Quick PIP question

JPH

Hi all,

I feel as if I already know most of you

I joined here mid last year I think, then had a pc overhaul and didn't save user names/passwords to some of the newer sites i'd been in.. but at that time I didn't really have any questions myself, other than one i'd posted - so I just looked for the forum link again and have been reading through the forums, many of which have answered the questions I have now, a year or so later.

Its 8.23pm now and next meds are due at 9pm (yes, pain is that bad I clock watch)

I'll come back and introduce myself once meds have kicked in, but while its in my head I wanted to ask something

I received mynpip form today as I said, I read at a glance first that it mentions about supporting evidence I may have, then mentions several different kinds of specialists..

Do any of you know or have experience of the kind of "supporting evidence" its referring too ?

I'm having somewhat of a small panic that I may not have enough proof of my condition to qualify for pip.

As I said, I have been reading the forums for benefits issues and haven't seen anyone ask this yet (or I missed it), I did try to find an answer in the forums here first so as not to repeat what others had aalready asked and had answered I just hope now I haven't left it too let to get this evidence they want.

Slosh

Hi, first of all can I say hello to a fellow clock watcher!

As for supporting evidence I included copies of all my medical reports from hospital, copies of my Occupational health reports, and my access to work report . I also submitted evidence from my GP, physio and my Headteacher (I work in a school ) and kept an activity diary for a week focussing on my areas of difficulty. I also enclosed evidence of my meds.

I felt evidence from my GP and Head was especially useful as it reinforced what I had written about my day to day difficulties this evidence I got once I had the date for my assessment.

stickywicket

This might help
http://tinyurl.com/ncjw29w

JPH

Thanks for that slosh

Am trying not to panic, how long did it take you to get these reports together and how do I go about getting them?

As i've just moved house, the land line wasn't even on. I can't hold the phone receiver longer than a few minutes or I can't straighten my arm to put it down. I have to use a headset and skype.
This pip form went to my old house then forwarded to me. I don't know how long it was there and as my means of using skype wasn't available, plus the diary with pip and esa phone numbers were saved to skype, plus buried deep in some box diary, I couldn't let them know id moved.

I only have till 6th August to get this form back to them.

JPH

Brilliant!

StickyWicket you're a star!

stickywicket

I wonder which start I'd be? One of the lesser lights, I think Glad to be of help.

I can only hold the phone in my right hand against my left ear. Unconventional but easier on the elbows than the usual way.

Slosh

I had kept copies of all the reports I had so just copied those and kept a diary for a week. You are allowed to take additional information with you to the assessment so I got the GP, Head's and Physio reports for that along with an additional hospital report.

I also kept a copy of what I had written on my form.

Good luck

Rebeccarockchick

Hi JPH,

I recently claimed PIP. Any time I have ever been to hospital or podiatry or physio etc the specialists have always written a report and sent it to my Doctor so it is on file. I have asked for a copy to be sent to me each time or at every Doctors visit I have asked for the most recent letter to keep my reports updated. This way you eventually get quite a collection of documents that then can be used for PIP or what ever, plus I am kept in the loop as sometimes during visits it is hard to take everything in so it is a good way to remember everything. You could ask your Doctors for all copies of letters. I put all these reports in with my claim.

I also got my sister to write a supporting letter explaining the difficulties I have with daily living and mobility. I got my husband to write a letter also explaining my conditions and the impact it has on me. I think this helped back up my claim too.

I know what you mean tho, my mum who has osteoarthritis and chronic lymphedema doesn't have any medical reports apart from GP visits. She has only ever had one x ray years ago. She has never seen a Rheumy, she cannot go to physio, was discharged from pain management as cannot have injections or hydrotherapy so what evidence apart from a docs report would I send for my mum...I think tho it is not about the condition. As long as it is confirmed by the doctor, it is how the condition affects you so I would concentrate more on that.

I would also say list everything how ever small the ailment.
Hope it all goes ok
xx Becks

Slosh

It's interesting how hospitals differ. I always get copies sent to me by the hospital.

JPH

Thanks everyone for your help with this. I do have to phone pip today and let them know of change of address now i've informed esa -
even though esa said once they update their records on the change, it shows up on pip data on me too. But it also gives me chance to ask pip (and at recommpndation from esa) for a little extra time with the form duw to my moving house and the fact the form was delayed in reaching me as it went to the old place first before being forwarded to me.

I do have an appointment at 5.10pm today with my doc so armed with all the info and help everyone here has given, i'll go through the form, see what my doc can help with, bookmark that page and take the form with me. At the same time, i'll ask for a copy of all my records relating to this, no matter how small (thanks for that Becks)

oh wow that'll teach me for typing so much. I was just replying to SW in another thread on here, then started typing in here, i've just stopped for a moment and found that whilst typing, my hands have become hot and clammy and i hadn't noticed them swelling. I literally can't bend my fingers now or even come close to making a fist with my hands .. that'll teach me for rambling on too much. its never affected me like this before as my last job i was site manager for a web site with over 10 mil members, so was typing virtually non stop for several hours at a time without any problems. This is the first time its happened

I'm going to take a break from the pc, i have a few things i am able to do.. if i've forgotten anything on this post, i'll reread it when i come back in and add it then.

Hope your day is pain free and less problematic and many many thanks for all your help !

stickywicket

Do be careful about typing too much. Stop when you feel you have more left in you and, if you're unaware of how much is too much, time yourself. If you get stiff after 15 minutes try 10 next time. You can always save something and finish it off later.

JPH

Very good advice yes, i'll remember that one definitely!

Saw the doc this evening, I asked him to print off all the records he has copies of from everyone. I explained why, he said he knew of the pip form but that the one I showed him was newer than the last one he'd seen - he gave me copies of everything :-) (thanks slosh and the others who advised on that one)

Before I started posting in these forums again, as id said in my first post I think it was, I said i'd spent quite some time reading through the forums so I didn't join and immediately ask a question that had been answered so many times before.

One thing I did note was how often so many active members told the inactive and new joiners querying filling out the pip the same piece of advice.

"fill it out as if you were going through your worst time now "

I mention that now as I did give a little smile thinking of you all as the last words my doc said to me as i was getting up to leave were those very same words - word for word
:-)

I really can't thank you for all the help you've been and given me over the last 48 hours.

Enjoy your evening :-) (pain free or as close as possible)

JPH

Another pip question ( courtesy of prev input from members i didn't write this all in one go, it took me a few hours to write so my hands rested enoughvbetween typing)

I answered a question on my pip form saying ' no i didn't have any problems with filling my own meds tray or getting my own meds, other than the occassional tough packets that have what feels like re-inforced pods so pushing pills out is much harder than normal.

i now would like to change that. Over the past few days my husband and i have been finding random 60mg oxycontin tablets on the floor around the house, not just where i sit re-filling my box once a week. So its like they are dropping onto me, then onto the floor or they're sticking to the soles of my slippers and being trodden around the house. For us, this is extremely dangerous as we have two dogs, one who eats anything and everything even though he is fed more than he should be, the other is blind, so eats anything he finds that smells good. our blind dog oscar has been sick the last day or so, we're not sure now if hes munched on a pill he found
so now either i sit in the bath to do my meds, and have a good shake down after, or i relinquish the job over to hubby .... meaning i am no longer able to manage that part of taking my own meds.

i'd like to change that on my form, but am worried they'd either then postpone my claim, sending a new one back to me just to alter one question, or say no i can't change anything on it once its been submitted.

Does anyone know of this happening before (changing a submitted form), or have done this themselves successfully? or should i just leave it for now and just wait to see what the outcome of the submitted form is?

stickywicket

I don't know that PIP applications can be changed. My gut feeling is that you'd have to wait and, if necessary, put in on an appeal form.

However, I'm sure you can stay independent on this. You can buy (for £3-£4) a small device that pushes pills out. Personally, I just use a nail - turn the packet over, score round the pill with a nail, turn it back and push the pill out easily.

I have days when I can drop virtually everything I touch but I never lose a pill because they are so dangerous to others. I doubt your dogs have eaten any because, unless they are very big dogs, I suspect it could have killed them. Equally, if trodden outside, they could be picked up by small children with devastating consequences. If I drop a pill I pick it up immediately with my grabber stick. I don't see how it's possible to drop one and be unaware of it.

When filling your pill container either sit at a table or have your meds on a tray or biscuit tin lid on your knee. That way they can't roll off. Always fill the container when you're alert and don't watch TV or have any other distractions going on. (Shut the dogs out of the room.)

Preserving our independence is vital for our self-esteem but, for those of us on strong medication (you with your oxycontin and me with my methotrexate) it's also vital that we treat them with the respect they deserve. The two can be combined.

JPH

I'm having a really rough day today so will reply better later,
just wanted to post firstly to thank you for your advice - I'd really like to say more on that now, but my mind is being distracted by pain.
Didn't get much sleep either.

what you've posted here kind of relates to my woe is me thread,
so I'll reply there so as not to derail this one - if that makes sense

dreamdaisy

I keep all my meds in an easily sealed Tupperware kind of box and place the lid on my lap when dealing out my pills. I tried one of those seven day efforts but found the tedium of filling it every Sunday evening a chore too far, I easily lost my place and made things which weren't hurting hurt. Like Sticky I use the nail-score method, and they all have a safe landing onto the lid. I remove a sheet from the box, split the packing, swallow the tablet, replace the sheet then put the box on the bed so I know I've done it and move onto the next packet.

I am not familiar with adding information to the form, it may be worth contacting the agency that deals with these things and asking them if this can be done. If not then you may well have to wait until you appeal (I don't say this lightly but the majority of new applications appear to be refused first and granted later). DD

Rebeccarockchick

Hi. I don't know if it will put your mind at rest but citizens advice filled out my pip form and he wrote very little on it.(I did include all the reports etc that i mentioned in my previous post). He said the assessment you go to is the time and place to fully explain all the details and explain fully about each situation and if anything has changed since you have submitted the form you can tell them at the assessment. I thought that I would have a problem because he wrote so little but i was awarded without having to appeal. I do know this is not always the case and i did go in with the mindset that i was going to have to appeal that way it would be easier if it did actually come to that. When I went to the assessment I took copies of the forms I had filled in with notes. I took lists of what I wanted to say and what difficulties I have. The lady asked me to list each of my conditions and how it affects me.

There is no harm in ringing pip tho just to double check if you prefer.

You should note down anything you want to say and take your time. I know that your not in a good place and it is hard to focus on it at the moment hope things do improve even just slightly for you in the near future becks

JPH

i was hoping not to derail this pip question thread by discussing ailments.. it was just to know if anyone had done it themselves or knew of anyone who had

unfortunately i don't get any respite from my pains. i have agonising arthritis in both thumbs and all fingers, so i'm not able to put any kind of pressure on the pill poppers i've come across and i'm not able to hold pens or anything of the likes to stab the foil packing from the back. i haven't been able to hold or use a pen or even cutlery, or hold a proper cup in so long i can't remember the last time i even wrote something. if i were able to use the such like, i would have by now. i'm the kind who exhausts all avenues open to me before even considering asking for help, letalone anyones advice. t just happens that this is something i myself feel i need help with.

stickywicket

I might have a solution for you. (I should have. I started with RA in my fingers when I was 15 and have had 54 years of practice in finding solutions for hands )

Try wrapping this round the handles of things http://tinyurl.com/pavmllf

(And, if you want to know what my hands look like try having a glance at the pics on Lindalegs' thread on LWA. She has long maintained we're twins, separated at birth )

JPH

ahh yes, the foam tubing, i was recommended that back in 98' by my rheumatologist then, and now by my occ therapist.ee They do work really well, but prior to seeing the therapist, the only tubing i could get had an internal hole too wide for cutlery or pens, i've only recently been given the proper sized tubing by occ therapy.

Great for cutlery now, you're so right on that! i'm still learning to write again now using the tubing on my pens. My writing is as legible with the tubing as it is without it, but i'm persevering

stickywicket

When doing exams I trained myself to do all my prep work left-handed. It was barely legible but it saved my right hand for the important stuff. Every little helps