Feeling scared...

No worries, got it now. must have been something wrong with my internet.

Thanks so much, this will make such a difference

Hello,

I felt huge anxiety about the form as well. The best strategy for me was to mark in my diary each day: work on form.

The next day would come and I would address just a small amount and put a line through "work on form".

Due to painful wrists and tremors it was physically challenge as well as I know it will be for you too. See if you can review the B&W section that applies to the form and with it in front of you fill in another section.

I completed the form by doing just a little bit each day. This was all that I could mentally and physically do. But it was satisfying to cross out those words each day. And I never filled in a section without reviewing the guides.

Fortunately I was able to use a computer on a downloaded document. I could never have filled it in by hand. It made corrections so much easier. If you don't have one see if someone will lend you one.

Hopefully you will feel less daunted if you complete the form in small bits. You might feel better and better about it as you see the form being filled.

Good luck
bless you
cmarie

Hi Katie,

I think the two of us must be twins!! (I'm also 38 with bipolar and FM (I'm now also diagnosed with ehlers danlos too) and I also sat on the form for weeks before I was able to handle filling it in.

The way I managed was to first read through the guides here to give me an idea what the DWP were actually asking. I then sat down and brainstormed with my hubby (who did the writing) all the problems I have to deal with in a normal day, and how doing these things affects me afterwards (eg need to lie down due to pain, have to break the task, such as washing up, into small chunks and do it over a long period of time etc)

The next day I started filling out the computerised form, putting in the relevant bits of the brainstorming to each question, with several points appearing in multiple sections on the form (answering repetitively can't hurt, unlike doing something repetitively!!)

Once I'd finished the form I got my OH to check it through to make sure I hadn't left anything obvious out. He then also wrote a letter that went as supporting evidence as to how the stress of the form had caused me harm mentally (serious depression) and how the FM / EDS affected me day to day.

I know it's really daunting, just looking at the form was making me feel sick to start with, but dealing with it just one question at a time helped me and amazingly I'd soon got it done.

You'll get there, and the relief when you finally squash everything into the too small envelope and send it off is fantastic!!

Take care
Pompeylass