Suggested I try applying for DLA

josiec

Hi, will try and sneak this on before the forum goes down! :shock: I have moved GP recently and have been for a medication review today. He asked lots of questions and asked if I'd ever considered registering as disabled. I asked him if he meant DLA and said that I hadn't as I really didn't think I'd get it and wondered whether my consultant would back up my claim as I am quite sure he thinks I'm not so bad and he sees others far worse. Nobody has ever mentioned it to me before. The GP said to put him down as the contact and once all my notes catch me up he'll be able to do it-nothing lost by trying and all that. I'm not sure whether I should or not-I suppose I feel a bit fraudulent and without a clear diagnosis I don't think I'll get very far. What are your thoughts please?? :shock: :shock: Thanks, Josie

eckstardeluxe

josiec wrote:

Hi, will try and sneak this on before the forum goes down! :shock: I have moved GP recently and have been for a medication review today. He asked lots of questions and asked if I'd ever considered registering as disabled. I asked him if he meant DLA and said that I hadn't as I really didn't think I'd get it and wondered whether my consultant would back up my claim as I am quite sure he thinks I'm not so bad and he sees others far worse. Nobody has ever mentioned it to me before. The GP said to put him down as the contact and once all my notes catch me up he'll be able to do it-nothing lost by trying and all that. I'm not sure whether I should or not-I suppose I feel a bit fraudulent and without a clear diagnosis I don't think I'll get very far. What are your thoughts please?? :shock: :shock: Thanks, Josie

Josie it's normal to feel this way. They will contact your Dr at the first instance as it only costs £24 I believe a Consultant's view can be in the high hundreds. If your Dr said it to you as mine did at first then they must feel you are deserving. I have it now but they sent the letter to the wrong Dr at first. Having had a letter from the correct one the DLA reversed their decision. Having good support from your GP is a high factor, and if you don't try you'll never know.

Good luck x

woodbon

Hi, It sounds as if you have a really good GP. I can understand how you fee, but with the gP suggesting it, then you can't really have better support! I hope you do apply and get it as its not a gift, its your RIGHT. Love Sue

kernow

Yes apply my consultant and GP both backed up my claim, but I would advise you to get help filling it in , I got help from the CAB and was awarded highest mobility and low care. The person at the CAB who helped me had filled in over 3000 applications for other people and knew just what to say in the right way.

Good Luck

Ray 8)

josiec

Hi,
Yes, I am very pleased I've changed GP-it is a new surgery five mins walk away that's just opened and has pleasant staff and working-friendly opening hours: so different than my previous one! Apparently they've had a lot of people transfer which speaks volumes! Anyway, the DLA-I suppose my uncertainness is because my mobility is mainly affected by one foot, and although I do get pain in hips and knees I have no medical evidence to support that. If that foot was fused there might be no pain. As it stands at the moment, I am in pain as soon as I start walking, but in theory if I had to keep walking for hours I probably could. Also, as I don't have a definate diagnosis I wonder if that will be detrimental. He did say though that as I had qualified for equipment at work through Access to Work that helps. Hmmm!! :shock: Hope you are okay

Thanks for your advice, Ray - your post hadn't come up when I started writing this one!

eckstardeluxe

josiec wrote:

Hi,
Yes, I am very pleased I've changed GP-it is a new surgery five mins walk away that's just opened and has pleasant staff and working-friendly opening hours: so different than my previous one! Apparently they've had a lot of people transfer which speaks volumes! Anyway, the DLA-I suppose my uncertainness is because my mobility is mainly affected by one foot, and although I do get pain in hips and knees I have no medical evidence to support that. If that foot was fused there might be no pain. As it stands at the moment, I am in pain as soon as I start walking, but in theory if I had to keep walking for hours I probably could. Also, as I don't have a definate diagnosis I wonder if that will be detrimental. He did say though that as I had qualified for equipment at work through Access to Work that helps. Hmmm!! :shock: Hope you are okay [=quote]


Josie what to remember when completing these forms is not what you have or your conditions but how they affect you. They ask how far you can walk without needing to stop or sit down because of the pain. It's best to actually go out one day and measure it or pay attention to it. You'd be very surprised how little you can go and many people tend to overestimate. I can walk round a supermarket for instance but I have to stop and often sit down on the little ledges and have shoppers staring at me. I was at a garden centre recently and had to crouch down and bend forwards to ease my spine, there was a massive crack (which alleviated the pain) but the poor old man next to me was like :shock:

Before I'd have suffered and walked on and then spent the rest of the day and subsequent days in agony. Now I know when to stop, just be honest when you complete the form if you find yourself in situations like this then tell them, don't feel you are scrounging or try to sound like you aren't wanting to be a scrounger. Be honest about how things affect you and think of your worst day.