New Style ESA (UK)

[[TH...]]

Hi guys,

I'm currently going through a process to be accepted for ESA. I'm in the UK.

Got my phonecall Monday the 8th and I'm concerned about being accepted. I'm currently out of work and have been for over a year now. My symptoms are getting worse as I get lower on the withdrawal from Valium. I am experiencing exercise intolerance, chest pain, palpitations and more. 

I'm struggling to even clean the bathroom and daily tasks. I've been to my doctor many times but they don't know about my exercise intolerance. So I'm wondering how do I prove I have exercise intolerance to the work coach when they ring me? 

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

 

[[Pa...]]

I’m unsure of what a ESA is but if you’re not able to perform your daily tasks, I wonder if it would be a good idea to slow your taper down, how often are you reducing? 

Can you describe your exercise intolerance, what exercise are you doing? 

[[je...]]

On 02/01/2024 at 23:29, [[T...] said:

So I'm wondering how do I prove I have exercise intolerance to the work coach when they ring me? 

I can't help you with this, but you might want to check out Long Covid groups in the UK. They have similar issues called PEM and might be able to help.

[[TH...]]

@[Pa...]Hi

ESA is like an allowance we can receive from the government if we're out of work due to illness. 

I'm reducing at 0.5mg every 2 weeks. Sometimes 3 weeks if I'm not ready to drop. I'm currently at 5.5mg daily. 

My exercise intolerance is like I get out of breath extremely easy. Even getting dressed in the mornings I tend to start breathing heavily. I did go out today for a long walk round a shopping centre near me for the first time in like a year so that was a massive achievement for me. I did manage that quite well, although my legs and lower back were very achy afterwards. Think I just need to kick on now and continue walking more on the daily and get a routine going. 

 

Edited January 6 by [TH...]

[[Pa...]]

I’m happy to hear you were able to walk, it was the one thing I could do too and I found it was a helpful distraction.  I think keeping up a walking routine sounds like a good idea and maybe you can work up to more.