h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Evadne, if you haven't done so already, go here: http://www.bhas.org.uk/freeguides/dla_guides.shtml

Download the appropriage guide to DLA for adults. I downloaded the Physical Health guide and followed it to the letter when doing my claim. I also made sure my GP and MS nurse were aware that I was applying, and that they knew how much impact my condition had on my everyday life. The first person the DWP writes to about your condition is your GP, so if he/she isn't up to date with your health, he/she won't be able to provide an accurate report. I can't remember exactly how the form goes, but I put my MS nurse down as somebody they could contact about my condition. You could probably put your Occupational Therapist down in the same area. You could also try to get reports from your GP, OT and Social Services. These could be enclosed with your application.

A lot of people who have MS have applied for DLA with varying degrees of success. The general advice seems to be: fill in the form as if it was your worst day; use the guide from the bhas website; make sure the relevant healthcare professionals are up to date on your condition; try to provide evidence of your condition. The last isn't essential as I provided no evidence at all, but I'm sure it does no harm.

Mrs Dragon - I had a sneaking inkle it was my GP who kyboshed most of it - I've had a running battle with my local GP surgury, and *my* GP in particular for the last 3 years, since I have really had to start leaning on the NHS. Now I have my suspicions confirmed as to which was my weakest link, maybe I can get somewhere.

I've used that particular website to excellent eeffect, filled in the DLA forms text book, and I can recommend it without reservation - that's the trouble; I have lots of information, but can't *think* clear enough to articulate stuff a lot of the time - I ramble, instead. And if a layman can see I'm in trouble, I expect a medical bod to see it too. That is, after all, their job.

Naively, however, I believed my GP was totally aware of what an impact my medical problems have on my life,(I have told her, both face to face AND in letter form, never mind the number of visits I've made) but obviously, she either chooses to not acknowledge it, or she is, as I privately believe, utterly callous and disinterested. In short, she really is not a nice person

(and she doesn't rate me, much, obviously)

My problem is, that if I change GPs in mid appeal, then I am scuppered; the new GP doesn't "know" me...and my current GP isn't interested in helping me. The current system of an open surgury, whereby you get to see whoever's available during surgury hours isn't much help, either.

Out of interest, how many on this thread have actually been able to see the same GP on a consistent basis?





So I'm between a rock and a hard place, basically. Which is tough, because I have no intention of being marooned here!

(Jumps up and down) Me! Me!

I see the same GP every time, and he's great. He's not an expert on my condition (MS), but he has a number of patients who have it. He reckons they range from cases where it's so mild as to be negligible, to cases where the patient is stuck in a wheelchair. He can see what difficulty I have getting around, and has no qualms about exaggerating my condition a little to ensure I get the help I need.

Can you afford to go to somebody for a private consultation? There have been a number of people on the MS Society boards who reckon they've had to go private to actually get a diagnosis of their condition. I'm wondering if seeing somebody privately might help with your DLA application.

I agree about open surgery not being much good. My mum has had a number of health problems, but she never sees the same GP twice. A number of them seem to take the attitude that old ladies (she's 77) aren't worth bothering with and don't take her problems seriously. She's recently been diagnosed with polymyalgia, and a scan shows that she has osteoporosis. It took ages to get those diagnosed, though.

I'd agree with the comment you made about the general attitude to the elderly and their ailments - your mum's case is a good example; I see it happen all the time to my more elderly friends. There's good Gps, like yours sounds... but there seem to be a heck of a lot of them (like mine) who don't take patient's ailments seriously, or so it seems. Age - seems immaterial. And changing GPs is a task similar to that of Hercules' Labours. It can be done; but the effort involved, especially when you feel so constantly poorly, is immense.

Unfortunately, no, I cannot afford a private consultation; after three years on Sick Certificates issued grudgingly and every step of treatment and diagnosis fought for in blood, sweat tears (and once me threatening to commit suicide on their front doorstep if they didn't shift their harrises and do the job they chose to do properly. You should have SEEN the GP's face as well!) I must admit, I am getting thoroughly dis spirited about ever achieiving the care/treatment and basic aid I need.

I won't give up though.

I might want to

But I won't.

I love that phrase from Hitchiker's: "I'm game. We'll see who rusts first!"

Here in France, the system has recently changed. It used to be that you were free to choose your GP & change as & when you wished, which kept them on their toes 'cos obviously they get paid per consultation.

He used to be brilliant, i visited every two months to get my repeat prescription & each time he checked BP, heart, weight, lungs, general condition, leg function, asked how i was doing in general.

The first time i applied for Cotorep (disbility allowance); yes, he slightly exaggerated things. One question was "is the patient suffering from depression?"; he went to tick it & i protested "but i am NOT depressed, i am often very frustrated & pi**ed off, but NOT depressed!"

He said "no, but it's depression or nothing on this form, i would describe you as "emotionally fragile" not depressed, but there isn't a box for that; and unless you get brownie points for mental probs, you simply won't get any benefits" So it got ticked!

But the system has changed now, you have to nominate a GP & can't change once you have done so. I nominated him; unfortunately, he has "gone off me" (???) & is pretty hostile & unhelpful, to the extent that on a form requesting help with mobility he wrote "i know full well she has a boyfriend who has a car, i don't think she needs transport help"

I was furious what the hell right does he have to assume this person is my boyfriend (in fact, it wasn't, it was Patrick N who kindly gave me a lift to the surgery)& anyway, my personal life is not a subject for discussion amonst thes. There are many reasons why i do not feel able to depend on viking for transport; he is not my husband,we have an on/off relationship, he has very little money, has multiple emotional problems of his own....why should i have to explain all this?

Anyway, said grudgingly filled out the forms to renew my disability benefit *but* ticked the boxes saying i have dependence on alcohol & nicotine, effectively this means they assume "it's all your own fault"...so my benefits will stop in a couple of months & i am expected to find work, whereas in fact my condition has deteriorated dramatically over the last 6 months.

My only hope is to get more private students, precarious existence. Merci Monsieur Doc!

zdt

That's terrible Terri!

Absolutely Terri! My bf's GP has been nothing but supportive of his condition and, again, has no qualms about exaggerating the condition when needs be. The thing that has riled me in the last two weeks is that same GP's attitude to his (my bf's) mum. She has recently been in hospital with pnumonia and was sent home, while still very poorly. It can take a while for any in house carers to come round so my bf and I have been looking after her. She needed help to get to the loo and to wash and dress herself. The GP said this would pass and wasn't generally of much help. My partner has suffered two relapses in his MS during this time and his mum has been given (by the hospital) 3 new different drugs (bringing the total now prescribed monthly to 26 different drugs. Is it perhaps that she is costing the surgery too much money?

On a happier note, she is now almost fully recovered, albeit with some permanent extra mobility problems and our lives can get back to some sort of order and she will be getting some adaptaions to her home (grab rails and a seat in the shower) so that she can still live there on her own.

The first line should have read, absolutely abominable, Terri but I suppose it made sense given the previous post

Yes, i feel somewhat mildly murderous i must confess. It was the bit about the boyfriend that did it, as if "hell, this woman is claiming to have a disability, how dare she have a love life, and if she does, it's THEM who should be looking after her"

*WOW; there are flamingoes flying over my house!!!* Sorry, totally off topic but amazing, they shriek like hell, they are migrating to Africa for the winter & Angoulême seems to be the major autoroute!*

zdt

>>> I've been meaning to address something to you, but like most threads, by the time I got round to saying I could see your point about "not fearing the wheelchair", there were too many postings between - if you see what I mean.

When three weeks go by between a posting and a reply, I can definitely see what you mean.
Allowing people to do things for you has to be the hardest part, and took me the longest to accept that. I see it as part of the loss of anonymity that an obviously disabled person suffers. When I used to walk with a cane, I was a spectacle as long as I was moving, but once I stopped, I could lean against a wall and once again be totally unremarkable. Now that I use my wheelchair all the time, I can only fade into the background at a convention of wheelchair users.

To make a long story short, it is only through suffering the pain of having to ask other people for help over and over through time that has made it less painful. Not painless, but less painful. It troubles me most when I have to lay another job onto my wife, who already does so much for me. My friend Tony, who is a Methodist pastor, gave me the best, way to think about this: if the situation were reversed, he said, wouldn't you do the very same thing for her? It's cold comfort when you know that the situation will never be reversed, but it is some comfort.

"Now that I use my wheelchair all the time, I can only fade into the background at a convention of wheelchair users."

I occasionally use a wheelchair, propelled by hubby, and I've found that people are more considerate of wheelchair users than they are of people who use mobility scooters. You want to fade into the background? Sign up with Shopmobility at a shopping centre like the Kingfisher Centre in Redditch or Merry Hill near Dudley and borrow a scooter. You'll find that people don't see you coming, step out in front of you without looking, stop in front of you without caring that you are there, don't want to move aside as you approach with no way of swerving round them... You get the picture. There is a 'horn' on the scooter, but its such a quiet little buzzer as to be useless.

I went shopping on Saturday with hubby and his mum. Hubby was the only one not using a scooter. By the end of the session, I'd found that I can't cope with crowds any more. I'd rather go shopping on a Sunday, being pushed round in a wheelchair if necessary (Shopmobility in Redditch isn't open on Sundays), than have to contend with the crowds you get on the Saturdays running up to Christmas.

Hi all.I haven't used a scooter in the shopping centres ,i don't like crowds either.I always use the wheelchair,and i find people are just as you describe when i'm been pushed by hubby!The number of people that almost end up sitting on my kneee is amazing!!!!
We do the grocery shopping in the evening's when hubby's finished work,had his tea,and a little sleep.The supermarket is fairly quiet,and we can take our time ,but the run up to christmas is always horrendous!

Do you find poeople ask your hubby questions rather than you?

Hi LW,yes they certainly do!!Or they say"would she like a different colour" just as an example!Excuse me...it's just my legs that won't work properly.I'm used to it now,and hubby tends to just not answer,he leaves it to me!

I know it is infuriating the do that when I am in town with my wife she says 'don't ask me I don't think for my 'husband', enfersizing 'husband'

Good for her; personally i think i would keep a big stick handy & poke them & scream.

Oh, i got a lovely lovely classic the other day; this has cheered me up no end. Viking, upon returning to his Bloody Ex, supposedly to "discuss the situation" he eventually returned to me "She has a beautiful body, but i feel more sentiment for you" Wow, thanks man. "And when she said to me "How can you possibly consider her, she ishandicapped" i said "I can cope, she's not that badly handicapped, she doesn't need a wheelchair"

Am i supposed to feel grateful or what? I do get the feeling he isn't going to be pushing me round the supermarket in the future. I am using a shopping delivery service now; simpler in the long run really. Expensive though.

Moral of this story: if you absolutely *must* be handicapped; make sure you are pretty too!

zdt

I do not use the word handicapped but tend to use disabled but physically challenged is the PC version

You still on pre-mod then Wolfie?

Mind you, the "Service Unavailable: Error 502" constant messages mean it probably doesn't make much difference!

zdt*wonders how many attempts it will take to get this to post?*

Why the anger ?

How do I personally deal with crippling illness?

Today, not so well