Applying for PIP - is it worth it?

borkid

tinkledom wrote: »

I know there is but for the life of me I can't see how it can come into play for someone that has mobility difficulties that also doesn't have mental health issues.
The planning and following journeys descriptor to me, unless I am missing the point, reads for people who have mental health issues that through a problem with the brain cannot plan for and/or follow a journey. Those that have awareness issues, PTSD, or the lack of brain development/brain injury.

Do you actually know anything about ME apart from the misconceptions that are around?

Brain fog is not a MH problem but a lot of ME sufferers have it and are affected to different degrees, some to the extent they can not concentrate enough to read or focus enough even to carry out the simplest of tasks.

tinkledom

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

It is not just about "getting lost" it is about needing assistance when traveling on an unfamiliar journey which also can involve staying overnight away from home where the care needs kick in away from home. You need to start thinking more broadly and seeing the bigger picture. The descriptors are short and snappy. If you know you wouldn't go on a an unfamiliar journey without the assistance from another person then clearly that descriptor applies. It does exactly what it says on the tin.

Some people with ME do drive but a long and unfamiliar journey can be too much and too fatiguing. Therefore another person can drive them or share the driving. They clearly need the help of another person. It might not sound much to you but it is assistance and is the difference between the person living a more fulfilling and independent life and sitting at home turning into a fossil.

Like I said start looking at the bigger picture.

Edit - And you reference to the illness as "Only" being ME is quite offensive. It is actually quite a debilitating and restricting illness that can destroy the life and career of someone who was previously unaffected rendering them unable to work or limited to any work they can do. One of the people I know had an amazing job earning nearly £60k a year. £500 a month PIP doesn't even come close to plugging the loss of salary gap. The person would much rather be back in the position they were in I can assure you.

Thanks for your input, and I know I don't say it very often, but you have opened my eyes as to the way to use the PIP descriptors. Yes I have been very narrow - as the descriptors are also.


I can see exactly where you are coming from and must admit it has given me the chance to evaluate the claims that my wife and I have made. Yes it is the bigger picture that is important.
Thanks for a really enjoyable and mind provoking conversation.


For the OP it must have given them the chance to see how things are done by others when completing these forms. My long standing idea of fixed thoughts, now needs to be relaxed and to bring into play the effects of everything.

tinkledom

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

I think the 10 point descriptor for needing assistance on an unfamilar journey fits in well for people with ME on a number of fronts:

In order to follow (move along the course of) a journey they may:

1. The need to have someone drive them and or share the driving on a long trip due to fatigue and being a danger on the road if they hold a licence.



Exactly the same problem that I have. We have to take one of our daughters with us when I drive the 300+ miles to Lancashire.

2. Assistance when negotiating steps and escalators on the Underground if they cross London. This can be from a traveling companion or staff member



I have to use the lift to get to and from the High Speed train at St Pancreas - try doing the escalator with a stick in one hand and pulling a suitcase when I go by train on my own.

3. Assistance at railway stations / coach station. Requiring the use of the electric truck at sat Euston to get to their train. I have used this.



Yes I use the Journeycare system at St Pancras (taxi to Euston) then again at Euston to the train, then again at Manchester Piccadilly to get a taxi.

4. Assistance carrying cumbersome luggage when using public transport. Many people with ME use sticks for support due to muscle fatigue. It is nigh on impossible to carry luggage and use sticks too all by yourself.



Yes I use my bus pass - try getting on and off without help with cases, bag and a stick and getting the card out for the driver.

5. Assistance if public transport is disrupted.



Probably stay at home instead

There's five to be going on with.

And if the person can't walk more than 50 metres without fatigue surely that emphasises the need for assistance?

Thanks something else that you have helped me think about that I have never told the DWP

tinkledom

borkid wrote: »

Do you actually know anything about ME apart from the misconceptions that are around?

Brain fog is not a MH problem but a lot of ME sufferers have it and are affected to different degrees, some to the extent they can not concentrate enough to read or focus enough even to carry out the simplest of tasks.

Brain Fog???


Is that similar to the seizures that I get?
(They are something that I have never even given thought to when dealing with the DWP.


Just been in hospital again with a major one that required an ambulance.


I'm currently waiting to see the neuro consultant after having had two brain scans which do show damage following trauma. They have never been disclosed to the DWP as nothing is finalised as yet - no formal diagnosis and treatment plan.

borkid

tinkledom wrote: »

Brain Fog???


Is that similar to the seizures that I get?
(They are something that I have never even given thought to when dealing with the DWP.


Just been in hospital again with a major one that required an ambulance.


I'm currently waiting to see the neuro consultant after having had two brain scans which do show damage following trauma. They have never been disclosed to the DWP as nothing is finalised as yet - no formal diagnosis and treatment plan.

As you haven’t heard of brain fog and therefore likely not to know about ME some information. Brain fog is not like seizures

Some doctors’ views on what brain fog is .
http://www.actionforme.org.uk/get-informed/publications/interaction-magazine/read-selected-ia-articles/dear-doctor/bewildered-by-brain-fog


A more concise list of ‘brain fog’ symptoms http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/symptoms/a/brainfog.htm

Brain fog is just one symptom of ME

A list of symptoms http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Chronic-fatigue-syndrome/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

Bear in mind when reading this that the symptoms can be extreme. For example headache is mentioned I know of someone with ME who has headaches lasting for 3 days at a time nearly every week so for them half the time they are suffering from migraine type headaches. The light sensitivity required , at the time, sunglasses to be worn inside the house as well as the rare times they went out.

The symptoms are not short lived they can vary from a few hours to years. And to make matters worse there is no cure and after the few initial visits doctors and specialist clinics say ‘sorry there is nothing more we can do’ ( in my experience. I don’t have ME but I know 2 people who do). I have a close friend who is a consultant and he refuses to take on fibro patients because he can’t help them.

TOBRUK

tinkledom wrote: »

All of my benefit claims have been successful eventually. So based on that record and never having been to a Tribunal for an appeal, I think my actions and the way I view claiming works quite well.

I think you are obsessed with descriptors) and testing yourself (WHY?!) to see what your odds are! eh?!

errr yes???? ESA along with PIP are benefits that are awarded based entirely on one or more descriptors applying to you and the number of points awarded to each descriptor chosen.
It would be a waste of my time to include anything that would not be relevant to the descriptor I would be relying on. Surely you are aware that things changed when ESA replaced IB?

I certainly am totally aware of the changes from IB to ESA if you have read my posts (ones you have replied to!) :wall: I have pointed out that I appealed their decision when they placed me in WORK GROUP and then changed their decision to place me in SUPPORT GROUP!:wall:

When you appeal their decision you don't tell the DWP where they have 'gone wrong' as you say - which is the wrong way to go about it ! You tell them why you disagree with their decision and back up the reasons why you disagree.

Surely the idea of a good ESA claim is to be factual about what the condition and how it affects you relevant to the particular descriptor. All of my conditions affect me in many different ways. But not all of them would qualify me for points. So why bother giving the DWP chapter and verse if they are not relevant? .

... I went on to make the claim based on that particular condition. Adding other conditions would have simply confused everybody as they had absolutely nothing to do with the reason why I was off sick.

Other conditions can have an affect on your wellbeing and how you manage from day to day, so there are things that ARE RELEVANT and can affect or be as a result of your main illness - it does not need to complicate and confuse matters.

I never fill in a form or send details thinking of how many points I'll get if I said this or that, and think of things to say that would 'qualify for points'!! Just answer each of the questions and give examples adding extra information when needed and which is RELEVANT to the question!

I have been to two tribunals in the past and won both.

I don't know why I am bothering to comment in reply to your post because you do not seem to listen to anyone here, you purposely mis-read and at times are very rude in your replies. You certainly are not helpful to the poster.

TOBRUK

tinkledom, Just some of the quotes by you in this thread although you have written a lot more tosh, you are so offensive when you comment so flipantly about an illness you know nothing about!

tinkledom wrote: »

well if that is the case I take my hat off to you!!
....
Seems rather strange though that the 'needs/mobility' created by ME/Fibro are being classified as the same as those who are in the final stages of life with cancer?

......

And the only illness in both cases is ME??

THIS IS APPAULING! You know nothing about M.E.!

Brain Fog??? Is that similar to the seizures that I get?
(They are something that I have never even given thought to when dealing with the DWP.

For those that only have dodgy legs etc,I can't see how they could qualify under the above descriptor. Mind you I suppose I could say that I stay in bed day and night because I want to avoid having to go out knowing how I would feel (pain) if I did - pushing the boat a bit?

When you suffer badly with M.E. you don't 'choose' to stay in bed. You refer to M.E. sufferers as 'those that have 'dodgy legs'!! You ignorant little man. Some have died with M.E. - you shouldn't belittle an illness you have no knowledge about.

Before I was hit with M.E., I had heard about an illness they were calling at the beginning in the media 'yuppy flu'. I knew nothing about it until I was diagnosed! I had a career, hectic social life and very sporty - it all ended suddenly.

'Brain fog' is nothing as you describe. One symptom is you can't think straight, at times you can't put a sentence together because you can't think of words, you have short term memory loss, you can't read books because you can't remember what you've read and have to go back over it again. There are many symptoms which are similar to M.S.symptoms.

Dodgy legs you say! legs alone - Muscle pain, weakness, twiching, spasms are a few things that affect the legs. I can't get around without a crutch and I have paralysis on the right arm so it is extremely difficult. Falls are frequent - I once fell down the stairs and fractured my skull. I had a hell of a job getting discharged from hospital because I lived on my own - they told me I wasn't fit to live in a house anymore!

M.E. affects the brain, nervous system, immune system, involuntary spasms just to mention a few.

I have had to move from a house to an adapted bungalow, had to move to be near family just so they can watch over me and not only lost my job but my career, and also lost my social life.

So yes tinkledom, M.E. is a right old laugh and such an easy life!

tinkledom

TOBRUK wrote: »

tinkledom, Just some of the quotes by you in this thread although you have written a lot more tosh, you are so offensive when you comment so flipantly about an illness you know nothing about!


......
THIS IS APPAULING! You know nothing about M.E.!

When you suffer badly with M.E. you don't 'choose' to stay in bed. You refer to M.E. sufferers as 'those that have 'dodgy legs'!! You ignorant little man. Some have died with M.E. - you shouldn't belittle an illness you have no knowledge about.

Before I was hit with M.E., I had heard about an illness they were calling at the beginning in the media 'yuppy flu'. I knew nothing about it until I was diagnosed! I had a career, hectic social life and very sporty - it all ended suddenly.

'Brain fog' is nothing as you describe. One symptom is you can't think straight, at times you can't put a sentence together because you can't think of words, you have short term memory loss, you can't read books because you can't remember what you've read and have to go back over it again. There are many symptoms which are similar to M.S.symptoms.

Dodgy legs you say! legs alone - Muscle pain, weakness, twiching, spasms are a few things that affect the legs. I can't get around without a crutch and I have paralysis on the right arm so it is extremely difficult. Falls are frequent - I once fell down the stairs and fractured my skull. I had a hell of a job getting discharged from hospital because I lived on my own - they told me I wasn't fit to live in a house anymore!

M.E. affects the brain, nervous system, immune system, involuntary spasms just to mention a few.

I have had to move from a house to an adapted bungalow, had to move to be near family just so they can watch over me and not only lost my job but my career, and also lost my social life.

So yes tinkledom, M.E. is a right old laugh and such an easy life!

Why are people who claim to be ME sufferers so defensive?


As I have already said, It does appear that the effects of ME, as described to me on here, are far far more serious than the difficulties that I face everyday. You seem to be suggesting that ME with its many 'symptoms' should be at the 'top of the tree' when compared to the vast majority of the needs relating to other far more serious conditions. You almost make me feel that I shouldn't be claiming any disability related benefit. Maybe you are right, I don't know, but I do know one thing, I don't need to tell the DWP about every condition I have and about every related complication that results in further difficulties. I simply just pick the ones that are relevant and deal with the needs that they create.
I could introduce my mental health issues into both ESA and DLA as they affect my every being of every hour in every day. You talk about 'brain fog'. I too have memory problems, have difficulty communicating verbally as well as having regular seizures, but they have been diagnosed as resulting from brain trauma which is being dealt with by the Neuro team at the hospital.
I could introduce the affects of PAD, PN, Thrombosis and spinal problems into my ESA claim,, but I have no need to as the condition that I do rely on to get an award of ESA is enough in my opinion.


But as you say my particular difficulties are deemed to be less significant than those that suffer from ME. I now consider myself most fortunate.


By the way, I am a little jealous of where you live. I spent many of my younger years in your area before moving west to Tycroes. I played against many teams from and around your surrounding area and spent many enjoyable evenings in the various rugby clubs of Llanharan, Llanharry, Pencoed, Tonyrefail, Pontypridd & Natgarw.

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

tinkledom wrote: »

I too have memory problems, have difficulty communicating verbally as well as having regular seizures, but they have been diagnosed as resulting from brain trauma which is being dealt with by the Neuro team at the hospital.
.

tinkledom I really do find you peculiar. If you are as you say here suffering regular seizures then you are actually completely medically unfit to drive and breaking the law. Yet in this very thread you say you need your daughter with you when YOU drive 300+ miles to Lancashire. You also refer to driving in other threads.

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

I am really flummoxed where this thread is heading to be fair. Look tinkeldom at then end of the day it is up to you dude if you wish to make any form of benefit claims for either yourself or your wife or the pair of you. How you do it and what you choose to use as evidence is also up to you but it is unacceptable to derail an OP's thread simply because the system has been (in your eyes) unfair to you, or you disagree with it or you feel the person's illness is not worthy of a claim based against your own perceptions of the illness or by attempting to compare the person to you.

We are all here to help each other and I am afraid you don't seem to help but rather take pleasure in derailing the discussion or advice given.