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Help! my doctor missed the fact I've had a stroke

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Faith1
Faith1 Community member Posts: 3 Listener
Hi, this is my first post, I'm not sure who to turn to for guidance. 
I have degenerative disc disease, osteoporosis, spondylosis and peripheral neuropathy.
My husband unexpectedly passed away in January and I've not managed back to work due to anxiety and depression. 
I realised how much he'd been doing for me...eg. I thought we went shopping together...turns out I was using a trolly as an aid to get round the shop...he did all the reaching, putting stuff on conveyor belt, carrying it etc...I was basically only keeping him company. 
So I applied for pip at the end of Jan.
I asked my neurologist if i could get an appointment to discuss results of a full body and brain scan that had been done in December. The cover letter both my doctor and myself received in January basically just said further degeneration of spine as expected. I wasn't given the chance to discuss any detail...so I basically filled my pip application blind. 
I was awarded the standard daily living allowance,  I was shocked I didn't get mobility because I really struggle moving around.
Anyway a few weeks ago I was asked to fill in LCFW form which I'd never even  heard of and I was shocked that it seemed to be asking even more detail than pip had, so I thought I'd try asking my doctors receptionist if I could get a copy of my mri report....and they said yes! I took in proof of id and was handed the report. I opened it sitting in my sisters car to see id previously had a stroke! It makes perfect sense now I see the area of the brain affected controls movement and balance...I'm always falling. It also said I had footdrop which was showing on my previous mri in 2015 despite the neurologist saying there was no evidence of it. 
I know you don't get points on your problems but rather how they affect you but I'd been trying to explain my footdrop to the pip asessor but she said there was no evidence that I had that. 
Anyway I told my doctor that I wanted to discuss this report...he was reading it as I was on the phone, he was totally shocked! I can't believe he'd never bothered to read it. Apparently an emergency meeting was called in the health centre to discuss it...probably scared in case I sue them or something. I was told to go in for bloods and BP...my bp was 186/122 so at extreme risk of another stroke. I was put on emergency meds and I'm waiting for my blood test results. 
I feel atm I need to concentrate on trying to be stress free, getting my bp lower and fixing my diet but I'm absolutely devastated thinking about what could be a potentially fatal error. 
I'm also thinking if I'd had this information I may have qualified for the mobility part of pip because the proof of what I'd been saying my problems were are contained in that report. 
Does anyone have any advice as to whether I can ask for it to be looked at again even though 11 months have passed, or how I should tackle the incompetence of my gp? 
I know this was a massive ramble, I'm still in so much shock I'm not quite myself yet. Thank you in advance. 
Ps/ I don't actually receive uc because I got a death in service payout from my husbands work when he passed away, although some say that should possibly be disregarded but I've never had a definitive answer, does anyone know about that? ( I only sign on to get my pension credit atm) 

Comments

  • Faith1
    Faith1 Community member Posts: 3 Listener
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    Thank you so much Ada, I feel good even having managed to write it down. 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 55,582 Disability Gamechanger
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    I can't advise on the GP issue i'm afraid. For your PIP if the decision was made less than 13 months ago you can request the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) but they will not be able to take into consideration any worsening of condition. As you're outside of the 1 month timescale you will need to give your reasons why you didn't request it within the first month.
    Please also be aware that PIP isn't awarded based on a diagnosis. Although they did say "there's no evidence of your foot drop" that's one of the classic copy and paste reasons they use by saying "there's no evidence of XY or Z"
    Most MR decision remain the same so it's likely that you would need to take it to Tribunal.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Faith1
    Faith1 Community member Posts: 3 Listener
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    Thank you Poppy, I feel that at the time of my application I lacked proof of issues I had, and that's due to the doc and/or neurologist withholding the evidence from me. The report backs up every symptom I've been displaying and I feel that I'm being financially punished for their lack of action. 
    I'll have a read up on the MR now, thank you for your help, it's very much appreciated. 
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