claming pip

thebullsback

Hi everyone ,I am male 60 and work full time.
Problem is I am overweight and also asthmatic.
Due to my weight I am in lots of knee,back and hip pain I struggle to walk unaided and climbing stairs is a real task.
Thing is I don't bother Drs much and just self medicate my pain.
Could I claim PiP or do you need a medical history.

[Deleted User]

thebullsback wrote: »

Hi everyone ,I am male 60 and work full time.
Problem is I am overweight and also asthmatic.
Due to my weight I am in lots of knee,back and hip pain I struggle to walk unaided and climbing stairs is a real task.
Thing is I don't bother Drs much and just self medicate my pain.
Could I claim PiP or do you need a medical history.

You need evidence to back up your claims otherwise anyone could claim to be ill or disabled.

Most would send copies of prescriptions or tests. Letters from consultants and their GP. Care plans or support worker notes etc

Spoonie_Turtle

Unfortunately many of us with long-term, practically untreatable conditions end up not seeing our GP for ages because we any they both know there's nothing they can do for us! However OP if you've not seen your Dr for a very long time it's worth going, even just to update them and maybe see if there's anything they can do to help or support you now.

Have you looked at the descriptors for PIP?

pollyanna_26

You need one or more diagnosed conditions. Physical, Mental or both.
Details of treatment , medication etc which is GP and often consultant reports.


By not bothering your Dr you may be missing inportant help to manage. With Asthma you need regular check ups and inhalers etc. Our Dr checks my dds chest at every appt and she has an asthma nurse at the surgery who does regular checks too.


Most GPs either run a weight management service or will refer to one locally. Being overweight doesn't help when someone is Asthmatic as it puts extra stress on the lungs.


I think it would make sense for you to make an appointment at your Drs for a full check up. You mention self medicating which is never the best idea. Do you have a regular prescription for inhalers and other meds?
polly

poppy12345

pollyanna_26 wrote: »

You need one or more diagnosed conditions. Physical, Mental or both.

Sorry but i disagree with that. PIP isn't about a diagnosis and is definitely not needed to be successfully awarded. It's how those conditions affect you're ability to carry out daily activity based on the PIP descriptors.


My daughter first claimed PIP in August 2017 without a single diagnosis and she was awarded Enhanced for both parts.



Lots of evidence was sent from the community learning disabilities team and she was in the process of waiting to be assessed but no official diagnosis was received at the time.



OP as others have advised, you would need evidence to support a claim.

[Deleted User]

I think you probably know you need to attend the GP surgery for help controlliing your asthma (this means regular doses of steroid inhalers). But you also need to (as already suggested) look at healthy eating. You may have asthma, but you may actually be straining your heart if sufficiently overweight. This could be causing the breathlessness. Please don't see this as judgmental, I have to work on my weight all the time to keep it under control as I have asthma and arthritis which makes exercise difficult. I know its hard.

I knew someone who was extremely overweight, said for many decades it was due to his glands etc etc, could barely make it up stairs. Of course, he claimed to never overeat in spite of eating Kentucky by the bucket load lol. Then he had a bit of a life changing experience, looked at things again, lost a lot of weight and suddenly he could do things he couldn't before, including going up stairs without being out of breath.

Look at the PIP descriptors as suggested and see if you fit any of them. But I wonder if there are things you can do to improve things for yourself. I hope so.

Poppy1414

Hi can I ask... You state you work full time can I ask what do you do for work on

My advice is you need to get medical evidence from your GP to held your claim ie medications also hospital letters if you don't have either then you will 99 percent be sent for a medical to assess if you eligible for pip

[Deleted User]

Poppy1414 wrote: »

Hi can I ask... You state you work full time can I ask what do you do for work on

My advice is you need to get medical evidence from your GP to held your claim ie medications also hospital letters if you don't have either then you will 99 percent be sent for a medical to assess if you eligible for pip

Don't see how that's relevant. Hubby works full time and gets pip. I previously worked full time on DLA.

Prinzessilein

Op, you really should book an appointment with your GP...it will not 'bother' them - it is what they are there for!

You should get your asthma checked...I have yearly checks with the asthma nurse...make sure you are on the correct inhalers and are using them correctly...….and you need to get some help and advice on losing weight, you have already noticed that your weight is impacting your general health, the sooner you start to deal with this, the better it will be for your asthma and your joints.....self -medicating could be worrying too, much better to talk to a GP and possibly be referred to a pain-management clinic (and given weight loss advice!....please don't think I am harping on about the weight loss...I have been down this journey myself...obese iii down to somewhat overweight, with 'normal' on the cards next year!)

You shouldn't really be looking at benefits - certainly not long term - your conditions are ones that can be helped with lifestyle adjustments.

I would suggest you get yourself a copy of the PiP criteria...there are online guides that will give you some idea of your realistic chances of an award....if you DO apply, you will in all probability need to attend a Face to Face where an assessor will make their own conclusions on your health/disability needs.....The assessor may well have absolutely ZERO experience of your particular needs, and for this reason it is useful if you have GP/Specialist reports to include with your claim.

Spoonie_Turtle

_shel wrote: »

Don't see how that's relevant. Hubby works full time and gets pip. I previously worked full time on DLA.

It can be relevant, IF it contradicts the reasons for claiming PIP. But as you say, simply working is, in itself, not relevant.