I have fibromyalgia. Is it serious enough for PIP? I'm also worried about returning to work

Welcome to the community @Faith2008 It's great to have you with us. I can see you've already commented on a couple of other threads too, which is really good to see!

I'm sorry to hear that your fibromyalgia has been really affecting you. Have you been able to access any support for pain management? Is your GP up-to-date with how you've been feeling?

PIP isn't based on your diagnosis, but rather how your condition affects you, so don't worry that your fibromyalgia isn't 'serious' enough. PIP waiting times can unfortunately be quite long, so hold tight and wait to hear about your assessment. 

Just to be clear: are you currently working from home, and worried about returning to the office? Or are you on sick leave, and worried about returning to work? 

Have you ever heard of reasonable adjustments? We have some information about reasonable adjustments at work on our website.

Have you prompted HR, or the relevant department at your place of work, to ensure you can see someone from the occupational health team before you're asked to return to the office @Faith2008?

Some employers have also been doing more blanket questionnaires and surveys with their employees to find out if anyone has any requirements that need to be considered before returning to the office. Has your employer communicated with you about anything like that? 

Could you ask to speak to a different GP, or perhaps be referred to a specialist pain management team? It doesn't sound as though your current pain management is working, so it could be worth trying to speak to someone else who might be able to talk you through some other options. 

Applying for PIP is not at all something to feel ashamed about, so please try and quieten those negative thoughts! As you say, it could help you to stay independent and in-work.