Attempting to call Citizens Advice

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Busdriver60

Busdriver60

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 3c
Hi everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying the summer and make the best of the last weeks this month of August. I have been strongly advised to claim Personal Independance Payments (PIP) as my type 3c condition has seriously impacted my life and continues to do so. Before I make the claim, I was also advised to contact Citizen's Advice, I have made several unsuccessful attempts to call them, because they are so busy, with no available advisors. I can't even have online, as this facility is unavailable in my area. This is becoming very frustrating for me and now asking for suggestions of an alternative way. Should I just go ahead and start the process for PIP now or persevere with contacting the CAB? I would welcome any answers. Thank you.
 
Silvershoes said:
I would ask for a paper application and look through all the answers you’d need to complete. At least you’d know what you’re up against. Our son receives PIP for severe learning difficulties. If you need help filling it in then I’m sure someone in this forum could help.
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Thats very helpful thank you so much. How are you? I haven't seen any posts for a while now, I guess people are on holiday.
 
Busdriver60 said:
Hi everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying the summer and make the best of the last weeks this month of August. I have been strongly advised to claim Personal Independance Payments (PIP) as my type 3c condition has seriously impacted my life and continues to do so. Before I make the claim, I was also advised to contact Citizen's Advice, I have made several unsuccessful attempts to call them, because they are so busy, with no available advisors. I can't even have online, as this facility is unavailable in my area. This is becoming very frustrating for me and now asking for suggestions of an alternative way. Should I just go ahead and start the process for PIP now or persevere with contacting the CAB? I would welcome any answers. Thank you.
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This may help

www.diabetes.co.uk

People under 65 that need help with their personal mobility and care due to illness or disability are entitled to a tax-free social security benefit called Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

People under 65 requiring help with mobility or care due to illness or disability are entitled to a tax-free benefit called Personal Indepedence Payment.
www.diabetes.co.uk www.diabetes.co.uk
 
Who was it that suggested you should apply for PIP?

I believe it is quite a rigorous process and you have to have pretty debilitating health issues which affect your ability to manage everyday life, in order to qualify.
There are people here on the forum who have successfully applied for it but it is often for other health issues than diabetes or severe complications of their diabetes. Just thought I would mention that as it may save you some time and effort.
I think @Lucyr has successfully applied recently and might be able to give you some insight.
 
Ask your council, library or job centre if they know of local advice services, because it’s likely that your council contracts organisations to provide help to claim benefits especially with the migration to universal credit. Check online where citizens advice for instance are doing outreach clinics. It’s well worth getting help with the forms, but initial claim is by phone, and can often take over an hour to get through.
Good luck.
 
There are lots of self help videos online.. along as you can medically prove your issue and that it impacts your life in line with their criteria.. you'll be OK.. they also backdate.. as a normal functional T1 I'm not eligible..but I know plenty who are that are functional like me but get it.. good luck.. with the citizens advice.. you've got to keep trying and trying.. watch some self help videos whilst you wait on the phone..
 
Busdriver60 said:
I have been strongly advised to claim Personal Independance Payments (PIP) as my type 3c condition has seriously impacted my life and continues to do so.
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I would do one of the questionnaires online as whilst yes I understand your diagnosis will have significantly impacted your life, it needs to impact it in ways that are in line with their criteria to be eligible.

I successfully claimed but the points allocated are all ME related rather than diabetes related. For example I received 2 points as my fatigue and muscle pain is extreme enough that I am unable to shower every day and need to use a bath board so that I can sit down in the shower.

There are various activities like this assessed, eg I got another 2 points for the problems I have getting dressed and getting on and off the toilet. You need 8 points or more in each section to receive the standard rate and 12 points to receive the enhanced rate.

It is difficult to get, and you need evidence for why you have the difficulties you have and that they’re expected to last 9+ months more. I didn’t get any mobility award because I was assessed as being able to walk less than 200 metres but above 50 metres, which is only 4 points so no award on that section.

Here’s a test you can do to get an idea of if you might qualify. If you do then worth a go

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) self-assessment

Get the benefits you're entitled to: help with personal independence payment (PIP), universal credit (UC), employment and support allowance (ESA),disability living allowance (DLA). Claims, assessments, reviews, appeals.
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk www.benefitsandwork.co.uk
 
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My friend works for cab and i asked her advice after somebody suggested I should apply… i decided it wasn’t applicable to my circumstances.


The links…
www.gov.uk/pip

www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Personal Independence Payment

Information on eligibility for claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP), how to fill in the claim form and how to challenge a decision.
www.citizensadvice.org.uk www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Hope that helps
 

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rebrascora said:
Who was it that suggested you should apply for PIP?

I believe it is quite a rigorous process and you have to have pretty debilitating health issues which affect your ability to manage everyday life, in order to qualify.
There are people here on the forum who have successfully applied for it but it is often for other health issues than diabetes or severe complications of their diabetes. Just thought I would mention that as it may save you some time and effort.
I think @Lucyr has successfully applied recently and might be able to give you some insight.
Click to expand...
It was suggested by a lady who works at the council tax dept at my local council. When I explained about the shock and trauma. Also it affected me so badly when I had to surrender my PCV licence to DVLA. It hit me so hard that I had to give up my coach driving job. The fact I had to wait for 12 weeks before I found another job and it nearly destroyed me emotionally as a person. I thought that would be enough, but maybe I am wrong??
 
Busdriver60 said:
It was suggested by a lady who works at the council tax dept at my local council. When I explained about the shock and trauma. Also it affected me so badly when I had to surrender my PCV licence to DVLA. It hit me so hard that I had to give up my coach driving job. The fact I had to wait for 12 weeks before I found another job and it nearly destroyed me emotionally as a person. I thought that would be enough, but maybe I am wrong??
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You need to do the questionnaire at the link I sent you to see if you are likely to qualify or not. Shock and trauma is not one of the questions. It’s about can you do basic tasks of living by yourself or do you need help eg going to the toilet, getting dressed, microwaving a meal etc.

it doesn’t have to be a person that helps you it can be assistive devices eg do you have a hand rail to help you with getting on and off the toilet? Or do you need to use the sink to pull yourself up as you don’t have the strength to stand without it?
 
I have given up on the idea of PIP. I have conceded that maybe, I am not entitled after all. I feel disappointed but not defeated. I thought just by having the condition would be enough to satisfy the DWP criteria. I was wrong.
I have had 3 hypos on 3 consecutive days at work, due to the very hot weather. Eaten some sweets to bring the BG levels up again, but then found it soon goes to the other extreme. I find it very hard to control. No driving involved in my new job but a lots of walking instead. I do keep sweeties with me wherever I go. Any other suggestions??
 
If hot weather gives you hypos then I’d adjust insulin when hot weather is forecast
 
What do you have your CGM low alarm set at?

If I am going to be doing manual work in the heat I lower my basal that morning but my basal, L:evemir, allows that sort of flexibility. A long acting basal like Tresiba or Toujeo wouldn't work like that.
Having said that, I got it wrong today and was hypo most of the afternoon according to Libre. 🙄 I was very busy wandering back and forth across my field digging ragwort and and cutting the roadside branches, brambles and briars back. I just kept working and eating a JB every now and then. I hate over treating hypos so usually just have 1 or 2 jelly babies at most but I ended up under treating today and didn't get above my low alarm, so it didn't go off again and every now and then I would realise that it wasn't the sun and exertion making me feel sweaty and wobbly.

It may be that the nature of your new manual job at the garden centre means you need less basal because you are burning more glucose than you were before you started the job and the cumulative effect of several days activity particularly in hot weather will gradually have an impact on your basal needs.
 
Busdriver60 said:
I have given up on the idea of PIP. I have conceded that maybe, I am not entitled after all. I feel disappointed but not defeated. I thought just by having the condition would be enough to satisfy the DWP criteria. I was wrong.
I have had 3 hypos on 3 consecutive days at work, due to the very hot weather. Eaten some sweets to bring the BG levels up again, but then found it soon goes to the other extreme. I find it very hard to control. No driving involved in my new job but a lots of walking instead. I do keep sweeties with me wherever I go. Any other suggestions??
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Hi BD,
Hope you are well and enjoying life.When you say you have had 3 hypos can I just clarify that you mean you have gone below 3.9 and into the red.
Personally I am lucky enough not to go into the Red very often but even on the odd occasion I do then I am pretty comfortable with it and simply take my dextrose and proceed from there.
As Barbara says not sure where you set your alarm but having it set higher can alert you at an earlier stage before you reach the hypo level.
So far I have never had a clinical hypo and that is the biggest thing I want to avoid but equally I do not want to have any anxiety about it happening.
 
Busdriver60 said:
I have had 3 hypos on 3 consecutive days at work, due to the very hot weather. Eaten some sweets to bring the BG levels up again, but then found it soon goes to the other extreme. I find it very hard to control. No driving involved in my new job but a lots of walking instead. I do keep sweeties with me wherever I go. Any other suggestions??
Click to expand...
Hello Paul @Busdriver60,
How are you getting on with managing your daily toujeo? Has the incidence of hypos while at work stopped?

I found (once I had CGM) that I could use seems or jelly babies as a fast hypo response food once I was actually hypo or very, very close to that and use biscuits as a more controlled response. This helped me stop the swing from one extreme to the other.

I invariably also always have the mini packets from Nairns: various flavours of oat biscuits. Nairns seem to have a small selection of flavours throughout the year, including stem ginger, cheese and berry fruits. Each biscuit is nominally c.6 gms of carbs (the berry flavours are perhaps slightly higher at 7.5). Then sometimes (eg before Xmas) Nairns have other flavours, such as chia and coconut, dark chocolate chips and orange choc chips; plus others. All at c.6gms per biscuit. Always a bit better priced in Lidl and Aldi. I respond to lows with these Nairns small biscuits rather than sweets; hypos need really rapid response but with the slightly slower biscuits you can retain a more measured "control". [Note: control is a relative term since I personally don't believe any of us can truly control how our bodies deal with our diabetes. Managing it is a more realistic aspiration, I think].

Some of the Naked bars also work well for me as response treatments; convenient in a pocket. But often my response only needs to be 1/2 a Naked bar and that is a little extra bit of faff. I don't routinely choose biscuits with chocolate coating, partly because the chocolate slows their metabolism but mainly because once warm the melted chocolate again adds to faff! Tesco sell interesting cookies at c.12 gms of carbs, but I've drifted away from those - 2x Nairns oat biscuits gives me 13 gms, if a bigger hit is needed.

Finally, my D Consultant recommended having high protein response treatments after a hypo or very close hypo - rather than simple carbs. The extra protein provides slower release of consequent glucose into one's blood after digestion and should very much help with countering the swing from too low to too high. There are various options, typically from Nature Valley, Graze, Eat Natural (plenty of others). They can be a bit more expensive than routine cereal bars and some have enough chocolate to make them messy to unwrap when warm. My frequent choice are the Nature Valley Protein 40 gm weight bars, each has only 10 gms of carbs and I (surprisingly) find these can be great value from Waitrose when they periodically have offers. Since our local Waitrose is an easy walk from home I tend to check out their offers whenever I'm in there - rather than regularly monitoring such promotions on-line. But if you or Angela are into home cooking there are various recipes for suitable high protein snacks (often based on flapjack recipes) and of course would be more cost effective. If buying protein bars I recommend reading the nutrition details carefully; some are high protein but are also highish in carbs.

Do let us know how you are doing when you have a moment.
 
Hello Proud to be erratic, I had yet another near hypo experience today while at work, the fourth time this week and I could not understand why, especially, as my BG was 13.1, just as I left for work this morning. Then later during my lunch break, it had shot up again. What am I doing wrong? I would be so grateful for any answers. The other problem I had, my Libre alarm wasn't working to warn me, despite it being set on, at 4. I was very upset and frustrated about it. I have emailed my care nurse to tell her what happened and how I feel about it. Can I blame the hot weather and the walking around?
 
Would my new job be unsuitable for me? I am worried now as I have only started this four weeks ago.
 
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