Awaiting Pip Tribunal & Worried.

SausageDogTMH

Hi everyone, I'm hoping for some advice as I'm feeling very anxious now. First applied for pip in feb 22, got 6 points living and 4 mobility, did mr and stayed the same, applied for tribunal and finally got my date for 15th march for telephone appointment (my child bday of all days) I recieved my bundle months ago but only opened it yesterday and had quick read through and made some notes as I just find it much to stressful to deal with. So now I'm very anxious as I have started thinking about it again, cant sleep or eat and drink and cant concentrate on anything. 

I know nobody can tell me what the decision is going to be and I think that is the worst part. I thought I would get a decision there and then but I've been reading that in fact they send a letter that can take weeks, so even more waiting. 

I have applied for pip for crohns disease but I also have depression and anxiety which I did mention in the application but theyve basically said I dont have depression/anxiety because I'm not taking medication for it. 

I think am just posting for some support and help with what they will ask and how to answer so I can hopefully be successful with my claim as I dont know what I will do if the tribunal dont award pip. 

Thank you x

calcotti

The tribunal will have looked at the paperwork before the hearing and will ask you questions so that they can help understand the difficulties you experience. There are no standard questions - the questions are down to them. When you answer try and explain to their questions with explanations of the difficulties you experience.

Make sure your phone is fully charged and keep a glass of water to hand.

SiouxseeSue

Hi Sausagedog 

My daughter has Crohns and is currently awaiting a PIP decision so we feel your pain!

Im sure others will be along shortly with lots of helpful advice but just to say we are sending you lots of good thoughts and wishing you well 😊😊xx

Hannah_Alumni

Hello @SausageDogTMH

Welcome to the community! Fellow IBD'er here 👋

The community is such a lovely bunch and I hope we can be a support for you Do you have any support at the moment for your depression and anxiety? 

SausageDogTMH

Thank you for the replies 😊 
@SiouxseeSue I hope your daughter gets a positive outcome soon, the waiting is not fun at all!
I find it really difficult to say what goes on in my brain, so whenever I speak to a doctor etc I say I'm fine, when obviously I'm not but I just dont know how to explain things if that makes sense. Which is why I'm even more worried about the tribunal as I know I will miss information out like I have in my application, mr and applying to the tribunal. Even though I'm writing it down I find it so difficult to think of what to write which isn't helpful to me. I dont want them to think I am ok or just unprepared as I am really trying but not getting anywhere which Is a reason I started this post. 

Thank you @Hannah_Scope , I posted on here a while ago about phone calls I was receiving and everyone was a great help, so I'm trying to reach out again. I do not have any support for anxiety and depression at the moment, still awaiting talking therapy. Gp is aware of how bad depression has got and the almost constant suicidal thoughts, they want to prescribe medication but I'm to scared to take it as I have 3 kids I need to be present for and dont feel like I am when took medication before. Havent tried any for years but am scared to take it, so dwp say I am not psychologically distressed enough as I dont take medication. And because I say I wont act on my thoughts as I do not want my kids to go through that, then I am safe etc. 

Sorry for the long post! Thank you again. 

SiouxseeSue

Hi Sausagedog 😊

There’s nothing worse than pressure to make you forget things! But everyone suffers from that sometimes no matter what their circumstances! Don’t beat yourself up over it, you are ill, not daft!

A couple of things you might want to consider to help………

Don’t try and write everything down at once. As you go through your day/week make a quick note when something that affects you. Do this as and when, a natural process over several days will give you a better snapshot of how your life is affected.

When you have a few notes, write in on an A4 sheet in big letters like 

HAD TO LET BUS GO, NEEDED THE LOO !! SECOND TIME THIS WEEK !!

Then stick it up somewhere, preferably in the room where you will have your phone call. This will act as a prompt to help you recall stuff thats important. Easier than shuffling papers and reading through lots of notes on the day. 

Close your eyes when answering the questions then you can really ‘be in the moment’ and relive your experience! 

Of course this may be of no help to you at all so please feel free to ignore me lol. And my example will not be your experience so obvs use your own. 

You don’t mention if you have a significant other, but if not then you are bringing up 3 kids on your own whilst fighting a mental health illness without medication and living with a chronic lifelong debilitating IBD. Theres a lot more in your tank than you think!! 👊

Im with you in spirit 😉

Hannah_Alumni

I'm so happy to hear everyone was a great help

There are some fantastic organisations like SHOUT who are a 24/7 mental health texting service, and you can always refer yourself for help with the NHS. There are many talking therapies that could be a route for you to explore? I'm glad to hear you have a good relationship with your GP, did you tell them about your feelings around medication? 

I'm so sorry the DWP make assumptions over how you are feeling, if you ever feel you need any support you can always reach out to us on community@scope.org.uk.

SausageDogTMH

Thank you so much for the advice @SiouxseeSue that’s really helpful and so kind of you to help. I’ve been making some notes and neeed to make some more but struggling to get started again, the pressure of knowing it has to be done by Wednesday isn’t helping. But I am going to use your idea and type up key notes that I will keep separate in my eyeline incase I forget what to say etc. so thank you again and for your kindness 🤩 I do have a husband but he works long hours and is helpful when he is here etc. probably sounds weird that only today it has dawned on me to contact go about worsening symptoms I’ve been having for a while now to ask if they can prescribe more steroids and painkillers, as I just always think I have to just get on with it if you know what I mean. 

SausageDogTMH

@Hannah_Scope thank you for your message. I have tried to reach out to shout before but never know what to say, I feel like I need to learn how to help myself better I just have no idea where to really start. My gp knows that I don’t want to take medication but thinks I should give it a go. I keep trying to talk myself into trying medication but always change my mind. 

I am feeling very anxious about the tribunal on Wednesday and can’t eat or sleep. It is just more of the not knowing, what they will ask or what decision they will make. What will happen if they agree with the decision etc. I am dreading it but can’t wait for it to be over. But I also want to try and prepare instead of just wishing the time away. Feeling really stressed on how to prepare 😔😔

Alex_Alumni

Hello @SausageDogTMH I'm sorry you're feeling so stressed about your tribunal, we're all keeping our fingers crossed for you. 

Do you have any notes from your claim, maybe ones you might have used for your telephone assessment? You can have those with you during the tribunal appointment, to help make sure you cover everything you'd like to  

You're nearly there, and if we can do anything else to help support you, please ask.

SiouxseeSue

Hi Sausagedog 😊

Im very glad I’ve been of some help. My mum was also a Crohns sufferer so I always feel a particular affinity to other suffers. My daughter has a particular aggressive form and its a very unpleasant disease 😕

Daughter is a member of Crohns and Colitis UK and finds this very useful if you not already aware. 

Also, as you are trying to avoid medication then maybe ask your GP about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, maybe something you may want to look into?

Got everything crossed and double crossed for you! Hope all goes well 😊

Hannah_Alumni

Hello @SausageDogTMH

It is hard talking about yourself, I hope you are able to come to something with your GP I am keeping everything crossed for you for tomorrow, please keep us updated. I know it's easier said than done when you try not to stress and it makes everything go in circles! I usually find it a great excuse to sit and binge watch a series I've been meaning to watch!

SausageDogTMH

I will reply properly asap but just wanted to quickly post a message while I could and say last night I wrote about a page per point that I think I should of got points on and then highlighted the paragraphs of my form that I did already get the points on. I am going to try an write a brief day diary tonight incase they ask what my day is like else I will just say - stuck in the bathroom all day aha.
I hope these notes will help me and I will be able to read off them instead of trying to make sentences.
I am absolutely petrified of the call tomorrow and am so anxious which makes my symptoms alot worse, so I'm scared I will need the go to the toilet during the call and what will happen then. 😓 
I just wanted to say thank you all so much for your support and wonderful messages,  it means so much & I will update when I've had my call tomorrow.xxx

SiouxseeSue

Hi Sausagedog 😊

You sound well prepared so try and go off and do something nice this evening!

Remember, the Tribunal are not there to judge but assess.

Best of luck 👊😊😊

Hannah_Alumni

You've got this @SausageDogTMH

Keeping everything crossed!  

Lou67

@SausageDogTMH

Just want to wish you well, you seem to have things written down that should help you.
Dont worry if you need the toilet just say do yous mind I really need to go to the toilet.
Have a glass of water beside you incase you need it.

Take care ❤️

SausageDogTMH

Hi everyone I’m back to update! I got a call 45 minutes before tribunal was supposed to start, I thought they were ringing to cancel it so I burst into tears and started to feel like I was going to have a panic attack. Fortunately it was a call to explain the tribunal and book it in. She asked if I had any questions so I asked what will I be asked, she just said a doctor would speak to me first then the disability specialist would ask about daily living. She also said the Dwp were not attending mine or any hearings they had booked today.

phone rang again 8 minutes after the time I was given, I made them aware my husband was to support me but had got called into work so I was feeling very anxious and upset. The members of the tribunal were honestly so lovely and wonderful, I found them to be very reassuring and actually wanted  what I had to say, asked me several times if I needed a break as I was finding it difficult to speak as I was getting very breathless from anxiety but I didn’t take a break as I just wanted it over with. It was about 6 questions I was asked, I was not rushed to answer and when I couldn’t give a specific answer for example when I last had an infusion they let me take my time to read my notes and think. There were no hats or trick questions which I was dreading. I know the advice is not to talk about the dwp in a bad light but I did get upset and said to them they were not acknowledging my mental health because I don’t feel able to take medication and she said medication is a personal choice and that will not affect their decision.

They ended the calling saying they were going to have a chat and call me back a few minutes later as they didn’t want me worrying all day or for days. They called back a few minutes later asked if I was ok etc.

the outcome I was not expecting at all, I was completely floored and just burst into tears again. I got points for standard daily living and enhanced mobility and the even better part is it’s been awarded until 2026. I expected daily living at two years at the most. I can’t explain how happy I am to be able to concentrate on getting healthy and no have to go through this again anytime soon. 

Just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone, this morning I was honestly not going to answer the phone when they called because I was so scared but I came back on here and read through the messages and they gave me the courage to answer the calls. So thank you so much!! Xxxxx

SausageDogTMH

@SiouxseeSue , I’m really sorry to hear that your daughter is suffering so much 🙁 and I really hope she can feel well soon. It is not a very nice disease at all, not that any are but it has so much of an effect on the rest of your body and mind than even I would think it would. Also hope the pip journey is as easy and swift as it can be, have everything crossed for your daughter. I am obviously no expert but if you need to chat I am here as you were for me! Xxx

Lou67

@SausageDogTMH

Awww that’s great I’m so happy for you, it’s a big weight off your shoulders. Now you can hopefully have a great nights sleep tonight.

Iv had 2 tribunals face2face and then 1 by telephone in 2020, I much preferred the telephone one as had the comfort off my own home.

Take care ❤️

SausageDogTMH

Thank you so much @Lou67 , I really did not expect for this outcome but mostly I didn’t expect for the panel to be so understanding and want to actually listen to me. I wouldn’t have been able to attend if it had been face2face as my symptoms have flared up so much so even though I find it difficult to speak on the phone I’m glad it was telephone. 

Xxx

Lou67

@SausageDogTMH

Yeah I found the panel at mines really nice and understanding to.
Now you can relax and once your backpay comes through make sure you treat yourself to something nice, you definitely deserve it.

❤️