PIP home visit

danworg

After waiting since September 2018 for an assessment for pip and esa,I have finally got pip assessment date for February.
However they have given me a home visit,which wasn't requested by myself. After reading so many scare stories and getting myself stressed out about it all I now find myself in a position I was not expecting.
I suffer from chronic pain syndrome, arthritis, depression and anxiety along with coronary artery disease ,which I am due to have an angiogram early February.I suffer with other issues,but these are related to my CPS.
I take to much meds to list here,but the morphine and fentynl save me from excruciating pain throughout my day.I am a little worried that if i do not take my meds as I should do I will not be able to do any excercises or movements they request due to the pain I will be in.However if I take my meds when I should,my wife gives me my doses at set times,I will be virtually out of my head and I am unable to even really hold a conversation let alone try to do excercises.
Has anybody gone through similar circumstances and maybe can offer some welcome advice.
Many Thanks
Danworg

steve51

Hi @danworg

Good Evening and Welcome ? ? ? 

I am one of the Community Champions here and I would be more than happy in helping you!!!!

Yes I also have "CRPS"  not diagnosed as yet!!!!!!

I have /still have major problems with "Hidden Disbilitys" 

One a daily basis I have also got similar meds that if taken regular I am normal again. 

Get out & about & everyone thinks I'm "back" (well) 

Or don't take meds & I'm "climbing the walls & end up back in hospital. 

So I think the saying goes I'm" dammed if I do or dammed if I don't"

@steve51

danworg

Hi @steve51

Thanks for the reply.
What I am really wondering is what will be expected of me at the home visit by the assessor? 
If I am expected to do as they require when it comes down to movements etc,I am afraid due to the pain and lack of mobility that I will not be able to do them.
Would this be considered negatively or would they assume that I cannot do them without incurring considerable pain which shouldn't be happening?

@danworg

Pippa_Alumni

Hi @danworg, welcome to the community!

Thanks for sharing this with us, and wishing you all the best with your upcoming assessment. It's impossible to predict how it will go, but many of our members have had home assessments themselves and will hopefully be able to share their experiences.

In the meantime, there's some great in depth information on preparing for a PIP assessment on the Citizens Advice website.

You should be prepared to talk about how your condition affects you even if you’ve already detailed it on your PIP claim form. It can be hard to do this but it will really help if you can talk about:

• the kind of things you have difficulty with, or can’t do at all - for example, walking up steps without help or remembering to go to appointments

• how your condition affects you from day to day

• what a bad day is like for you - for example, ‘On a bad day, I can’t walk at all because my injured leg hurts so much’ or ‘On a bad day, I’m so depressed I can’t concentrate on anything’

It’s a good idea to have a copy of your PIP claim form with you. That way you can refer to it in the assessment and make sure you tell the assessor everything you want them to know about your condition.

poppy123456

Hi,

You shouldn't be expected to do anything that causes you pain or discomfort. If you can't do what they ask, then tell them you can and your reasons why. You should continue to take your medication on the day of the assessment, just like you do everyday. Good luck.

Yadnad

poppy123456 said:

Hi,

You shouldn't be expected to do anything that causes you pain or discomfort. If you can't do what they ask, then tell them you can and your reasons why. You should continue to take your medication on the day of the assessment, just like you do everyday. Good luck.

Like the poster I too wondered many times before each assessment - do I take my meds or not.
Taking them will enable me to do carry out more tasks than if I was without them. However with the levels of pain relief meds and the maximum dosage of Sertraline (anti depressant)  that is possible I would be unable to engage brain with mouth which results in not taking in what is happening around me + anything that I would say would be little better than gobble de gook!

Each time I chose to come off my meds at least 24 hours before the appointment. I hurt in more ways than one but at least I was to be fit to hold a reasonable conversation with the assessor.