I finished all my treatment for Breast Cancer April 2008. I have been suffering since with joint pain. My consultant says its because i didnt have any restbite after my treatment. I had to go back to work because i am a single mum and work had stopped paying me. My joints are a viral RA. My nurse adviced me to go part time but i cant even do that. Then she adviced me to try and claim DLA .....The amount of forms etc that i have had to fill in is ridiculous and now they say they want to come and see me. I am not coping at all at the moment thinking all sorts. That i dont want to leave my children if the worse happens. If the cancer comes back????And now with this i feel like the DLA is calling me a liar and a fraud. I am on lot of tablets. And i have got real bad Anxiety....I dont want to do anything at all. Has anyone else got any similer stories. I feel isolated. Cherylxx
FormerMember
Hi Cheryl, sorry to hear about your dillemma. Have you looked into working tax credit and child tax credits if you are part time? If your children are still of school or college age you can still apply for tax credits. If they are you only need to work a minimum of 16 hours to claim working tax credit. If they are older than this, you need to work at least 30 hours. Child tax credit lasts until they are 20 as long as they are in full time education. It might be worth looking into, as this may enable you to go part time and hence give you a chance to get well. You need to get well regardless, for your kids sake, so do what ever it takes. Perhaps a visit to C.A.B. might throw some light on other benefits you may be entitled to. Good luck and please feel free to pm me if i can help you further. ( you can go onto the tax credit site and put in your details to see how much you may be entitled to. Dont forget the figure they give you will only be the amount up to April this year, so dont think it is a full years worth).
Have you tried consulting your citizen advice bureau who maybe able to help you fill out the ghastly forms.
I can relate to your feelings of being overwhelmed. I am currently trying to sort out my finances and am finding it really hard to deal with things. I need to sort out my pension and mortgage plans and I am finding it extraordinary complex.
Even finding an Independant adviser has become a chore, as most of them are ripp off merchants, who are not so indpendant as their title as they either deduct thousands from your pension entitlement for bonuses are charging thousands in fees, which I can not afford.
Also check Macmillan's advice section about the children or you may wish to speak to one of the advisers who may five you more assurance etc.
Don't worry what may or may not happen, just enjoy each day, like a new born.
I wish I could help you, but I do not have a solution either for you other than seeking support from the Citizen Advice Bureau.
Hi Cheryl - your body has been given an awful battering physically and emotionally for a long time now, so feeling the way you do, is understandable. You've been under enormous pressure to return to work and your body has not been given the time it needs to fully recover. I know that being a single Mum meant you obviously had no choice in the timing of this, but now I think the advice your nurse has given you should be listened to regarding you claiming DLA. I know it won't be of any comfort to you Shelley, but these jobsworths in councils or departments of health treat everybody the same; they treat us all as liars. As hard as it may be for you, I should let these people pay their visit you, because at the end of it, you will have the money you need to stay off work for the time it is going to take you to recover fully. Speak to your nurse and GP about your feelings of anxiety and they may be able to come up with something to help you through this tough time. Don't feel isolated Cheryl, cos believe me you're not - you have all of us on this site who are always willing to lend an ear and give you some words of advice or confort, with lots of love kate xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I don't know where you live but I live in Devon. When I got out of hospital my County Council were really helpful in providing me with info on all the things I was entitled to. Blue Badge, DLA, Incapacity Benefit and lots more. www.devon.gov.uk/.../dis.htm At first I was very modest and didn't want any handouts but then I thought of the amount of Tax I've paid in my life both personally and through my business, I thought ...Fuck it, I'll have a go. Anyway my point is that when I applied for DLA the council sent me the forms along with a manual that basically tells you how to blag as much as you can. That may be an exaggeration but it does tell you not to be shy about telling them how bad you feel on your worst day and use that as the norm.
I think my point is they do want to help you so go for whatever you're entitled too.
If Omar Bakri Mohammed can get DLA and vow to destroy the United Kingdom I'm sure a single mum recovering from breast cancer should have a shot. Don't be intimadated they are here to help you.
Hi just wanted to say i also have been suffering from joint pain since my hysterectomy in november 2006 for leiomyosarcoma i also was told to apply for DLA but i was told that they were not disputing that at the time i did need help but i could not get it as they said it was somthing i would recover from glad they think so 26 months later lost count of visits to GP and consultants and still as bad now as i was 2 years ago.
As for all the forms its a joke, anyway hope all goes well for you and like one of your other replies you have to tell them about your worse days. good luck.
