Having to give up work due to ill health
RainbowsEnd
Posts: 1,030 Forum Member
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I would be so grateful if anyone could give me advice as I just don't know what to do. Basically I am a 57 yr old single woman who has been off sick from my full time job for 5 mths now. I suffer dreadfully from regular attacks of vertigo and dizziness which often leads to fainting. This has happened a lot over the last few years. As a result I can rarely leave the house and just can't see that I will be able to long term. I am under a Consultant but despite doubling my medication there is no improvement at all. It seems nothing can be done.
Obviously I hate this just existing and not living and am now unable to do so much. I think I will soon lose my job and between my age and ill health will never be employed again. How on earth am I going to live once I lose my wage? I will have no income and no future.
How do I go about finding if I am entitled to some form of benefits? I have never been involved with them before and honestly don't have a clue.
Thank you so much to anyone reading this and any hints or tips would be most gratefully received.
Obviously I hate this just existing and not living and am now unable to do so much. I think I will soon lose my job and between my age and ill health will never be employed again. How on earth am I going to live once I lose my wage? I will have no income and no future.
How do I go about finding if I am entitled to some form of benefits? I have never been involved with them before and honestly don't have a clue.
Thank you so much to anyone reading this and any hints or tips would be most gratefully received.
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My heart goes out to you, I can't give any advise on what you should do as far as benefits are concerned. I would say you may be entitled to DLA as well as ESA but you will have to make your own inquires and/or follow the advise of others.
Nobody who have never suffered from vertigo on a semi or permanent basis can know what it is like.
This happened to my wife after an operation and she was put on medication that upset her inner ears, that led to semi permanent damage.
The sickness and the dizziness, it's rough.
My wife works but it was a couple of years before she was back to pre' op' and a long time before she could work or drive again.
Our family doctor got her involved with a specialist who for over 18 months worked out and on an exercise plan to retrain Mrs. S brain.
I was sceptical but it did improve things greatly but ever so slowly.
Good luck.
If you're paying rent, you will also be entitled to housing benefit (if you're single - if you have a partner in work, his income may be too high for you to qualify).
I strongly suggest you get advice from a specialist benefits adviser (CAB or other advice agency) for help filling in the PIP form, and the ESA medical questionnaire when you get it. If that's not possible, it's well worth subscribing to "benefits and work" and getting online advice from them. I think the subscription is about £25, but that will more than pay for itself as it can make all the difference between a successful application and an unsuccessful one.
Keep a diary so you have a record of how often the fainting occurs. And keep any medical evidence, eg letters from the hospital to your GP, test results etc. This can make a huge difference to outcomes.
Now is a very good time to be applying for PIP. They are so desperate to reduce the backlog of outstanding claims that if you have good supporting evidence you stand a fair chance of getting the benefit awarded without a medical assessment.
Getting a diagnosis will make you feel better as it does make you feel a bit more in control of things but you can have the shock of it too. I would also have a Google and see if there are forums for vertigo and dizziness. I can give you details of a charity called STARS that helps people with blackouts. I personally find these forums helpful it's good to talk to folk that are going through what you are it helps make you feel less on your own. Also they might provide some tips to help you day to day.
Make sure, if you're able for it, to invite friends round. A social support system is a great thing. Having an illness that limits being able to go out as much can mean being more likely (but not always) to become depressed. Figure out things you like doing and make sure you do them, it's now more important to be kinder to yourself. If you read maybe consider audio books when you're having a bad spell. Think about your living environment are there adjustments that would make things easier in your home? I have a Homelink system. I have a bracelet linked up to a box, bit like a router with a speaker and microphone, so if I pass out and really hurt myself when I come round I press it and talk to the operator who can send for help.
I hope that some of this might help you.
I hope no-one is thinking yet another work shirker because that is far far from the case. I love getting up for work, mixing with people and doing a very caring job working with the elderly. My life is basically over as I no longer can go out and about. For example I was desperate to see the poppies at the Tower but knew that the trains, steps and crowds would make me ill and it broke my heart not to be able to see them.
I feel such a failure and am sure people will look down on me but I absolutely HATE this vile illness. I know I am very lucky not to cancer or similar but hate acting and living as a 87 yr old and not a 57 yr old.
I will try to stay upbeat but now I am no longer able to babysit my grandchildren as they are very young and it is just too dangerous in case I pass out with them it makes it very soul destroying.
Any more hints and tips would be appreciated. Thank you so much.
You mentioned in your OP that you have (had) a full time job ..... did this involve any form of Employer sponsored pension scheme? If so, there maybe an early retirement provision which you may be able to take advantage of.
Probably worth a chat with your HR/Personnel department.
It might also be an idea for RainbowsEnd to collate details of incoming and outgoing cash, savings levels, etc. and then book an appointment with a benefits advisor at the nearest Citizens Advice Bureau (plug the postcode in here http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/index/getadvice.htm) and they can go through the various benefits currently available and see if RainbowsEnd is eligible to claim them. It might also be a less stressful way of doing things because someone will be helping out.
Speak to your companies HR department and you on site health officer. They will be able to provide advice and what support the company can offer. They have a duty of care to you and some companies are very good in terms of support.
If nothing else you will know where you stand with the company. If the worst does happen and they wish to release you they should offer some advice on the next steps as well.
But I'd also talk to your employers and see what the options are.
Good luck! It must be a very distressing situation to be in. I know that vertigo can be caused by a number of things so if you have a consultant, hopefully you're getting good advice, and it might respond to treatment eventually.
Just wondering what sort of company you work for . One of my cousins has a very simular problem to you and has able to sort out with her company to work permanently from home, all be it on a part time basis. Its worth a shot with HR if you work for a large company.
I actually work for the NHS as a carer on an elderly ward so cannot bring my work home. So far they have been good - they set me up for a 6wk counselling course which wasn't really what I was looking for as its practical advice I need. All my Union tells me is don't go back before I am ready as what counts is frequency of abscences. I can have a couple of good days and then I am so bad I can't get outside the front door but they just don't understand how up and down I am.
I so miss my colleagues and the daily banter and just want to be 'normal' but I truly despair and feel I have no option but to go down the 'claiming' route and just feel so disgusted with myself.
How long have you worked for the NHS?
I would suggest you speak to ACAS for free advice.
http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1461
Had all the same symptoms 5 or so years ago, vertigo attacks were awful, I just wanted to die when I got them. People just didn't understand. I couldn't even speak afterwards...
Get the candida overgrowth under control, regular fibre, like pysllium husk morning and night on an empty stomach, lots and lots of water (preferably warm) the right diet, coconut oil 4 days a week or so to kill off the excess yeast, planned cheat days where you can gain some positive energy and motivation to carry on and you're on your way to recovery, may take a couple of years or less but you'll get there, a food journal where you write down what you eat every day will be helpful to monitor progress and keep you motivated. Good luck.
What confuses me is that it seems disabled benefits are changing names and criteria and they certainly don't make it easy for anyone who just can't think straight at the best of times!
Anyway I am most definitely going to Citizens Advice this week so keep your fingers crossed for me!
You can get a rough idea of whether you will be entitled to ESA and/or PIP by doing the relevant tests here:
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/
It is important to get as much supporting medical evidence as you can to support your claim.
The CAB (or local welfare rights) is definitely the best place to go as they can help you with any claims for the above (and possibly others depending on your circumstances, such as Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support).
Best wishes as I know how hard it is to be forced to stop work due to serious ill health.
1. Do not leave work, this is absolutely essential.
2. What you want is compulsory medical retirement. See a welfare officer and say you want it.
3. They will offer you up to 3 jobs as alternatives, explain one by one why you can not do it because of your medical condition.
4. You will be told this is nonsense. How can you apply for a compulsory thing? It makes no difference. You'll never get it. etc. etc. Ignore it, if you plug away, you will get it, and it will be worth it. I assume of course you are in the pension scheme and have worked more than a short time. (I doubt if the union will be much help, but have no experience of that - it might be worth a go for advice).
What a wonderful bunch you all are!
I couldn't agree more! Coconut oil made such a difference to my health. I've been using it in all ways I can find to incorporate it into my life. I have lost a load of weight and and my eczema has almost gone! I did an article on my blog, you should read it
What he said. And you may still be entitled to additional support via DLA etc. But having picked up labyrinthitis from diving couple of times, you have my sympathy.