My DMP Journey...

ailz95

Hi MB

I started reading your posts on the DMP & Mutual whatnot thingy and found you very interesting. So this morning I stalked you and have just finished reading your diary. I'm signing up for the subscription! This back problem has really been a bummer hasn't it? It sounds like you were just getting a handle on your life and the gods decided to have a laugh at your expense.

Nice to see that you're managing to give them back at least as good as they give.

I'm on co-codamol 30/500 and have been told off for taking more than the 8 allowed in a day. 100mg Amitryptiline and 20 mg of Cymbalta - which is pretty good really. I have fibromyalgia and arthritis and have found that nothing actually kills the pain just gentles it along somewhat. The thing with Tramadol and morphine was that the pain was still there I just didn't care about it. One time I was lying in bed with an (imaginary) Russian peasant playing a violin for me!

Ailz x

Monkeyballs

Hi Ailz,

Are you sure it was an imaginary Russian and not a real life Romanian? According to the telly they get every where we have some in York and they're actually pretty good! Not that soothing though... LOL

You're right, at the moment it does feel a little like I'm being punished for starting to get my life on track LOL but I believe in karma and as I'm generally a good guy (or I like to think so anyway) I'm banking on something good coming around sometime soon LOL.

I've not had morphine but tramadol was... a bit trippy... I basically stopped functioning but seem to think that it still hurt but like you, I didn't care! Still, just one more week until I get to see a specialist I'm not overly optimistic since my GP seemed a bit resigned to me probably just having to grin and bear it but anything that he dude can do for me I'm happy to give it a whirl! I'm very much going in with a 'slice me and zip me' attitude

Thanks for reading!

MB

Monkeyballs

Thursday 18/09/14;

Ok... So, I have contacted the council to discuss housing benefits and (drum roll)...

For the first 6 months there will be no change to what she is paying now but then after that the rent will go up by approx £14.15 per week.

In addition to this, her Council Tax will go up by 25% of the full amount she would be paying before her pensioner credit which I think will mean about £27 (give or take) so that's about £7 per week... As I'm moving back to Mum's I won't be able to claim anything towards housing or council tax (which I didn't really expect anyway).

I'm happier knowing this and I'm sure she will be too it does however mean that out of whatever benefits I get I will be paying out £21/22 per week in rent and council tax and then there is my share of fuel (lets say £8/9 to round up to £30).

I could be looking at about £35-45 per week to live off before internet and mobile phone which will come in at £25 per month or £6/7 per week... so I'll have maybe £28-38 per week to live off not forgetting that I can't get anywhere (relatively pain free) further than the corner shop without a lift LOL so lets say £10-20 in taxi fares depending on requirements...

All of which is why (second drum roll please)...

I've just got the ball rolling on a PIP (Personal Independence Payment) claim for help with mobility who knows, I may be able to get a few quid extra... All will be greatly appreciated I doubt I'll be entitled to anything from the daily living component as I've been looking after myself all this year but if it's offered then I'll grab it!

All of this is of course worst case scenario stuff, but at least I feel more confident about what might happen in the future... Do they still pay for Kidneys?

MB

ailz95

Hi MB, it's in almost certain that you will get refused for the PIP. Make sure that you appeal. They (DWP) reckon that about 1/3 of people don't try again, so it makes knocking everyone back worthwhile.

The form is such that it makes you feel useless and worthless, but even so make sure that you fill it in fully and be sure to mention everything that hurts you to do. Like lifting hot pans/kettles, fastening shoe laces etc. You need to go through a week or so registering everything that you do that hurts - most people hurt more one day than another, but remember that some weeks you can't do something 7/7. Tell them your worst cos they won't give any brownie points for your best days.

Monkeyballs

Hi Ailz,

Yeah, I'm sort of resigned to not getting PIP without an appeal... Really frustrating since there is a guy who lives over the road from my Mum who is on DLA due to his back.

Regardless of this he is always out at the front of his house working on his or his wifes car or marching off to the pub with a cane over his shoulder! Of course he may be bad around the house but I see that and it annoys me Grrr...

Another thing that annoys me, people using my front garden as a bloody dustbin! I went out this morning and it looks like someone has had a party in the garden as there were empty beer cans and MacDonalds wrappers (and bags for the take out) all over! I filled up two big carrier bags with their crap why is it that people have no respect for anyone anymore? Frikken buncha dicks...

MB

Seasidegal58

Hi MB

Really pleased to see you're back posting and glad to hear your mum is a lot better.

Bet you can't wait till you see the spine specialist and I do hope he has some answers for you.. It's been such a long haul for you and I do empathise when you remarked how much you would just like to sit down normally and watch TV/have a meal! We all take these day to day aspects of our lives for granted.

Anyway some good practical helpful advice there from aliz.

Sorry to hear about the morons in the front garden - hopefully they won't invade when you move back to Mum's. I look forward to hearing about how you tutor her on the internet so she can launch her own Facebook page!

Chin up!

Monkeyballs

My mum... on Facebook...:rotfl: she is more likely to fly to the Moon! LOL

MB

Monkeyballs

Tuesday 23/09/12:

Gahhhhhhhh!!! 20 minutes waiting for someone to pick up at Jobcentre Plus and no help

I was due an ESA payment to go into my account yesterday, it never arrived so I gave it another day... Nothing

My sick note ran out on the 12th and despite calling JC+ that day to explain that my GP won't give me another note until my old one runs out (and the guy on the end of the phone telling me it would be fine) and posting the new note 1st class recorded the same day I have just been told that it takes 10 days to process post, hence the delay?

Luckily I do still have some food in the cupboard and cash in the bank but if I do wind up on benefits is this what I have to look forward to?

The woman even said it was my fault and I need to get my GP to sign me off for longer in future to avoid things like this happening again??? Eh???

Oh well, here is to the specialist slicing me open and operating on me to avoid this in the future

MB

Monkeyballs

Wednesday 24/09/14;

So, I called Jobcentre Plus and my certificate hasn't arrived and the best advice they've given me is to keep calling? Surely if it's this late it's not going to suddenly show up is it? Grrr... It wouldn't even be so bad if they apologised but instead keep telling me to get it to them ideally a week before it runs out! Double Grrr...

MB

ailz95

Ask the doctor is she can give you an open ended one - some will, some won't. Then you would just need another one to go back to work.

Ailz