What to do

jackie68
jackie68 Member Posts: 4
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:06 in Living with arthritis

For over a month I have been struggling with the pain in my knees. I find it hard to get about the house and struggle with my household chores . My osteoarthritis is at stage 4 now the last steroid injection I had lasted just a few weeks . I know it will be a long wait for any surgery so should I claim PIP or hold off for longer . Pain is physical and mentally draining me . I have always been so active and now I struggle with silly things

Comments

  • Jona
    Jona Member Posts: 406

    Hi jackie68,

    Welcome to the forum if you are going to claim pip contact your local cab as it is an absolute nightmare to navigate pip also I would get a copy of your medical notes from your gp as pip is how it affects you and what you can or cannot do if you can get any consultant letters too as much medical evidence as you can to support your claim there’s also a forum called turn2us have look at that

    good luck

    love Jona 😊💪

  • jackie68
    jackie68 Member Posts: 4

    Thank you . I have heard the form is a nightmare to do . I hate the thought and idea of saying what I can’t do when I have always been so active theses past few months it has hit me how much worse I have got im only 52

  • Jona
    Jona Member Posts: 406

    I was the same as you I have always valued my independence and just kept pushing myself until it really has come to crisis point and I’ve realised I can’t do things anymore my health comes first now but please get advice re pip not only did arthritis strip me of my self worth they took my dignity and humiliated me at every stage but that’s what they wanted don’t let that happen to you

    love Jona 😊💪

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help you with some of the extra costs if you have a long term physical or mental health condition or disability. The amount you get depends on how your condition affects you, not the condition itself. You’ll be assessed by a health professional to work out the level of help you can get. https://www.gov.uk/pip You also get assessed when applying for ESA. Have a chat with someone at the CAB as they have experience in applying for benefits for those who are disabled.

    My Sister has stage 4 OA in her knees as well as elsewhere, she lives alone and wears prescribed knee braces and a neck collar; she continues to work in a supermarket. There is an on-line self-test to assess whether you would qualify - https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/pip-self-test - my sister completed it honestly and was 1 point below the minimum required so cannot claim.

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