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Pip and fibromyalgia

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  • debbiedo49
    debbiedo49 Community member Posts: 2,904 Disability Gamechanger
    I am becoming aware through this forum that you can do certain things that may improve your chances of getting pip etc when you have the evidence to support how it is affecting your daily life with your health issues. 1. You should  be looking for help and getting help with the descriptors you say you have issues with. 2. You
    should be attending all clinics etc available as regularly as possible so that you are being proactive and are able to ask for recent factual reports to back this up.3. You should consider keeping a diary of how your issues are affecting you daily, again as evidence. 4. You should try to build a rapport with the same doctors if possible so that they will know you and be able to report accuretely. There is probably lots more but thsts for starters. I only got pip recently and it was more for mental health and how it affects my moblity. I got zero for daily living although I have chronic pain now fibro. I only got 2 years award backdated nearly one so I could be reviewed again shortly which is very stressful.  But with the knowledge im gettting here, I can be better prepared hopefully. Good luck.
  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    Matilda said:
    The rule for walking is how far can you walk WITHOUT PAIN.  Yes, you may be able to walk farther than 20m or 50m IN PAIN but you are not obliged to 'walk through pain'.

    In other words, if you can't walk farther than 20m before the pain, or stiffness or fatigue, starts then you should qualify for 12 points PIP mobility.

    Yes, we might be able to do things but we have to be able to do them RELIABLY as well. Have a look at the reliability criteria on the Disability Rights UK site.
    That is why I made a recent post about the distance I walked - just under a mile. Yet when I was receiving PIP I was awarded 12 points for mobility.

    It was how I walked, what happened when I walked and what happened after I had walked that distance.


  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    debbiedo49 said: 
    1. You should  be looking for help and getting help with the descriptors you say you have issues with. 
    2. You should be attending all clinics etc available as regularly as possible so that you are being proactive and are able to ask for recent factual reports to back this up.
    3. You should consider keeping a diary of how your issues are affecting you daily, again as evidence. 
    4. You should try to build a rapport with the same doctors if possible so that they will know you and be able to report accuretely. 
    1. Impractical in the main
    2. Most long term disabled no longer attend clinics as there is nothing further that can be done.
    3. Good idea, but would the DWP take it at face value or suspect that there may well be 'extras' thrown in for good measure.
    4. GP's are extremely busy and todays surgeries are not for those who go in regularly just to keep the GP up to date. I go when I feel the need for help which maybe once a year or once every couple of years. Seeing the same GP is almost impossible.

  • debbiedo49
    debbiedo49 Community member Posts: 2,904 Disability Gamechanger
    @yadnad perhaps I should have added that I meant for when it comes to tribunal, as was the case with me. You have to fight for every piece of help you can get despite the serious lack of resources. You can make the choice to do this or not. I know how bad it can be believe me but if I want to get pip at review I will be trying to do this.
  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    @yadnad perhaps I should have added that I meant for when it comes to tribunal, as was the case with me. You have to fight for every piece of help you can get despite the serious lack of resources. You can make the choice to do this or not. I know how bad it can be believe me but if I want to get pip at review I will be trying to do this.
    You have to do what you want to do. 
    But the last thing I would do is to bombard my overworked GP with regular visits to tell him 'nothing has changed so this is an update'.
    I do know how bad it is and because of that I refused to play anymore of their games with PIP. I'm too old and too ill to put up with it any longer.


  • debbiedo49
    debbiedo49 Community member Posts: 2,904 Disability Gamechanger
    @Yadnad so please could you offer constructive sdvice for those people who would like to try to get the benefits they are entitled to rather than put them off? You may not win at first with dwp etc but you just might with tribunals.Some of us have to fight on.
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    71% of tribunal appeals win - so it's definitely worth appealing as long as you're confident that any current award is safe from reduction or removal.
  • littleruthie123
    littleruthie123 Community member Posts: 511 Pioneering
    HI got fybro .I think the difficulty is it can be a fluctuate. I had my home visit and had too be honest and say I was having a good day .even though I was still in pain .I explained that further on in the weak tasks washing showering become very difficult .she did say she thought I'd explained ithat well as many don't. I was also honest and said I went too a cancer support centre once a week!.but that's it .not sure if that will be used against me .will see .will let you no .but yes you can define get p.I. P for fybromalagia. Good luck x
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    To qualify for PIP your disabilities have to affect you only 50% of the time, i.e. at least four days out of seven.
  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    Matilda said:
    71% of tribunal appeals win - so it's definitely worth appealing as long as you're confident that any current award is safe from reduction or removal.
    Absolutely!! If you have the strength and stamina go for it.

    As you say, any appeal carries a risk. and to this end you must be certain that the current award is safe.

  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    Matilda said:
    To qualify for PIP your disabilities have to affect you only 50% of the time, i.e. at least four days out of seven.
    Which is something that the claimant should be prepared to convince is the case. To be honest that rule is extremely difficult to substantiate. 
    It has to be a minimum of 4 out of 7 every day. I can't think of a situation that 4 out of 7 every week actually would happen. Yes it may be 3 out 7 some weeks then 5 out of seven for a week or two.
  • littleruthie123
    littleruthie123 Community member Posts: 511 Pioneering
    Well I've just had my asseser report and looks like enhanced so worked for me !lol
  • littleruthie123
    littleruthie123 Community member Posts: 511 Pioneering
    Yrs matilde your right .I have other things as well but mostly went on my fybromalagia and fatigue x
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    @littleruthie123

    Congrats on your good report.
  • littleruthie123
    littleruthie123 Community member Posts: 511 Pioneering
    Thank you matilde I pray the dwp go by the report .fingers crossed .I've had 3 reviews now both home visits worked out well.going too the assessment centre left me short of points .and dident have the fight in me at the time .so praying it adds up this time x
  • littleruthie123
    littleruthie123 Community member Posts: 511 Pioneering
    Just had good read through report .even though points are good .she's really not a knowledge my mental health anxiety depression complex p.t.s.d and agraphobia why do they do that!.it really gets too me .can you give feedback on report?
  • iharris85
    iharris85 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    I had my assessment in september and the assessor seemed all understanding and concern he even helped me into and out the chair. BUT in my letter he said i was able to move unaided and when informally observed i was walking at a normal pace without any impairment. i sent my form back with a letter stating i didn't agree, but i am yet to hear anything. i keep trying to call them but i am always on hold for about 30 mins.... I am fed up. i can't walk or stand, and i cant even drive as i don't have enough strength in my left leg to push the clutch...
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,332 Disability Gamechanger
    iharris85 said:
    I had my assessment in september and the assessor seemed all understanding and concern he even helped me into and out the chair. BUT in my letter he said i was able to move unaided and when informally observed i was walking at a normal pace without any impairment. i sent my form back with a letter stating i didn't agree, but i am yet to hear anything. i keep trying to call them but i am always on hold for about 30 mins.... I am fed up. i can't walk or stand, and i cant even drive as i don't have enough strength in my left leg to push the clutch...
    Do you mean you requested a Mandatory reconsideration? If so when did you request this?

    Not being able to drive because you can't use the clutch won't score you any points for PIP, i'm afraid. They'll most likely advise you to drive an automatic.
    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.
  • iharris85
    iharris85 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    edited January 2019
    yes thats right I requested this back in october 2018. when i went to the assessment i was having a bad day my stammer was terrible, my mobility was was poor, my mum has to hold me up and walk slowly with me. the assessor seemed more concerned about his private life talking about his cats and other such things than listening to me or taking notice.  I have just come off the phone from the DWP PIP line and they have said I am to wait for the Mandatory reconsideration to be reviewed and I'll hear back in due course.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,332 Disability Gamechanger
    There's no timescales for MR decisions but that's an awful long time to wait. Hopefully you'll receive a decision soon.
    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.

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