They couldn't even get my illness right! — Scope | Disability forum
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They couldn't even get my illness right!

lolaboots
lolaboots Community member Posts: 32 Connected
After claiming esa for a number of years,last week i was told it was being stopped following a medical assessment i had last month.
I asked for a copy of the Healthcare Professional's assessment report and was pretty amazed to find her stating i claimed to be suffering from Myalgia which is complete rubbish!
What i actually said was i have Meralgia(meralgia parasthetica).
Quite aside from the highly offensive notes with regard to anyone with a mental illness,surely that alone is cause for an MR?

Comments

  • whistles
    whistles Community member Posts: 1,583 Disability Gamechanger
    Esa is about your ability to work and scores points.
    I would mr because I could prove I score points where they say I don't- bearing in mind the support group has its own criteria, so you need to show you need to be in that if you were. 
    I don't know if it's solely based on your condition. 
    Do not follow me, I don't know where I am going.
  • lolaboots
    lolaboots Community member Posts: 32 Connected
    It's not a good sign though,is it?They've been assessing me with regards symptoms to an illness i don't have and not looking for evidence of symptoms to one i do!
  • Ripples
    Ripples Community member Posts: 189 Pioneering
    I would always go for a mandatory reconsideration. It's best to concentrate on what you are contesting and not on the person who did the assessment as you can complain about them seperately.
  • lolaboots
    lolaboots Community member Posts: 32 Connected
    edited June 2018
    Definitely.My mr is written but on taking it to the po,i find out the address/postcode the dwp sent me by text isn't valid so i'm now doing my most favourite thing,holding on the phone for them :#
  • whistles
    whistles Community member Posts: 1,583 Disability Gamechanger
    lolaboots said:
    It's not a good sign though,is it?They've been assessing me with regards symptoms to an illness i don't have and not looking for evidence of symptoms to one i do!
    Not sure how true that would be. The medical person and dm is unlikely to be familiar with every condition. 
    I haven't heard of yours if I'm honest.
    I do know about anxiety but even that effects everyone ina different way. 

    Are they moving you to wrag group or wanting you to claim UC? 
    It still sucks though.
    Do not follow me, I don't know where I am going.
  • lolaboots
    lolaboots Community member Posts: 32 Connected
    edited June 2018
    I had never heard of it either but i have actually heard of Myalgia,the one i don't have.But then,i'm not a registered nurse.I sat in front of her and described my symptoms and it amazes me that she didn't blink,the symptoms for Myalgia are totally different from Meralgia.
    Other symptoms for Myalgia include headaches,fatigue,problems with memory and confused speech etc.None of these affect people with Meralgia.Notes in my report included 'not prescribed pain killers' and 'not been referred to physio'.
    Those would both be helpful if i had Myalgia as an illness as exercise has been found to be a great relief to the pain.
    With Meralgia however,resting is what most doctor's recommend!
    I just think someone in that position should be certain they are on the same page with the person being assessed and maybe listening to them would help too!
    I had to look into the benefits issue myself,they just told me the esa was stopping and to visit gov.uk if i wasn't working :)
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 273 Pioneering
    Hi lolaboots

    How frustrating for you.

    As others have said, you need to ask for a mandatory reconsideration, concentrating on the descriptor points you should have scored - and/ or the exceptional conditions, and make sure if possible that you have good medical evidence demonstrating the points you have raised. This is a much more useful approach than commenting at length about the poor assessment, though of course  I would say that it was inaccurate due to a mistake about the conditon under discussion!  (What a  bad "mistake" that is, almost unbelievable).

    Good luck,

    Gill_Scope


  • lolaboots
    lolaboots Community member Posts: 32 Connected
    @Gill_Scope As i mentioned previously,the mr has been written,put into it's envelope and taken to the po once today only to be turned away,the poor thing.After an hour on hold with DWP,i now have what i really hope is the correct postal address so i can do something useful and tootle off to post it >:)
  • whistles
    whistles Community member Posts: 1,583 Disability Gamechanger
    What kinda stands out for me and I could be wrong here.
    But those of us with longterm issues are still expected to be receiving outside help for the condition. It goes against you if you don't.
    The only time I expect to be referred on is if there is a significant change/ deterioration to how things are. 
    You do get discharged. 

    It was commented that my pain relief is low. So it's working then!! In fact that's been discontinued. We all have different coping mechanisms and I wanted off those meds.
    Do not follow me, I don't know where I am going.

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