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Hi,
I hope someone here can help me. I am a 53 year-old female from Bradford in West Yorkshire.
I originally had an appointment for my PIP assessment on 8 June 2015, but thanks to the Royal Mail, I did not receive the letter. I received a letter from the DWP yesterday saying that I did not attend, so I called them straight away and explained what happened. They told me just to complete the accompanying form, saying that I did not receive the original letter. I posted this right after I spoke to the DWP.
I am petrified of this assessment. I've been researching it online, and I'm reading all kinds of horror stories.
I suffer from multiple conditions. I first went on DLA because I have bipolar disorder that was first diagnosed in 2008. I had one suicide attempt due to a phone conversation with an extremely rude woman at the TV Licencing agency. I rely on my DLA and ESA to basically survive, and that's really hard. I've been in the Support Group since then.
In addition to BPD, I now suffer from these conditions:
I can drive, but it is extremely painful, and I find getting into and out of my car is extremely difficult. I have to literally glue my arms to my side to avoid moving my arms to try to lessen the pain. I also can take public transport, but I need the assistance of the taxi driver or conductor to get in and out. My sleep is very poor due to both the extensive pain I have and when I am manic with my rapid cycling BPD. This is controlled by several medications, otherwise, I would be fully-blown manic. My finances are also in taters because I was unable to monitor my incomings and outgoings while manic or depressed.
I'm also not working, having been made redundant at my last job. While there, the company provided me with an occupational therapist for my BPD and made arrangements for parking my car in a space very near my office's rear door.
I find it extremely difficult to dress because I cannot lift my arms due to severe pain in my shoulders and deltoid muscles. When I lay down to go to sleep, they feel as though someone is hitting them with a hammer, the pain is that bad. Any bras are met with horrible pain. As a result, dressing takes forever, or if I know I don't have to be at any hospital or doctor appointments, I will sleep in my clothes.
All of this brings me to tears on a daily basis. My grip has gotten poor, and I find myself dropping things. I used to design jewellery, but because of my grip, I no longer do this because I keep dropping things. My rheumatologist tells me that I should expect total knee replacements on both knees because they are in that bad of shape.
My bedroom and bathroom are upstairs, so I climb the stairs one foot at a time. I've already had toilet accidents during a stomach bug because I couldn't make it upstairs in time or walk from the bedroom to the toilet.
Using the toilet is tricky because I do not have any aids in place. Because the toilet is right next to the door, I use the door frame to set myself down and lift myself up. Showering and bathing is also difficult. If bathing, I have to roll myself around in order to get up, so my head is practically sitting on the bottom of the bathtub. I have a chair set outside the tub so I have something to grip, including for getting in and out of the tub for a shower.
As a result, I only take a shower or bath if I know I HAVE to out to an appointment so I don't look like a right tramp.
I've been reading all kinds of horror stories about Atos, how they have cameras all around, double-sided mirrors. how the exam is performed.
I don't know what to expect, and to be honest, I am severely stressed, anxious, and sick to my stomach, and I don't even have the appointment yet. I hear that the HP tells you to get undressed. Is this true? This sends me to new heights of severe anxiety as I was molested and abused by an ex as well as two co-workers (this when I was younger). And what about eye contact? Do you need to bring all of your medications with you? Mine take up a large Lloyd's bag. I take 26 tablets every single day, including Methotrexate once a week.
I'm a terrible mess. Can any of you help me? Please?
Many thanks,
Lee
I hope someone here can help me. I am a 53 year-old female from Bradford in West Yorkshire.
I originally had an appointment for my PIP assessment on 8 June 2015, but thanks to the Royal Mail, I did not receive the letter. I received a letter from the DWP yesterday saying that I did not attend, so I called them straight away and explained what happened. They told me just to complete the accompanying form, saying that I did not receive the original letter. I posted this right after I spoke to the DWP.
I am petrified of this assessment. I've been researching it online, and I'm reading all kinds of horror stories.
I suffer from multiple conditions. I first went on DLA because I have bipolar disorder that was first diagnosed in 2008. I had one suicide attempt due to a phone conversation with an extremely rude woman at the TV Licencing agency. I rely on my DLA and ESA to basically survive, and that's really hard. I've been in the Support Group since then.
In addition to BPD, I now suffer from these conditions:
- brittle asthma -- required two inhalers
- bronchiectasis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- severe osteoarthritis in multiple joints, especially in my knees, hands, wrists, shoulders, back, hips
- scoliosis
- severe pelvic shearing from multiple falls
- polymyalgia rheumatica
- require hearing aids
- motility disorder of my GI tract that has to be controlled with loperamide or else I have chronic diarrhoea
- severe anxiety
- angina
- gout
- high blood pressure
- high pulse rates
- sleep apnea
- high cholesterol
- GERD
- carpel tunnel syndrome (bilateral, operated on, but getting symptoms again. Have already had a steroid injection for this)
- incontinence issues but controlled by avoiding certain drinks
- Dercum's disease
I can drive, but it is extremely painful, and I find getting into and out of my car is extremely difficult. I have to literally glue my arms to my side to avoid moving my arms to try to lessen the pain. I also can take public transport, but I need the assistance of the taxi driver or conductor to get in and out. My sleep is very poor due to both the extensive pain I have and when I am manic with my rapid cycling BPD. This is controlled by several medications, otherwise, I would be fully-blown manic. My finances are also in taters because I was unable to monitor my incomings and outgoings while manic or depressed.
I'm also not working, having been made redundant at my last job. While there, the company provided me with an occupational therapist for my BPD and made arrangements for parking my car in a space very near my office's rear door.
I find it extremely difficult to dress because I cannot lift my arms due to severe pain in my shoulders and deltoid muscles. When I lay down to go to sleep, they feel as though someone is hitting them with a hammer, the pain is that bad. Any bras are met with horrible pain. As a result, dressing takes forever, or if I know I don't have to be at any hospital or doctor appointments, I will sleep in my clothes.
All of this brings me to tears on a daily basis. My grip has gotten poor, and I find myself dropping things. I used to design jewellery, but because of my grip, I no longer do this because I keep dropping things. My rheumatologist tells me that I should expect total knee replacements on both knees because they are in that bad of shape.
My bedroom and bathroom are upstairs, so I climb the stairs one foot at a time. I've already had toilet accidents during a stomach bug because I couldn't make it upstairs in time or walk from the bedroom to the toilet.
Using the toilet is tricky because I do not have any aids in place. Because the toilet is right next to the door, I use the door frame to set myself down and lift myself up. Showering and bathing is also difficult. If bathing, I have to roll myself around in order to get up, so my head is practically sitting on the bottom of the bathtub. I have a chair set outside the tub so I have something to grip, including for getting in and out of the tub for a shower.
As a result, I only take a shower or bath if I know I HAVE to out to an appointment so I don't look like a right tramp.
I've been reading all kinds of horror stories about Atos, how they have cameras all around, double-sided mirrors. how the exam is performed.
I don't know what to expect, and to be honest, I am severely stressed, anxious, and sick to my stomach, and I don't even have the appointment yet. I hear that the HP tells you to get undressed. Is this true? This sends me to new heights of severe anxiety as I was molested and abused by an ex as well as two co-workers (this when I was younger). And what about eye contact? Do you need to bring all of your medications with you? Mine take up a large Lloyd's bag. I take 26 tablets every single day, including Methotrexate once a week.
I'm a terrible mess. Can any of you help me? Please?
Many thanks,
Lee
I'm sorry you feel like this! 
xx
xx
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