Should I claim PIP

dinkybeat

Hello just found this informative sight via searching google and thought I would join to ask is it worth me claiming PIP.
This is a long story I am 50 now but it started early 30's with anxiety, depression, lower back pain and chronic tension headaches (plus pains to my right side which I found to be cysts on my kidney).
A few years had past, I lost my job and found these conditions where getting worse so I was sent for xrays and a MRI and was told at the time I had mild arthritis of the lower back (degenerative bone disease) and cervical spondylosis plus TMJd and chronic cystitis, my old doctor said I had fybromylgia just by listening to my problems. I was finding it hard to get/find a job that would accept my conditions and as I enjoyed buying & selling I decided to start up as a sole trader on ebay plus I could work at my own leisure as mornings it would take me an hour or two to get motivated due ot pain. This was in 2007 and have done ok and have never claimed anything for my conditions as I didnt think I could until the past week, the reason I checked was over the past couple of years my arthritis is getting a lot worse and is controlling my life and job and personal life. I still do my job but my hours have dropped to just a few hours a week, winter is worse as I dont do anything due to the cold and I only work now when I'm not in pain or can be bothered (fed up), I rarely go out now (work & leisure) as the past year I have had even more problems with my hands (Spasticity and spasms), body spasms, right hip pain, both feet (bunions & plantar fasciitis) and right leg and its getting me down.
I dont go the docs much as TBH I feel as if Im wasting my time with him, he just says stop worrying about it and keep taking pain killers (nsaid & pregablin) as cant do anything for arthritis.
I went back again recently and again was sent to xray of my right hip (was ok but arthritis on my left hip), then physio but as I wasnt responding to I was sent to the rheumatologist and was given xrays of my hands and feet, blood tests and another mri.
I was told I had 6 bulging discs, (2 top, 2 middle and 2 lower) plus arthritis of the lower back and cervical spondylosis plus low in vitamin D, everything else was as expected, I assume due to age and the fact arthritis is in my family thats what they meant. Nothing was said about my hip but was told I didnt have rheumatoid arthritis just arthritis and was told a letter would be sent to my docs for referral to a pain clinic and to get Vit D tablets, I got neither BTW.
I went to my docs again and was basically told if I needed anymore pain killers to just let them know.
So as this is effecting my job should I claim PIP, I assumed you couldnt if you worked hence why I have never claimed anything, DLA or PIP. Thanks

[Deleted User]

Hello dinkybeat and welcome to the forums from the moderation team If you have any problems at all using the forum, please do send us a personal message.

Reading your post I can see you do seem to have an awful lot going on with your health. Many of the conditions you mention are shared by existing members, so I know you will great a great deal of support from them.

You are asking whether or not to apply for Personal Independence Payment. I am sure the members on here will be able to share personal experience of claiming PIP, but I am attaching our link on benefits:

https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/what-is-arthritis/resources/646-benefits-you-can-claim

I hope you find it useful, wish you the best of luck and hope you will keep in touch to let us know how you get on.

Ellen.

daffy2

Hi dinkybeat and welcome to the forum.I'm just one of the forum members and not at the benefits stage yet so I can't answer your question I'm afraid, but reading through your post I did pick up on the VitD issue. I don't know how low your levels are - do you have a copy of the results?- but I would suggest you follow it up as that will not be helping your health . I have problems with VitD, picked up as part of trying to get to grips with an osteoporosis diagnosis, and was surprised at how much better I felt, especially the aching muscles, once my levels came up(they were very low,a surprise as I'd spent much of the summer outside and have a good diet). I use over the counter D3 tablets from a well known High Street store which has a permanent 3 for 2 offer which is inexpensive.Although I can get free prescriptions now I haven't tried getting them that way as the GP would want me to take the ones with calcium for the OP and I don't need that(enough from my diet).

dinkybeat

Hi daffy, iirc it was 42/70 or 42 but should be 70. I was told I would get a prescription for vitD which I never did, doc didn't even mention it when I went to see him. As soon as I was told it was low I did a bit of research and bought D3 5000IU. I was going to get 10000 as the hospital said I need a boost at first but reading up this would have caused more problems so got the 5k.

stickywicket

I don't know much about such things but I do know that Citizens' Advice are a great source of help. If you tell them the facts they might be able to point you in the right direction for this and / or other benefits.

I don't know if this government site would help. https://www.gov.uk/pip/how-to-claim

Good luck with it all.