(Untitled)

[maryhowardfairy]

I don't know what to do. I was diagnosed with M.E. about 3 years ago but up untill June this year I was OK to work a part time job. I left my job of my own accord as it was making me really ill, and the doctor signed me off for 6 months with, get this, depression

Comments

[mind_travel]

I'm so sorry.

Is this doctor your GP? Have you told him how bad you are now? If he can't be persuaded that you are physically ill, could you change GPs?

Who diagnosed you with M.E.? Could the doctor who did this assist you with your benefit claims?

Hope you can find a doctor who will support you. They are about even if they don't really understand. My GP doesn't understand M.E. but she does sign my forms for me.

Sorry I cant be of more help or write more :(

[maryhowardfairy]

Thank you, the doctor who diagnosed me has now left, and another supportive doctor is on maternity leave. This doctor (who is signing me off with 'depression') is really nice, but he just doesn't understand or realise how incapable I am of work.
I'm wondering if there's any kind of society that can help, or charity, anything!!

[mind_travel]

If he's really nice perhaps you could work on him? Explain what you did above that you struggle to do every day personal care and so work is out of the question?

All of the main M.E. charities (I think) provide information for doctors, Would that help? What are his views on M.E.? And they can advise on claiming benefits etc too.

[maryhowardfairy]

I think that generally, the gp's at my practice (and most other GP's here in wales) think of M.E. as being a form of depression.
I really appreciate your advice though.

[bloodredglossy]

:( my advice would be to find a gp who believes in m.e., but as you say that's not always so easy. with so many people on the internet though, asking for recommendations in your area might be a good idea. it would be worth writing another post to this group just asking if anyone else is near you.
most importantly though, don't make yourself more ill by forcing yourself to work. if there was ever to be an m.e. guidebook, i think one of the top 'rules' would be never martyr yourself for other people's ignorance. stand up for what you know is a serious illness and don't feel pressured in to work.
good luck..

[mind_travel]

"most importantly though, don't make yourself more ill by forcing yourself to work. if there was ever to be an m.e. guidebook, i think one of the top 'rules' would be never martyr yourself for other people's ignorance. stand up for what you know is a serious illness and don't feel pressured in to work."

totally agree

[dandelion]

I'm actually almost inclined to say get a different doctor to agree that you have depression...it's a lot easier to find GPs who believe in depression, it's been accepted by the benefits people so far, and it's an illness for which it seems that benefits are fairly easy to come by once you have GPs behind you (for example, my friend who has depression is entitled to a free bus pass, but CFS is "not considered a permanent disability" so I'm not). The symptoms do overlap a lot with CFS, which is why doctors often seem to see the two as almost the same.

[maryhowardfairy]

This is a very good point, when I had to go for my routine appointment with a dissabilty specialist at the job centre plus, she told me this too. Maybe my doctor knows this, I just don't get why he's not signing me off for any lengthy period of time. Do I have to slash my wrists to have him realise I'm unwell?

[woolly_socks]

I'm so sorry, that just sounds just terrifying. I don't have much to say that will be helpful, I don't really understand how the health system works over there. I've heard it can be hard to change doctors? I just wanted to offer some support. I had to quit working six months ago, and I've just heard from my employer (they really wanted to keep my job open til I could come back) that they are going to terminate my employment and hire someone else. And like you, I saw a specialist when I first stopped work who diagnosed depression. It absolutely SUCKS being misunderstood, and having your future so uncertain is just so frickin scary.

Hang in there, and keep trying to find a doctor who gets it, or is at least open minded enough to learn. There are doctors out there who understand.

Going the depression way might work, as dandelion suggested, but the trouble with this is that a misdiagnosis might come back to bite you later. Mine meant I had to go and see psychiatrists and basically prove that I am NOT depressed. Which while I am not clinically

[normaeinstein]

Gosh, this makes me so angry! I wish I could give these doctors and government members who make decision about who gets payments this illness for a day. It just makes me fume. My CFS specialist actually said to me that it would be easier for me to keep working because there was no guarantee I would get a benefit...and part time work is absolutely killing me. I'm going to have to quit shortly with no benefits because I'm getting worse by the day. I know how you feel, good luck!

[woolly_socks]

Was this reply meant for my comment or for maryhowardfairy's post?

I know what you mean though, it makes me really angry sometimes too. But anger makes me tired so I try to just do it occasionally...

[maryhowardfairy]

The other problem is of course, when signed off with depression, it doesn't make me eligable to things like a blue badge for disabled parking or that sort of thing, which sucks, as I can hardly walk from the car park into the town centre at the moment.

Hey

[bloodflowerbill]

Try researching as much as you can, and keep pestering your doctors for help.I'm currently waiting to see a ME specialist in the Heath in Cardiff. I've also heard that there's a ME group in South Wales, and I noticed you were in the area too so I shall pass that on when I know it.

Hope you feel better soon x

Re: Hey

[maryhowardfairy]

Thank you, any help would be most appreciated. Cardiff is about 2 hours away, travelling can make me very poorly but my friend is taking me to Cardiff next month to visit friends, so if I can manage the trip up with him driving it's worth bearing in mind if there's support in Cardiff. Thank you :)