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.
