thought people were judging him already the shaking made them look at him all the more. Anyway we went ( i had to drive him) & the lady doctor was extremely caring. She spoke to my husband about what help he was getting. Actually if you have someone to be with you it helps as i remember doing a lot of the talking. It wasnt a long interview. She told him that there was no way he could go to work in his condition & due to the severity of it she was not going to put him thru another assessment for at least a yr( which never came). He is back at work now, but it was tough so i have every sympathy with your mental illness as he will never be 100% ever again. I only hope that sometime in the future you will have enough strength to recover. Just be yourself at the interview, these people are human despite what youve heard & will treat you with respect. Best wishes, lexi.

Morglin

You can have someone present with you when the EMP sees you.

If you need further help, then you can contact either the CAB or MIND:

http://www.mind.org.uk/Mind+in+your+area/

Lin

ScorpioLady_2

Many thanks for all your replies.
Who/Why can one claim DLA, please?

cattie

Scorpiolady I'm sent you a pm.

heavenshallburn

I hate to worry you.. but I recently was asked to attend a medical.. I had had to cancel the first time as it was too much for me to get to the medical.. they arranged it after declining a home-visit.. I managed to get there.. I was very stressed out and anxious by the time I got into the medical room.. I told the doctor I suffer from anxiety/panic.. and cannot go places on my own.. and tend to avoid going out as I find it all too much.. and they have taken away my benefits and say I'm fit for work.

I got 7 points.. 1 of them which is for "too frightened to go outside alone"... I cannot believe its only 1 point, its abit of a problem if you have problems getting out and they say you're fit for work.

I did notice you get 2 points if you tell them you regularly drink before 12pm.. it seems the drunks on the council estates get to keep their benefits.. while honest folk with real problems do not.

Good luck though.

carlos700

HEAVENSHALLBURN was this your first medical ?

Do you know whether they contacted your doctor ?
Do you see any specialist for your anxiety ?

Sorry for all the questions i am also very worried myself because i have to attend a medical i have depression /anxiety.I had a medical last year and they awarded me it for 12 months .I have heard they are getting tougher .

donnalove

heavenshallburn wrote: »

I hate to worry you.. but I recently was asked to attend a medical.. I had had to cancel the first time as it was too much for me to get to the medical.. they arranged it after declining a home-visit.. I managed to get there.. I was very stressed out and anxious by the time I got into the medical room.. I told the doctor I suffer from anxiety/panic.. and cannot go places on my own.. and tend to avoid going out as I find it all too much.. and they have taken away my benefits and say I'm fit for work.

I got 7 points.. 1 of them which is for "too frightened to go outside alone"... I cannot believe its only 1 point, its abit of a problem if you have problems getting out and they say you're fit for work.

I did notice you get 2 points if you tell them you regularly drink before 12pm.. it seems the drunks on the council estates get to keep their benefits.. while honest folk with real problems do not.

Good luck though.

hi
me to, i went for my medical on 30th april, 2 weeks ago had letter saying i am basically fit for work so they stopped my benifit,:mad: i have both physical and mental, i scored 9 points all together and 8 of them points was for a hearing problem i have had since birth which has never been on any assesments i have had in the last 12 years.

please make sure you can explain fully your condition and please take someone with you that can perhaps write down things that were said and help you explain your condition. i did explain things to the doctor and on the form there was no mention of things i had told him about things i cant do, i think he has missrepresented most of the facts.I wish i had taped the medical as questions they had down were never asked to me but i can't prove it.
i am currently having the decision looked at again if that fails im going to appeal.

donnalove
xx