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Lower rates on PIP
goldtrees
Member Posts: 13 Listener
Good Afternoon
Thank you for all the hard work you have done so far sufferers of the same.
I have fibromyalgia, post traumatic stress disorder and severe depression with an unmanageable malignant high blood pressure for approximately 7 years. I have had a mild stroke about 7 years ago as well. I was on the DLA higher rate mobility and middle rate care for the past four years until I was asked to apply for PIP back June 2016. I was to ill to make the original accessment. I attended on 19 August and heard yesterday that I was awarded the lower rates for care and mobility.
Some of what the accessor reported I could not recall at all. I was busy trying to cover my chest because of a nose bleed that occurs when I am too stressed. I had rested up the entire week before so that I could get there.
The report claims that I looked well nourished and was capable to plan a journey. Both my husband and noticed my memory failure and some of the dangerous things did occur when I tried to cook like catching the place on fire or leaving the food cooking and trying to take a quick nap that lead into hours. I no longer cook at all because my hands cannot lift the heavy pots and pans and I just don't have an appetite anymore.
Although I rested A week before the accessment I was still so tired. This nose bleeds is normal when I push past the pain barrier to appear normal. My husband was with me but did not go into the assessment room. The assessment only took 20 minutes. I waited over 30 minutes to be called in and I fell to sleep whilst waiting for the accessor. Questions were fired at me and before I could complete them another one was there and the accessor was typing my answers. The report claimed I could manage and budget my finance and this is not true. I do not recall being asked anything about budgets or finance at the accessment. I run up a debt of £39,000 that my husband had to take over with the debt management company.
With regards to looking well nourished and well fed for months I was managing less and less until I slept most of the day without eating. Normally when I am rushed to hospital it is usually as a result of malignant high blood pressure and or low potassium/anaemia. Shortly after the assessment I was taken to the doctor by my husband because he noticed a drop in my memory and response to anything at all. Blood tests revealed that I had high gluclose but I should keep an eye on it and very low iron levels in my body. He carried out a memory test and referred me to the memory clinic because he had some concerns. I await that appointment. In the meantime I was prescribed iron tabs. My husband gave up work to care for me over four ago.
I am going to ask for a reconsideration on the decision when I have the strength to do it.
Replies
How owl are you?
Thank you for sharing your experience of PIP and what you've been through.
It sounds like you have plenty to challenge with regards to the assessment report and the various inaccuracies that have arisen from it. I also see that @shelliemarie has taken you under her wing. It would be great if you could talk to each other. If you click on your profile you'll go to your page and on the right hand side under your picture you will see a list of activities. At the bottom of that list in 'inbox' click that and that will allow you to send a message to another user. I haven't tried it myself yet but hopefully it works and you can message each other.
And of course you can contact me at the helpline by phone or email if you want to talk some more.
Best wishes
Debbie