PIP claim advice

Hi there,

I’m just finishing off some additional evidence for my PIP claim and I have some questions.

I’m struggling with how best to explain when I have a problem, how frequently and for how long. As it can vary more on weeks than days. For example on my bad weeks I could have problems all week or it could be the majority of the week or 4 days or more. On better weeks it is really hard to tell as I may still have 4 days when I have problems but there may be weeks when it is less than 4days. It is so unpredictable that it’s very difficult to pinpoint in an explanation. I don’t know how many weeks I can be worse/better and there is no pattern for me to give a snapshot. I could do a diary at a later date but I really need to hand something in now.

How do they view it if you have some weeks whereby you have 4days or over where you have a problem but other weeks it could look like you don’t qualify for a claim?

I think the reason behind the difficulty is I have autoimmune hypothyroid and for many years I have had extreme problems controlling it with medication. I’m under an endocrinologist who is trying all they can but it does not seem to be getting sorted out. I have also been told because it is autoimmune that the thyroid medication will not address this part of the illness and could account sometimes for the fatigue and low mood problems. Regardless I’m still getting bloods that show I’m underactive a lot of the time and even when I’m not underactive I still have symptoms which could be accounted for by the autoimmune and/or my other conditions.

Due to these fluctuations, I’m on a rollercoaster with my symptoms and never feel like it’s under control and suffering with symptoms that are debilitating sometimes and I can find it quite distressing on a physical, emotional and mental level. When my hormone levels rise things can improve a bit but I can still feel unwell which could also be a reflection of never reaching long-term stability with my medication and health. Furthermore, the thyroid in general is a very slowly responding gland so when my thyroid plummets it can take in the region of 8wks for it to rise and then it can plummet at anytime.

The reason why I’m explaining this part of my condition is that the complexity and unpredictability actually makes it very difficult for me to give an accurate representation of - when I have a problem, how frequently and for how long.

So please could you advise, how best I could explain this, I’m thinking that what I have written here, would this be good enough maybe? or how could I expand upon that. If I end up having to have a medical I really don’t know how I’d best explain it then and it feels very stressful and alsoI'd rather put in the best possible evidence now in the hope there might be enough not to have a medical – really confused and it’s holding me up sending my evidence in.

Many thanks for any advice that you could give

Angelcake

i don't think there is anything further advice that moderators can give to angelcake.

it is not within our remit to attempt to give advice about individual claims.

Thank you Gordon for your advice it seems very complicated but you are right I am complicating it

Are you saying that people write it like that, say for example 'on a typical month I am such and such or are you saying that to justify in my mind I need to be confident that my health has been bad half the time say 3 out of six months and then just describe a typical month with knowing for myself that's how I am the majority of the time?

Also I'm confused about what to write when I'm not as bad, do you have to write about how you are in a better week giving examples. Or can you just say for example when my health isn't as bad I might need help for 4days or more.

Do you need to give actual examples of how you are on a better week or just acknowledge that your symptoms/condition can vary in terms of days?

Also if looking at a month snapshop what about if there is a week possibly whereby you may need less than 4days help do you need to mention that also.

thank you

I forgot to ask could you clarify the communicating descriptor, under the point of needing help to communicating with others.

I this purely about needs for interpretation and understanding rather that needing encouragement to communicate with others if you are isolating yourself for example - is that more under mixing with others?

Thank you