I finally managed after 15 years or so to be able to fill out the forms.
I only recently became able to succinctly explain symptoms - made all the more difficult by the fluctuating nature of the illness.
I am told that officials are stating to fill out the form as if it was my worst day.
If it was my worst day, I wouldnt be writing, moving and would be expending any little energy on things like breathing.
So that advice never sat well with me. I just couldnt answer the questions because they were the wrong type of questions bei.g asked...
A generic application form is not suitable for any fluctuating illness but especially M.E.
I did get ESA for three months and then they wanted to interview me.
I was too unwell and had no support and so my claim disappeared.
When I became well enough I made good efforts to get help and support from:
a) My NHS practice manager (gate keeper of letters)
b) A disabled Charity
c) A specialised solicitor recommended as very helpful for those with neurological illness - who became very unhelpful and rude when she heard the neurological illness was M.E.
d) two local M.E. charities.
None of them would help me. None.
I am in appalling poverty and stuck in financial limbo.
I know this is my area of weakness as I just can not cope with another person telling me to get charity work, get pregnant, think more positively, or just the hostility
that the illness engenders , the false beliefs people have.
So I have resigned myself to poverty for now and hopefully i will be well soon.
I have never in all the time I have been ill received a Get Well Soon card, no sympathy ( not that i want that but I certainly dont want hostility!) oh and I was told i should get a job in a supermarket of all things too!!!
I hope you make it through the process OK.
Thw fact that M.E. people are having to go to a magistrate says it all. Being mistreated as though we are criminals.
Cant even get a decent M.E. Doctor in the UK - let alone ATOS ignorance.
MCS are not really acknowledged, nearly impossibke to gets a POTS diagnosis, electrical sensitivity is ignored too...
No points shows their scale is utterly unacceprable.
I have had to just not go down that path to preserve my Mental Health and accept poverty. Thing is, when I am well enough to go for an interview.... then they would say 'there is nothing wrong with you'....
Keep laughing no matter what...
