Put In The Support Group

After working for the same company for 35 years I had to leave through illness.

After leaving work I was put in the support group 3 years ago without an assessment.

I received a letter to have an assessment on the 5th November. I received my letter today saying that I had been placed in the support group. It also says that they will not ask me to go for another assessment unless there is a change in my health condition.

The assessment wasn't too bad apart from obviously stressing about it beforehand. The first thing the Doctor said was that he had been looking at my records and could not understand why I had been called in, because my records should speak for themselves. I said it may be because I had not been to see my GP for 18 months, mainly because whenever I ring at 8am, if you don't get through before 8 minutes past 8, all the appointments have gone and I cannot get an appointment, plus my neurology consultant cannot do anything for me so what's the Doctor going to do.

I have Myotonic disorders which basically means my legs can just stop working. I have to concentrate when I walk (well shuffle really) to make sure one leg will follow the other and not freeze. If it freezes I tend to lose my balance and fall. I am always in pain with my muscles (mainly legs) cramping and shaking.

I also have problems with my right hip which causes me more pain when walking.

I also have a severe restriction in my spinal cord at C6 and C7 and restriction in C4 and C5. This causes me back, shoulder, neck and arms pain.

I also have a shoulder problem, An operation helped but this still causes me pain and restricts how high I can lift my left arm.

I also have hypersensitivity of my left forearm and I cannot bend my thumb or index finger on my left hand. So i can't pick up a pound coin with this hand. This happened after my shoulder operation.

The Doctor said he had to go through the form because I had been called in but would only concentrate on the physical part. He asked some of the questions that the this site says they would ask, like how did I get there and did I come by myself. A friend dropped me outside the door and went to try and find somewhere to park, so I went in on my own. Why they don't have parking at these places is beyond me. He did not ask much at all really, I got the impression that he was genuine about me being called in.

I have never bothered applying for PIPS but now I am going to. Hopefully I can get mobility with having trouble walking and always being in more pain when I do. They cannot say I can use a wheelchair because one of the other problems with my Myotonic, is that when I close my hands I cannot open them straight away, so self propelling myself in a chair would be out of the question.

I found this site very helpful when filling my assessment form in, and I shall be looking up how to fill the PIPS form in too

I forgot to put say.

The Doctor that did my assessment said he would advise the DWP that I should not be called for another assessment.