Hi,
I guess im a new comer again. I think i was a member a few years ago so hi.
1. Right start, 11 years ago i had a severe mental breakdown, well 2 severe breakdowns. Winding me up in several mental health hospitals under section 3's and police section. If i wind things forward, ive come a long way, still under powerful medication. Diazapam, tramadol, depakote, zopiclone, very high levels of the anti psychotic quitiepine etc. i have psychosis, bi polar and little things like personality disorder agrophobia. I am highly functional, which sounds impressive, i know! oh and monthly visits to a consultant psychiatrist.
2. 5 years ago i had to take a bearing load of almost 2/3rds of a ton. It was a steel girder, all was fine until day after and wham back pains. Last year, 2011 i was refered to my GP to rhematology clinic as the pain was actually getting sharp. After 2xreays and MRI and blood test its not rheumatoid artheritis but was spinal discs s1,s2,l3,l4,l5 have erroded and sitting on nerves. Now over the 5 years ive seen physios, water therapy, osteopaths, and onto chiropractitioners now. The pain has caused me now at 40 to near unable to walk, permenant pain, i mean lightning stricking through my back standing sitting, in bed and walking is well under 25 yards and i need a breather. I use a walking stick and now a wheel chair. I thought all my life i would be big macho man at over 6ft huge arms and now a feather would knock me down, i stumble so lots of things fitted by OT and carers. Now.on co dydramol, tramadol, amatryptiline, metha carbamol. I cant take any NSAID as a severe stomach problem.
Ok i was recommended to reapply to DLA because my needs were severe as been on low low. So filled in forms and sent off and just before xmas 2011 i was awarded high high DLA, wow so a car i could get in so my agrophobia started to settle, i can visit my kids and just started to see the brighter side of life. I got a letter around new year saying a ATOS doctor would visit me. A couple of weeks later i got a letter saying they have removed my status as low low, i loose the car and would need to appeal. When speaking to DLA they said it was a GP letter. Of course i asked for all the bundles to begin fileing for an appeal. It took them 3 weeks to send me the decision letters. By then i had already got letters from doctors, chiropractitioner and psychiatry and carers.
Receving all the bundles i rad my ATOS doctors report and it said exactly what was wrong, close to impossible movement, cant sit, move sleep for long cook it really was a positive 16 page assesment. DLA requested to rhematology clinic for a report, first the doctor who wrote my symtoms in the DLA form, i had never met. Second my case with the clinic was closed back in july 2011. On another form called a dbd 685, ithink! Basically a GM asking a nurse from DLA her opinion which said only minor difficulties. Now on this form typed in one of the boxes, it said somethings are slightly different and can they find a way of reducing the benefit. Then a hand written bit was put on the form, basically ignoring their ATOS doctor report.
I am hurt and in shock i feel so let down but who to turn to. I have already sent appeal bits back by secure delivery. Now a waiting game. I loose the car in just over a week so im housebound again. Where has the humanity gone for the disabled. After that dbd document my faith is lost.
Anyway anyone had anything similar or works for disabled people or welfare, or people with experience would be great.
Sorry for waffling
Marc
