Work capability assessment, I scored 0 points.

Gets a lift to the supermarket about once or twice a week
When shopping can usually choose things, push trolley, reach things, queue at checkout and put shopping away.


I go with my wife so that I can get a bit of exercise.
I hold on to the trolley so I can lean forward to try and elevate my back pain a bit.

My wife gets anything on the bottom shelves as I can’t comfortably reach, and if something’s on the top shelf but not at the front, she has to get that too.

Depending on how long we've been at the shop and how much pain I'm in, very often when in the checkout queue, I will leave my wife to it and go and sit down on the seats just past the checkout as I'm in so much pain.

I will carry a light shopping bag, my wife will struggle and carry any heavy ones as I can't manage it.

Sometimes I can help put stuff away (again my wife puts anything in a low cupboard away) but more often than not I have to apologise to her and go and sit down, leaving her to it.


The HCP noted that Mr xxx has an Abdominal problem, He had a hiatus hernia which was repaired 5 years ago, there are no ongoing symptoms from this

Not true.
I have nausea daily due to it. I take anti sickness tablets 3 or more times a day, but they don’t do much good. Sometimes I feel so sick, I feel like I’m going to vomit and I just want to sit down and prey it goes away.

I often have an internal pain on the right hand side of my chest and moving my body in certain directions really aggravates it. I also get an external numbness in the same place.

If I sit in certain positions it really aggravated the pain and the nausea, for example sitting straight ahead and facing to the right makes me feel sick in seconds.

Due to the operation I can no longer physically vomit, eat certain foods (chicken and bread mainly) and can’t drink any fizzy drinks

Before my operation I used to wake up in the night with reflux going into my lungs, wouldn’t be able to breathe properly and would have an hour long coughing fit. The acid reflux would get into my vocal cords and I would lose my voice for a few hours.

Since the op, if I’m talking nonstop for two to three hours, my voice starts going really husky and if I carry on it eventually goes

His left arm was in a sling which he declined to remove however right arm function was normal.

That wrongly implies she saw my arm in a sling, asked me to remove it and I refused.

My knee had given way causing me to fall over and I broke my elbow. The hospital asked me if I had a form of arthritis (can’t remember the name, but I didn’t) as the break was in a really unusual place. I saw someone in the fracture clinic a couple of days later and he said to keep it in the sling at all times to hopefully allow the break to heal without the need for surgery, and to come back in 4 weeks time.

I think I had the follow up appointment letter with me, not totally sure (I know I had the knee surgeon follow-up letter).

She asked me why my arm was in a sling, I told her. She said words along the lines of “but you don’t have to keep it in a sling the whole time do you” and I responded along the lines of “the surgeon said to keep it in there until I see him again”. To which she replied “You’d better not remove it then”

He did not appear to have any difficulty using a step to get on and off the couch.

She almost shouted at me to take my time when she saw how unsteady I was. I walked up the two steps fine, I struggled but managed to sit on the couch, I really struggled getting off the couch and going down the two steps. And she kept repeating words to the effect of “take your time


He has Chronic fatigue Syndrome. He says he had this for many years however following a hernia repair 5 years ago he reports he no longer has any of the symptoms relating to his Chronic Fatigue. He is not having any medical input or treatment for this and has stated he was completely asymptomatic

Untrue, I stated I no longer get any tiredness.
However, CFS/ME caused me severe short term memory problems, while now much better, I still regularly suffer from this.

If I really concentrate such as at the medical interview, I am usually fine. But people don’t really concentrate hard on what’s being said in everyday life.

Two examples from the last three days that spring to mind.

This morning my wife told me what her working hours were today and what time she would be home.

I heard her and commented, 5 mins later I had zero recollection of them and asked her to tell me again.

We were debating what to have for dinner, we couldn’t think of something we all wanted.

About 10 mins later, I said “I know what we could have for dinner” to which my son and wife both said “we agreed to have risotto 5 mins ago and you even commented on how much you like it” I had (and have) zero recollection.

I also can no longer handle the slightest bit of stress. Whether this is a result of my ME or depression I don’t know. I used to work in a very high stressful job. Now the slightest thing exhausts me.



The HCP observed Mr xxx has depression. He takes medication as prescribed and sees his GP irregularly. Despite his stated symptoms he appears to be managing all aspects of personal and social activity relating to his health for the majority of the time as evidenced in the typical day. He got a lift to the city today and came into the examination room with his wife. He interacted well with good eye contact and rapport. Mental state examination largely normal.


Hmm, I don’t have a typical day. She asked me about my depression and I said to her what I said to the person that first diagnosed me. “I’m not depressed, I’m frustrated about not being able to do anything” She responded “maybe the reason you’re not depressed is because the medication is working”

I think she completely misunderstood me when I said I wasn’t depressed, I’ve always stated that.

There’s two reasons why we have an answering phone permanently on at home.

1) If it’s a customer for xxx (wifes) work, too many times by the time I’ve come off the phone I’ve completely forgotten who they were and what they wanted.

2) I find answering the phone to strangers very stressful and try to avoid it at all costs. The only reason I answered the phone when you phoned me up to tell me I had scored zero points is because it came up “private caller” in my phone and my hospital always comes up with that

When I have to make a phone all, I don’t normally pick up the phone, I um and err for a while kind of plucking up the courage to make the call. When I phoned you up for my medical report, I even made myself a coffee while getting the nerve up.

As mentioned earlier, I can no longer handle the slightest bit of stress. Since the phone call on Friday 16th from yourselves, I’ve had some of the worst nights sleep for ages (and it’s not due to the heat) , have come off my diet and keep saying to my wife “I just feel like sod it, what’s the point of trying”. And it took me 5 days to get it together enough to write to my creditors to reduce the payments I’m paying for my debt management plan.

In the past 5 years, I have socialised only with my wife, son daughter, daughter’s boyfriend, and 3 other couples. One of those couples I see about four times a year for about an hour or so when xxx does their hair. Another couple I see once a month. The other couple are really close friends and I see him about once every other week or so.
I have not socialised with anyone else.

I hate having to talk to strangers, even people I know (with the exception of those mentioned above) and I will often change direction if I’m walking the dog to avoid a possible conversation.

I had time to prepare for this medical exam. I even didn’t take my pain killer medication as it zombies me out. Her talking to me for 1 hour does not give her any clue about how my depression effects me.


Would stop and speak to someone when walking his dog

Totally untrue, it’s exactly the opposite. As said above, I will cross the road to avoid having to talk to people.

There’s one old man on my dog walking route that’s often in his garden and he makes small talk if he catches me. I will cross over so that I don’t have to talk with him and if he’s leaning on his wall (which he often is) I will turn around and walk back the other way.

We even had a longish chat about this and the medical examiner said words to the effect of “maybe it’s just your personality, what you’re like, you would rather be alone. Many people are like that” to which I replied “nope, I never used to be like it, I would talk to anyone.


Depression.
He states he doesn’t think he’s depressed. He states he gets annoyed and frustraited and doesn’t cope well with stress. He also states he sometimes finds it difficult to talk to strangers. Describes anxiety, sleep problems, poor concentration and irratibility for most of the time

I won’t repeat what I said earlier in the other bit about depression. I will comment that this confirms what I said about talking to strangers earlier when she wrongly claimed I talk to people while walking my dog.

Anxious (anxiety) is probably not the way to describe me. I get stressed, I get irritable, I don’t like talking to people, but if I am forced, I wouldn’t say I’m anxious, more I just hate the situation I find myself in.


He stood independently for two minutes without difficulty

I stood for two minutes I was not asked how much pain I was in.


The decision maker has considered that a wheelchair could be obtained through the NHS wheelchair service if required, the use of a wheelchair would enable Mr xxx to mobilise more than 200 metres so he could engage in the labour market by being able to mobilise in a fully accessible area......


For a start I can’t walk 50 meters without being in pain let alone 200.

I would have to discuss this with my GP, but I suspect she will be very very against this. I need to keep my knees moving when possible, I need to keep my back moving when possible, sitting in a wheelchair is taking 10 steps backwards, it will make all my muscles much more weak .

I also don’t know if I could manage it with my hiatus hernia problems, it could well make me very nauseas moving it and cause pain in my right hand side.


Is able to see a different doctor at short notice

While I was not asked this and while if I had an emergency I would go to see a different doctor, I like to keep with my own doctor and would only see her about my ongoing issues.


Abdominal problem
He states the nausea is pretty constant. He does not vomit.


The operation I had for my hiatus hernia is called a Nissen Fundoplication
As a result of this, it is physically impossible for me to vomit, I had an illness where I tried to and not the slightest bit of phlegm or bile appeared, I just retched and nothing (except one of the most painful experiences I have had for a while)


Is able to make appointments with their GP

Yes but I can do this online to avoid talking to people. If I needed a same day appointment, I would phone but I don’t enjoy it and find it stressful.


He is also doing a maths course online

This is true, I am also doing a programming course online. However, I started the 10 week programming course in January 2016 a year and 5 months ago and have not yet managed to finish it.

I just wish to point out that I’m not mentally on the ball thinking/learning wise. I can’t take in the course at a normal pace, I struggle to take things in and have to repeat them many times before it begins to sink in. And often get to a point where I’m completely stuck, mind is completely blank, a bit like when you forget someone’s name, except this is stuff I covered and wrote up on for last week’s part of the course.


He is able to stand in a queue in the shop

If I have no choice, then yes I can stand, But I WILL be in complete agony if I’m standing for more than 3 or 4 mins


The Physical Examination found that Mr xxx was able to:
Sit in a chair with a back for 55 mins

That doesn’t mean I wasn’t in pain, Plus I also stood up to get on the couch, not sure if that was after 55 mins.

What you need to realise is I’ve been in so much pain for so long that when I say I’m not in too much pain, if you had the same pain, you would be literally screaming.


Also states his fingers get cramp and lock if he is grasping a pen for more than 15 minutes, having said that he can play the piano for two hours.

I said that if I grip things in certain ways, like using a pen or using a screwdriver constantly for 15 mins plus, my fingers painfully lock up, Sometimes it might be after 30 mins, but once they start, they don’t stop (resting hand for a couple of mins and picking up pen again and cramp comes straight back)

I said it only affected me when holding certain things in a certain way like you would a pen for writing, and said that doing something like playing a piano for a couple of hours, would be no problem at all.

I don’t understand the use of the words 'having said that'.

Playing the piano, my fingers are spread out and aren’t grasping anything.

I see I scored 0 for using a pen or pencil. If it’s very occasional then yes 0 is right. If it’s all the time, then no I would not be able to do it.


Can crouch to the floor and stand up again
Left knee bends fully
Right knee bends fully
Left leg knee flexion is 120 degrees (normal)
Right leg knee flexion is 120 degrees (normal)
Lower back: Squat and rise is full

100% untrue
I cannot crouch; I cannot bend my right knee past about 90- degrees, my left bends slightly further but is around the 100 degree mark.

This was not measured, if it had have been she would have written those figures down. Since my medical I have seen my knee surgeon., He was talking about how far they bend, and said he suspects that’s going to be it, and they won’t bend any further.

I HAVE to use a disabled toilet when I’m out. My home toilet has a raised chair on it (and my bed and furniture have raised legs) because I can’t sit down on a normal one as it’s too low and my legs don’t bend enough.

You have provided a letter from your GP who is of the opinion that you are unable to work at the moment. Although your GP might believe you are unfit for work, the determination of having limited capability for work is based on satisfying a rigorous assessment process which a GP does not routinely consider when treating and diagnosing a patient

poppy12345 wrote: »

ur never ending posts are rather confusing and difficult to read because i get half way and get bored of reading the same thing.