Hi, all, I am nervous that I have to go through all this again.
Can anyone who has been through the video interviews what can I expect? do they make you walk up and down, is it like the ones I have been through previously where I had to hold my legs in the air? if anyone knows please I would appreciate a heads-up
This is why I decided to share my experiences with you below about how bad things get for any of you and how many amount appeals you have to go through please do not give up.
I first applied for DLA as it was back then in 2014/15. I was given ESA in the disabled support group so I applied for DLA and was turned down so I appealed the decision, I was told I would have to go to a tribunal in October 2015 in Cardiff. I asked for the paperwork as to why I was turned down, I got the paperwork in early November 24 When I first read it I just burst out laughing. Going back to 2012 when I first was diagnosed with chronic Fibro myalgia, I had previously been training to become a paramedic, and as selfish as this is going to sound I was honestly devastated by this debilitating chronic disorder I just gave up depressed about the point that I just either could not get out of bed or didn't want to I started to put on weight very quickly. I had got up to nearly 30 stone.
The reason I was laughing so much was that the person from Atos who had interviewed me said I met this chap at the Atos centre MR R was of medium build with blonde hair and did not seem to have many issues with his mobility, I was 30 stone I had chronic pain was diagnosed with PTSD, fibro myalgia, severe osteoarthritis. I rang the DSS and got passed around the country in the end I asked to speak to a supervisor to whom I sent a picture of myself pointing out that I was morbidly obese I was not of medium build and did not have shoulder-length blonde hair as clearly in the picture I had short hair and very grey.
So I was told that they had reviewed it and I would not have to go to tribunal I was given DLA for a year low-side on both counts.
After Christmas, I received a letter from the tribunal saying in light of my not going to the Cardiff tribunal they had decided to stop my money forthwith this went on for another 8-9 months two more face-to-face interviews were turned down for losing three appeals. I did appeal the decision again and in eight months my final appeal ended up with a magistrates court. already suffering from depression the thought of going to court was very daunting I nearly did not go to the court hearing I was so scared I spent most of the morning in and out of the toilet.
When I finally got to court I was met by a court usher and he took me and my carer to the appropriate courtroom I explained to him how nervous I was he said to me not to worry the lady magistrate was very good and said I should be ok. I was taken into the courtroom to a seat that looked a million miles from the judge and the rest of the panel on the bench.
She asked me to stand which I did although my fibro was not good on that day she could see I was struggling and told me to sit she asked several questions like, When you out and about and you come across a group of people walking towards you how do you feel and what do you do I told her I get nervous in crowds like it is a very strange environment for me I just either turn around and walk away from them or duck into an alley if those options did not work I would just look down and avoid eye contact at all cost and try to get past them as quickly as possible.
They had all my supporting evidence in front of them and one of the panel was a doctor and asked questions about the day-to-day things I was at this time in tears and explained that when I got diagnosed with fibro, even though I had trained to be a paramedic that back at that time Fibro was not a thing and it was people just trying to get out of work some doctors still today do not like to recognise Fibro. I then got very teary when asked about how I became so heavy and had it not been for a dog that we rescued not long before having to go through all these appeals I have got to a point where I was willing to die. Had it not been for the dog that we rescued it became the other way around and she saved my life.
Sadly Sasha passed away just over two years ago at the age of 16 which I am told is a good age for a staffie I still miss her every day
I was finally awarded my full DLA now PIP by the judge at the court for a minimum of five years. however please be aware that they do not have to listen to the judge! but they often do.
So after my life experience written here please do not give up.
