Blue badge

Melrymax
Melrymax Member Posts: 226
edited 1. Aug 2011, 08:07 in Living with Arthritis archive
I applied for a blue badge as some days a really struggle to walk and can't really go anywhere. Well I had a call of the doc today about it asking about walking etc and when I saw her last week I could barely walk, and today with the form she has said that my OA pain is not long term in the same sense of what the blue badge is for?!?!? how does that figure as my bone is hardly going to fix itself without ops or anything. And asked me how far I can walk on a good day and I said for about 10-15 mins but that is with pain, so she is just putting on the form that I have intermittant walking problems. Is plodding along not good enough? Do I need to be bed bound before I get support?

Comments

  • weejean
    weejean Member Posts: 346
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Melrymax

    I am so sorry that your GP is treating you this way. I have had osteoarthritis since childhood and I was not aware it was a short term condition, mine is certainly getting worse as I get older and neither my GP nor my surgeons give me the impression that it will someday be cured. To be honest I think the best thing you could do is change doctors to one who knows what arthritis is and how it affects your life. Dont give up, get a second opinion. Hope everything works out for you.

    Love
    Jean x
    Big Hugs
    Jean xx
  • sbolam
    sbolam Member Posts: 374
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    thats just horrible..my GP was not very helpful..so I complained and changed GP..and now have a good one who listens to what I am saying and understands when I say I am in PAIN...
    04_pain.jpg
  • tiggernut
    tiggernut Member Posts: 339
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    How ridiculous!! Change your Doctor. We all know that Arthritis does not improve with age.
    Good luck,
    Anita.
  • Melrymax
    Melrymax Member Posts: 226
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Ok, just had a thought about this. Or the blue badge pain is meant to be expected for a further 3 months. Well my pain started 9 years ago and me being told nothing is wrong with me Diagnosis was in feb/march and so has already lasted 3 months from diagnosis. Am really baffled about this ?
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    mel
    Like the others have said see if you can get a better GP, I did and have never looked back....you try again it is rubbish what they are saying.
    Good Luck with it.
    Love
    Barbara
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,027
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Annoying isn't it?

    Let's hope it's enough for you to get your badge at least.

    It is supposed to be how far you can walk without pain l think so your doc isn't quite getting it :roll:

    Let us know if you get your badge ok.

    Love

    Toni xx
  • sbolam
    sbolam Member Posts: 374
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Good luck, I sent my application off Wednesday, and I am not on DLA so upto My GP. I have had trouble really since i was 17 with my knees (mainy my right one) but over the last few years its gotten bad..yet I finally got a proper diagnosis in januarary after I changed GP...far more understanding and actually listens to my..

    but now really its got to a point where its hit me (in denial), and finally went to get help and support....

    stephen
    04_pain.jpg
  • hileena111
    hileena111 Member Posts: 7,099
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    Like everyone else...change your doc...I did and never looked back.....I was due 2 hip replacements at the time I applied for mine but also had OA in lower spine .....my doc told me to report it when I had had my 2 replacements because I wouldnt need a blue badge then :eek: As it happens I have hd one replacement but never had the 2nd one yet so it hasnt been reported

    Love
    Hileena
  • sbolam
    sbolam Member Posts: 374
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Changing my GP was the best thing I had done i along while, I now feel things are getting somewhere.
    04_pain.jpg
  • Melrymax
    Melrymax Member Posts: 226
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I must say I am surprised.....NOT
    I got a letter stating I wasn't eligible for a badge because I can walk more than 100 meters without stopping or discomfort. On an extremely good day this may be the case. But days like this don't happen very often. And the second reason is because my restricted mobility is intermittent!!!
  • hileena111
    hileena111 Member Posts: 7,099
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Try filling in the form again and thinking of your worse day....not your best or in between day.
    I could understand that if it was DLA....I know I was refused but not a blue badge!!!!!! :shock:

    Love
    Hileena
  • Melrymax
    Melrymax Member Posts: 226
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I did do hileena. What I put there is what the doc said.... But when has the doc seen me mobile apart from walking from one chair at the door of her room to the chair in her room!
  • hileena111
    hileena111 Member Posts: 7,099
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    Well I dont know then :eek: ....{apart from at the minute} I have OA in hips and spine nd dont usually even use a stick....carry a folding one in my bag...
    OK I cant go very far but I've got a blue badge which I use when I need it and dont if I dont need it. Very grateful for it at the moment because i'm on crutches....{fractured pelvis} and can only do about a dozen steps even with the crutches I know they wouldnt give it to me for that because thats not a permanent thing {hopefully :wink: } but i do need it.
    Good luck....hope you do get it

    Love
    Hileena
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    It's a very difficult thing to assess, BB's are not just for those with walking problems tho. I often see people who hve a BB but effectively leap from their cars and stride into supermarkets with nary a stick or crutch in sight, so I can only conclude they have it for other medical conditions or they've nicked someone else's!

    I think the powers-that-be have focused on your 'good days' answer and used that as their reasoning in refusing you, and from their pont of view rightly so. Let it drop for a while, then re-apply and stress the bad days repeatedly - hopefully you will get the outcome you desire. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi

    Okay this puzzles me to say the least...I have ostecochondritis dessicans of left knee, have had it since teens, now 42, since age of 41 knee has got very bad but I can walk for 15-20mins.....
    I went to see not my normal doctor and he said "sooner or later they are going to have to treat your knee"....He told me there and then to apply for blue badge, gave me a number. I went out of doctors into car park, rang number, guy on end of phone asked me five or more questions which i answered honestly and they then sent me a form asking for minimal fee of £2.00 or £3.00 which i sent back with passport photo and i had my BB within 10- 14 days....
    I think it depends honestlly where you live as ive heard this story before but cannot understand why some make it so hard...

    Good luck

    Elainex
    Melrymax wrote:
    I applied for a blue badge as some days a really struggle to walk and can't really go anywhere. Well I had a call of the doc today about it asking about walking etc and when I saw her last week I could barely walk, and today with the form she has said that my OA pain is not long term in the same sense of what the blue badge is for?!?!? how does that figure as my bone is hardly going to fix itself without ops or anything. And asked me how far I can walk on a good day and I said for about 10-15 mins but that is with pain, so she is just putting on the form that I have intermittant walking problems. Is plodding along not good enough? Do I need to be bed bound before I get support?
  • jules44
    jules44 Member Posts: 26
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I applied for a blue badge and was refused as they said that I had to have problems with my hands, wrists or arms! I reapplied and now have got one, I didnt have to go to my doc for this I simply filled out the form and sent it to the local council blue badge scheme department, doc told me that they no longer had anything to do with the blue badge scheme. If you have to go to your doc to get a blue badge then you should change your GP to one who is willing to work with you and to understand your needs. I have changed my GP and have one who is really good and understands my difficulties.

    I also agree I have seen people park in disabled spaces and leap out of their cars and more or less run off towards the supermarket or to the nearest shop!!!!!!!!!

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