# Department of Whips and Pain



## AlisonM (Oct 3, 2016)

Here I go again, back to face the Inquisition. I had a letter from their minions this morning summoning me to an appointment so they can jump me through the hoops again. ESA this is. I had though that since it has been almost five months since I returned their questionnaire that they were going to be sensible, but no. So I'll be praying their lift is working this time cos there's no way I'll get up 3 flight of stairs, last time I had the two sticks and could just manage it, this time it's Rolly and, no chance.

I'm not looking forward to this, these people terrify me, and the last twice I've dealt with them I've had to go to appeal over their decisions as the reports they wrote were so far from what I told them at the appointment they must have been about someone else. I won of course, but I could do without the stress. I hope the BFF will be here as I really need someone to go with me and my other mate who would has just started her practicum as a trainee counsellor.


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## Owen (Oct 3, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> Here I go again, back to face the Inquisition. I had a letter from their minions this morning summoning me to an appointment so they can jump me through the hoops again. ESA this is. I had though that since it has been almost five months since I returned their questionnaire that they were going to be sensible, but no. So I'll be praying their lift is working this time cos there's no way I'll get up 3 flight of stairs, last time I had the two sticks and could just manage it, this time it's Rolly and, no chance.
> 
> I'm not looking forward to this, these people terrify me, and the last twice I've dealt with them I've had to go to appeal over their decisions as the reports they wrote were so far from what I told them at the appointment they must have been about someone else. I won of course, but I could do without the stress. I hope the BFF will be here as I really need someone to go with me and my other mate who would has just started her practicum as a trainee counsellor.


Get CAB to go with you, that should cut their nonsense.


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## AlisonM (Oct 3, 2016)

Owen said:


> Get CAB to go with you, that should cut their nonsense.


They can't. They can attend an appeal tribunal if there is one as they're representing you, but not the assessment appointment itself.


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## Owen (Oct 3, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> They can't. They can attend an appeal tribunal of there is one as they're representing you, but not the assessment appointment itself.


Did not know that, are you allowed to record the appointment?


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## Amigo (Oct 3, 2016)

I thought they'd agreed to stop all this nonsense with people who had been deemed to be long term chronically sick and therefore unable to work. Maybe it hasn't come into force yet.

Good luck Alison and absolutely refuse to use the stairs!  

I was just about to add what you had written Alison. The welfare benefit services are desperately struggling with the demand presently.


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## AlisonM (Oct 3, 2016)

Owen said:


> Did not know that, are you allowed to record the appointment?


Nope, no recordings.

I don't think it has yet @Amigo, and it seems common sense has no prevailed this time either.


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## Owen (Oct 3, 2016)

Seems a little one sided, glad I have not had the pleasure as yet.
On a separate note, I amazed the infamous gigolo DL hasn't jumped on this post with title alluring him in. Hope he has not gone hypo on us again.


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## Lindarose (Oct 3, 2016)

Maybe you could phone them from the bottom of the stairs explaining you can't make it to the top. Perhaps they will get the message then.


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## Pumper_Sue (Oct 3, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> So I'll be praying their lift is working this time cos there's no way I'll get up 3 flight of stairs, last time I had the two sticks and could just manage it, this time it's Rolly and, no chance.


Give them a ring and explain you can not use stairs, as a health and safety issue they will either have to do a home visit or send you elsewhere. (you can't use a lift in fire)


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## mikeyB (Oct 3, 2016)

The only trouble with a home visit is if there are stairs with no stairlift. They'll use that as evidence that you can manage stairs, without asking you to demonstrate. I know this from experience.


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## AlisonM (Oct 3, 2016)

mikeyB said:


> The only trouble with a home visit is if there are stairs with no stairlift. They'll use that as evidence that you can manage stairs, without asking you to demonstrate. I know this from experience.


Correct, and I don't have a stair lift cos I don't need one... yet. One flight I can manage, just (though there are times when I have to go up and down on my posterior), but three is too much for me. Just as I can walk a certain distance, but then I have to stop and sit down. If I force myself to keep going as did on our beanie in Glasgow, I pay a huge price in exhaustion and pain. That was a hard lesson to learn.


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## Owen (Oct 3, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> Correct, and I don't have a stair lift cos I don't need one... yet. One flight I can manage, just (though there are times when I have to go up and down on my posterior), but three is too much for me. Just as I can walk a certain distance, but then I have to stop and sit down. If I force myself to keep going as did on our beanie in Glasgow, I pay a huge price in exhaustion and pain. That was a hard lesson to learn.


I read somewhere that you should show them your worst day


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## mikeyB (Oct 3, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> Correct, and I don't have a stair lift cos I don't need one... yet. One flight I can manage, just (though there are times when I have to go up and down on my posterior), but three is too much for me. Just as I can walk a certain distance, but then I have to stop and sit down. If I force myself to keep going as did on our beanie in Glasgow, I pay a huge price in exhaustion and pain. That was a hard lesson to learn.


It sounds to me like you could do with a stairlift now. You do know in Scotland that you get an 80% grant from the council towards the cost? If it's a straight run, you might only have to pay around £400-500. It's best to do it now while you're havering. I know fine that you will be having days when you wish you had one, and because the beurocracy takes two or three months to grind through, the earlier you do it the better off you'll be.


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## Copepod (Oct 3, 2016)

Let's hope the lift is working. If it isn't then, simply state that you are unable to climb 3 flights of stairs. Can you get someone to attend with you? If so, get them to walk with you from the waiting room to the examination room, even if you don't want them to come in with you. make sure you document who attends and be prepared to get them to write note to state they attended you. Ensure they state the date, time and location of examination, as well as stating their address and date of writing on the note. If you need to go to appeal, which I hppe you don't, make sure you send in all evidence like that note as soon as your receive your letter about date and time of tribunal. Read everything in the pack of evidence carefully and comment calmly and clearly to highlight any disagreements with what anyone else, such as health care professional who carries out examination, has written.


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## Pumper_Sue (Oct 3, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> Correct, and I don't have a stair lift cos I don't need one... yet. One flight I can manage, just (though there are times when I have to go up and down on my posterior), but three is too much for me. Just as I can walk a certain distance, but then I have to stop and sit down. If I force myself to keep going as did on our beanie in Glasgow, I pay a huge price in exhaustion and pain. That was a hard lesson to learn.


well you need to do something as they will take it that you can do stairs thus fit and able. They owe you a duty of care.


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## AlisonM (Oct 3, 2016)

Thanks everyone for the support. I do know how it works, having been through it three times already, three assessments, three appeals and three wins for me. Past, bitter experience leads me to believe it won't be a pleasant process, and those three occasions have been so stressful, that I had a wee panic attack, now I'm girding my loins and getting ready for battle. Again!


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## mikeyB (Oct 3, 2016)

Aye, well best of luck. Don't forget, the answer to the question "Do you have good days and bad days" is "No, I have bad days and worse days"


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## AlisonM (Oct 8, 2016)

Had a threatening letter from the Inquisition this morning. I had the nerve to call up and change the appointment because they originally wanted me in at 9am. Not a chance of that, it would have meant waking up at 5am to take all my pills, so I had it changed to 1pm next Thursday. The letter confirming the change was barely polite, brusquely reminding me that I risk losing my ESA if I don't show up.

Thankfully, the BFF has agreed to go with me to the appointment, I'm so relieved I don't have to go alone. I don't need this stress and it's playing havoc with the plumbing. I've got nappy rash, I'm not sleeping much at all, and getting more and more exhausted, which means the ME is playing up as well. If this keeps up, I'll be doing my own version of the mad scene from Lucia di Lammermoor.


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## Bubbsie (Oct 8, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> Had a threatening letter from the Inquisition this morning. I had the nerve to call up and change the appointment because they originally wanted me in at 9am. Not a chance of that, it would have meant waking up at 5am to take all my pills, so I had it changed to 1pm next Thursday. The letter confirming the change was barely polite, brusquely reminding me that I risk losing my ESA if I don't show up.
> 
> Thankfully, the BFF has agreed to go with me to the appointment, I'm so relieved I don't have to go alone. I don't need this stress and it's playing havoc with the plumbing. I've got nappy rash, I'm not sleeping much at all, and getting more and more exhausted, which means the ME is playing up as well. If this keeps up, I'll be doing my own version of the mad scene from Lucia di Lammermoor.


Alison relieved to hear the BFF is going with you...my BFF had her PIPS interview about 5-6 weeks ago...I went with her...she said that made such a difference knowing someone was 'on her side'...seems so pointless repeatedly assessing those with chronic degenerative health problems ...how wonderful if all of those suffering with them suddenly had a return to robust active good health...bullying beyond belief...rotten fudgers...they need skewering...good luck on Thursday...


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## Marsbartoastie (Oct 8, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> I'll be doing my own version of the mad scene from Lucia di Lammermoor.



Better start practicing then Alison...


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## mikeyB (Oct 8, 2016)

Changing the appointment to midday is more ammunition. If it takes you a couple of hours to get yourself even semi human before the challenge of the day, then tell them. And they always watch applicants walk from the car park into the building. I know you won't be tripping gaily across the car park, but you know what I mean. And if the lift isn't working, don't even attempt the stairs, just start singing the aria as Ms Sutherland does (thank you, Marsbar) and wait for attention. It all helps.


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## AlisonM (Oct 8, 2016)

I'll be doing my best to look as pathetic as possible... not too difficult these days. I may try and stay off the pain killers till afterwards.


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## Rosiecarmel (Oct 8, 2016)

I really hope it goes well for you. The DWP can be right a*******s sometimes. I remember when I was on ESA when I was very unwell. I got a letter saying I didn't qualify for esa due to my condition "fluctuating too much." I applied for my bipolar diagnosis. I laugh now, but not at the time, because that's literally what bipolar means! I was manic and depressed very interchangeably. Luckily my support worker helped me appeal and I won. Being able to come off esa when I started uni was amazing. 

They spend so much money on appeals especially since a large amount of people win on appeal


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## AlisonM (Oct 8, 2016)

Rosiecarmel said:


> They spend so much money on appeals especially since a large amount of people win on appeal


CAB told me at my first appeal that about 78% of appeals they dealt with were won by claimants, now I understand that's been reduced to around 60%, which is still a huge number of people winning their cases. Ridiculous. I have absolutely no confidence in a system that treats people with so little respect and depends on examiners whose qualification are not necessarily relevant to the case being considered sitting and ticking boxes on a computer. The resulting reports often fail to reflect the true situation of the person examined. Part of the problem may be that they seem to focus on only one issue which doesn't work when you're like me, dealing with half a dozen conditions all at the same time.

In the end, my appeals were won mostly because the reports submitted looked as though they were written about someone else, they were so far off the mark. Last time, the panel looked at my forms and compared them with the resulting report as well as my 'testimony' at the hearing and took a whole 5 minutes to find in my favour. They also sent a letter of censure to the examiners, expressing their concern at how far off the report actually was.

I've been through this three times now, had to face three appeals and won all three. I really, really hope they don't make me do it all again. I honestly can't handle the stress, it makes me sick... literally.


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## Mark Parrott (Oct 8, 2016)

I hope it goes ok, Alison. I took my wife to her first ESA assessment yesterday. She stayed off her meds & was in a really bad way. I helped her out of the car & across the car park & into the building. She is worried that she will be found fit for work despite her doctor stating otherwise. The person we saw was a doctor & was actually very nice.  Also trying to apply for PIP, so that will be another assessment to go through.


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## AlisonM (Oct 8, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> I hope it goes ok, Alison. I took my wife to her first ESA assessment yesterday. She stayed off her meds & was in a really bad way. I helped her out of the car & across the car park & into the building. She is worried that she will be found fit for work despite her doctor stating otherwise. The person we saw was a doctor & was actually very nice.  Also trying to apply for PIP, so that will be another assessment to go through.


Fingers crossed for her Mark.

Oddly, the PIP assessments weren't quite so bad, still stressful and your Missus will have to stay off her pills for the occasion, but they seemed less 'adversarial' to me when I saw them. First time was a home visit and second was at their offices when I had a friend with me. Having an escort may weigh in our favour.


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## Mark Parrott (Oct 8, 2016)

Thanks, Alison. We actually took a selfie outside the job centre to prove that l was there.


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## trophywench (Oct 8, 2016)

Good luck Alison!  By the way, why didn't you have a MAJOR panic attack? - I swear a lot of people do that, who don't suffer from them.  Trouble is of course - they are so debilitating if you do suffer from them they can cock things up for you for ages afterwards, so it's not actually advice - but it just makes me furious that so many do it.  (Yes I do know someone, in real life, unfortunately)


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## AlisonM (Oct 8, 2016)

In spite of the hysterical reports found in the media, the vast majority of people being dragged through this process are genuinely ill. They're not cheats, or liars, or pretending anything and they don't need to fake anything. What they do have to do is show what life is like on their worst day and, for most, the only way to do that is to forgo the medications they usually take in order that the examiners get a true picture of the situation. Such is often the case with ordinary medical examinations as well, though there, the medics will actively ask you not to take anything for a space of time beforehand.

As for panic attacks, I'm sitting here this evening with my stomach tied in knots trying not to be sick again. No need for pretence there, it's very real and really exhausting. I'm tired and in great pain and probably over-reacting, but it needs to be said again. Most people being put through this nightmare are genuinely ill and the cheats are actually very few and far between.


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## Northerner (Oct 9, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> Most people being put through this nightmare are genuinely ill and the cheats are actually very few and far between.


It's despicable and uncaring. They could save more money by cutting winter fuel payments to rich pensioners. Or how about using all those resources to chase companies/rich individuals who are dodging tax? Or only allowing basic rate tax relief on pension payments to higher-rate tax payers? I will never support any politician who thinks that 'collateral damage' i.e. genuinely ill people being treated badly in order to unearth a fraction who are cheating the system, is acceptable  

I hope that things go much better than you fear {{{HUGS}}}


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## grovesy (Oct 9, 2016)

I have heard it argued that cutting winter fuel payments to the rich pensioners would cost more than it would save!


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## Northerner (Oct 9, 2016)

grovesy said:


> I have heard it argued that cutting winter fuel payments to the rich pensioners would cost more than it would save!


I've heard this argument too, but surely if a pensioner is paying higher rate tax  then you can just claim it back through the tax system. You can be sure that if it was politically expedient they'd find a way. And I am certainly not convinced that this 'money-saving' effort of work capability assessments is saving any money  Maybe if they weren't so willing to line the pockets of private landlords with housing benefits and invested in more social housing they could save £10bn a year? They've failed to address the housing shortage because they don't want to upset home-owners by reducing their property values, plus the house price growth contributes greatly to this supposed 'strong growth economy' we're supposed to have.  They have made a political choice to scapegoat people receiving benefits


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## grovesy (Oct 9, 2016)

I think the argue it is the administration costs!


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## Pumper_Sue (Oct 9, 2016)

Northerner said:


> Maybe if they weren't so willing to line the pockets of private landlords with housing benefits and invested in more social housing they could save £10bn a year? They've failed to address the housing shortage because they don't want to upset home-owners by reducing their property values, plus the house price growth contributes greatly to this supposed 'strong growth economy' we're supposed to have.  They have made a political choice to scapegoat people receiving benefits


If it wasn't for private landlords many people including me would be on the streets.
I was quite firmly told the only way I could have social housing was to stay single and have child. Housing benefits are capped as well so it's not a simple as it sounds.


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## Marsbartoastie (Oct 9, 2016)

My parents fall into the 'better off pensioner' category and qualify for the winter fuel payment.  They both worked all their lives and PAYE was deducted from their earnings at source.  They now pay tax on their savings every year.  They are therefore being taxed multiple times on the same earnings.  If more money is required the 'powers that be' should put their hands in the pockets of rich individuals and corporate tax evaders.


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## Andy HB (Oct 9, 2016)

Pumper_Sue said:


> If it wasn't for private landlords many people including me would be on the streets.
> I was quite firmly told the only way I could have social housing was to stay single and have child. Housing benefits are capped as well so it's not a simple as it sounds.


I am a private landlord and actually agree with Northerner about housing benefits (HB).

One of our tenants receives HB and I'd much rather have a tenant who doesn't. The flat is near Croydon and the amount of HB is eye-wateringly high. But, that is the going rate for flats these days. We even kept the rent the same for two years! 

Social housing is the way to go. I agree.

Andy


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## Northerner (Oct 9, 2016)

I've absolutely nothing against private landlords, I rented for many years, but the point about renting when I was doing it was that it was cheaper than buying and you could put up with not owning if it meant you could save for a house of your own. Nowadays, because of the largely captive market, rents are often higher than a mortgage, and deposits for houses beyond the reach of an increasing number of people. Tenancies also have poorer T&Cs so there is less security. There's a whole new industry in letting fees that didn't exist, even when I came to Southampton and rented in 1999 - all I paid was a month's advance rent. The point is that successive governments since Thatcher have diminished the choice  Even now the government are offering incentives to buy, which only pushes prices higher, and forcing the sale of HA homes under extended right to buy - it is NOT doing anything to address the problem that people have finding somewhere to live


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## Pumper_Sue (Oct 9, 2016)

Northerner said:


> I've absolutely nothing against private landlords, I rented for many years, but the point about renting when I was doing it was that it was cheaper than buying and you could put up with not owning if it meant you could save for a house of your own. Nowadays, because of the largely captive market, rents are often higher than a mortgage, and deposits for houses beyond the reach of an increasing number of people. Tenancies also have poorer T&Cs so there is less security. There's a whole new industry in letting fees that didn't exist, even when I came to Southampton and rented in 1999 - all I paid was a month's advance rent. The point is that successive governments since Thatcher have diminished the choice  Even now the government are offering incentives to buy, which only pushes prices higher, and forcing the sale of HA homes under extended right to buy - it is NOT doing anything to address the problem that people have finding somewhere to live



I must be very lucky as my rent is below market rental and have had the same landlord since 1982 and moved house 3 times


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## Mark Parrott (Oct 9, 2016)

We rent & ours is also well below the market rental.  Think our Landlord is scared we'll move out if he put the rent up.


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## trophywench (Oct 9, 2016)

Alison - I know what you are saying to be absolutely true - however having genuinely sick/disabled people in the close family as well as the one that isn't, makes me despise her even more.  I know there are people like her, since she has been doing it for years.  She is one of the ones who has ALWAYS thought she's cleverer than ALL the authorities.

However, what goes round, definitely comes round - also proving that everything comes to he who waits.  If she wasn't a relative - I'd be cock a hoop that it has just done that.


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## mikeyB (Oct 10, 2016)

I'll tell you who I blame for all this. Margaret Thatcher. I'll tell you why (and this was told to me by a high up in the DWP). When all the miners were thrown out of work, something like 80% of them walked out of the mines, straight down to the doctors on to the long term sick. Not on the unemployment figures, you see. This was followed by police, who retired in numbers due to stress, as did teachers. Same thing applied, not on the unemployment figures.

This reached such a pass in the early 90s that the DWP got brassed off at paying benefits to all these apparently fit people. This lead to the mantra of the "All work test". That is, if you left a job because of the stress of that job, that doesn't mean you are unfit for all jobs. Countless thousands were mopped up in this exercise, to play their part in paying taxes.

We are now at the end stage of that thinking. Anybody on long term sickness benefits is fair game. The DLA system was considered too liberal in its allowance of higher rate care and mobility, so PIP was introduced with its restrictive perameters of what it means to be disabled. Or, more accurately, what they think it means to be disabled. They take no account of the psychological effects of disability. They deliberately use no questions about your life and social circumstances, or disease variability.

It can't be to save money, there's loads of money around to pay for weapons of war, and total war.

Targeting the disabled is not a new sport. Hitler did it too. Now the Tories want to know how many immigrants you employ. Substitute the word "Jew" for "immigrant", and you can see the direction in which this once free and welcoming country is going. How did we come to this?


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## KookyCat (Oct 10, 2016)

All of these assessments are meant to be intimidating, systematic degradation is a finely tuned instrument of social control, used very effectively I might add in many countries.  The theory is you make it intimidating and degrading so people won't do it unless they have to.  Problem there is of course you're assuming that those who don't have to feel shame.  They don't.  The small minority who shaft the system don't give a tuppence about anyone else but themselves and wear their triumph over the system like a badge, so all it does is stress and intimidate genuine people who have no other avenue to follow.  They know this but don't care because it makes the political party at the root of it look like they're fighting hard against cheats.  In fact that's really the only reason to continue with it because it costs them a fortune.  All that press about people having to fight for a mobility car, people with degenerative diseases having to fight because they haven't degenerated enough, it all talks to the hardline they want to promote.  The simple fact of the matter is, they will never design a system that can't be abused, if someone wants to abuse it they will, so they should stop trying and concentrate in a system that helps the 99.9% of people who genuinely need support, rather than fixating on the minority.  

Alison sock it to em, remember it's not about how valid you are as a person, it's just a vile game of numbers.  I sincerely hope there's no need for an appeal, and it's all over soon.  I also hope that someone in policy making reads this and spends even five minutes wondering what they're doing with their life whilst sipping their expensive latte and wondering how they can make it appear like they've saved money....one can but hope.


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## AlisonM (Oct 10, 2016)

Take last night as an example, it was a doozy. I spent around 5 hours in the wee room being very, very ill - at both ends. The pain in my guts had me in tears of agony and my numbers went through the roof (got up to 18.1), I thought for a while the infernal (duodenal) ulcer was back but things have calmed down and there's no sign of bleeding so I reckon it's just stress upsetting things. I was still awake at 8am this morning waiting for the pills to kick in, I took the full dose I'm allowed of both Tramadol and Gabapentin and finally fell asleep around 10am. At least that's the last time I looked at the clock before the drugs knocked me out. I've been tossing and turning and having nightmares (daymares?) ever since all say and haven't moved from my bed yet, save to fill my tea flask. Numbers are back where they belong in the 6s but I feel totally drained and sore, and tearful. My internal muscles ache from all the hard work last night and I've got a few bruises from a minor fall when I landed on my bad hip. I should be nicely multi-coloured by Thursday so I can show the Grand Inquisitor. All in all, I'm feeling very sorry for myself.


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## Amigo (Oct 10, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> In spite of the hysterical reports found in the media, the vast majority of people being dragged through this process are genuinely ill. They're not cheats, or liars, or pretending anything and they don't need to fake anything. What they do have to do is show what life is like on their worst day and, for most, the only way to do that is to forgo the medications they usually take in order that the examiners get a true picture of the situation. Such is often the case with ordinary medical examinations as well, though there, the medics will actively ask you not to take anything for a space of time beforehand.
> 
> As for panic attacks, I'm sitting here this evening with my stomach tied in knots trying not to be sick again. No need for pretence there, it's very real and really exhausting. I'm tired and in great pain and probably over-reacting, but it needs to be said again. Most people being put through this nightmare are genuinely ill and the cheats are actually very few and far between.



I feel for you Alison, it's a very stressful and guilt inducing experience for people who should feel no guilt. Unfortunately there are some very clever cheats but they don't worry so much!

I once took my late dad for a DLA assessment (mobility component) and the doctor made him climb some little steps even though he had severe COPD. He became so breathless and unwell that the assessing doctor nearly had a panic attack especially when I launched into him. I asked him if I had been necessary to nearly kill him to prove a point. Needless to say it was approved immediately.

I wish you well.


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## mikeyB (Oct 12, 2016)

I thought I'd take a break from duties in the Banting and Best to wish you from the bottom of my heart the very best of luck in tomorrow's encounter with the forces of darkness, Alison. My fingers will be crossed from lunchtime onwards.

Mike xxx


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## grovesy (Oct 12, 2016)

Hope your appointment goes without too much stress!


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## Ljc (Oct 12, 2016)

I hope you get a pleasant supprise tomorrow rather than what you are expecting.


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## Northerner (Oct 12, 2016)

Adding my best wishes for a successful encounter


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## Rosiecarmel (Oct 12, 2016)

Sending as much luck and positive vibes I can muster for tomorrow


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## Mark Parrott (Oct 12, 2016)

Best of luck, Alison. Let us know how you get on.


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## AlisonM (Oct 12, 2016)

Thank you everyone. I'll let you know how it goes.


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## trophywench (Oct 12, 2016)

Sending you good luck Alison, like we have had today - hopefully it will get there in time.


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## Robin (Oct 13, 2016)

OOh, seen this late, Good luck today, hope it all goes/ went well.


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## Stitch147 (Oct 13, 2016)

Good luck today Alsion. Fingers, toes and everything else crossed for you.


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## AlisonM (Oct 13, 2016)

I got out alive. More later.


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## Northerner (Oct 13, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> I got out alive. More later.


Did they, though?


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## newbs (Oct 13, 2016)

I really hope it went ok Alison, I really feel for you - my Mum had to go through the same thing again on Monday.  Also had the rude letter you received as she changed the appointment to a time when I could go with her.  She did have a panic attack mid 'interview' but not as bad as she has had before but not sure if this is good or not.  The trick questions and way they twist things really gets me.  The room was full of people just like my Mum, people who really can't go out to work, one lady who has literally just finished chemo.  Where are all those people that we all see everyday, the ones who do nothing, claim benefits and are as fit as a fiddle (but pretend not to be)?!  Makes me sick.  I really hope for a good and sensible outcome for you this time.


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## AlisonM (Oct 13, 2016)

I'm home. The Inquisition was no fun at all and I'm in considerable pain as a result. The questions were very clearly weighted to make me seem stronger than I am, not the sort of game you want to play with a psychologist, but it was still very hard to get my points across. The physical part was the worst, she wanted me to stand up and bend down to run my hands down my calves - we'd just discussed the vertigo and how I tend to fall over when I bend. Now it's done though and I just have to wait "a few weeks" for the decision. Please dog, don't make me take this to appeal... again.

The woman was at least and RGN, or so she said.

The good bit was having the BFF there and we went out for a late lunch after which was ace. We don't get to see each other very  often cos she lives south of the border down Peterborough way*, though she's talking about coming home soon. I'd love that.

* Doesn't have quite the same ring to it eh?


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## Hazel (Oct 13, 2016)

Thanks for the update Alison, sorry to read they put you through the wringer.

Please join me at the 'pub' and join me with a large brandy


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## Lindarose (Oct 13, 2016)

Glad you got through the ordeal Amanda. Here's hoping for a good outcome


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## AlisonM (Oct 13, 2016)

Lindarose said:


> Glad you got through the ordeal Amanda. Here's hoping for a good outcome


? Eh ?


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## Lindarose (Oct 13, 2016)

Sorry Alison  my mistake!


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## AlisonM (Oct 13, 2016)

Lindarose said:


> Sorry Alison  my mistake!


LOL, yer fergiven.


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## grovesy (Oct 13, 2016)

I bet your glad it is over! Hope you don't have to appeal!


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## Northerner (Oct 13, 2016)

Hope there's none of this appeals shenanigans to go through  Glad you have company to help put the ordeal out of your mind


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## Ljc (Oct 13, 2016)

I'm keeping everything crossed for you. Alison.


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## Mark Parrott (Oct 13, 2016)

Everything crossed, Alison. My wife had to try doing things like lifting her arms & stuff. She couldn't do anything.


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## AlisonM (Oct 13, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> Everything crossed, Alison. My wife had to try doing things like lifting her arms & stuff. She couldn't do anything.


Me, and try to clasp my hands behind my back (not a chance).


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## mikeyB (Oct 14, 2016)

How are you feeling this morning after your performing monkey act demanded by the DWP? Muscles aching where you didn't know you had muscles?  They've probably sent your report to the Office of Creative Fiction by now.


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## AlisonM (Oct 14, 2016)

mikeyB said:


> How are you feeling this morning after your performing monkey act demanded by the DWP? Muscles aching where you didn't know you had muscles?  They've probably sent your report to the Office of Creative Fiction by now.


Yes, exactly! I had a terrible night with a lot of pain that the pills hardly touched. I'm doped up to the eyeballs and still hurting. I think I'll be visiting the OFC in three or four weeks once the Inquisition has submitted it's fairy tale.


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