I am a pensioner and have had COPD Applied for the above but was refused ,is there anything I can do to convince them I have COPD ,
Presumably, you have medical evidence of the fact you have COPD on file with your GP and/or hospital consultant? If so, could you not ask one of these medical experts to write a supporting letter with medical evidence to support your application? Good luck x
Surely whoever is caring for you would be the one applying for a carer's allowance? Maybe the medical evidence you supplied didn't say you needed care: how advanced is your COPD?
You don't say what country you're in, but presumably there's a formula for how much care you need for anyone to get an allowance to care for you?
Hi yes I send prescription with my meds on it ,they phoned me up and becouse I was not breathless and it was one of my better day plus I haven't been admitted to hospital I think they are the reasons why they refused,do you think it's worth applying again
Hi Jude I'm from Britain, it was my husband who applied as he looks after me ,I cannot walk 10yrds without his support I get out of breath so easily ,and on cold days I just don't go out
Thanks for extra information, but if you didn't provide medical evidence of your condition other than a copy of your prescriptions I reckon that'd be the reason it's been refused.
Can you ask centrelink or whatever it's called in the UK what evidence they require?
Hi Shirley, it`s a problem nobody really wants to admit to because it`s terminal in the long run [no known cures] The Best Way To Ascertain COPD Is Through Spirometry ie Blow Various Ways Into A Machine Which Measures Your Lung Capacity.This Is Not Done By Your Doctor But A Competent Resident Nurse And Takes Two- Three Sessions To Complete. I Suggest You Organise This NOW and Come Back To Us With Some Good News . Are You Coughing Up Sticky Plegm ? If So Ask For Carbocisteine To Ease The Flow. If Heavy Coughing Guard Against Popping A Rib By Tight Pressure On Rib Whilst Coughing. or Strap Your Ribs..Wish You Well .Come Back With Good Results .
I agree a spirometry test is the best way to diagnose COPD so if you haven't had one I'd be organising that now and if you have had one, get the documentation of the results, particularly your level of lung function.
I don't understand Shirley's reference to 2 or 3 sessions, I was diagnosed with only one but I do have it done again every year or so just to check if it's deteriorating or stable - stable at 70% capacity so far
Hi Jude and to other members , I have been diognosed for about 5yrs now and yes I do have spiro test done every yr by my practice nurse ,I'm due to go for one in about 2weeks
Will do that if I find what a centre link is thanks
If you make sure you get the documenation from the next spiro test plus a doctor's report, surely that'd be enough to back up the carer's allowance application? Depending of course on how low your lung function is - good luck
In Australia Centrelink (formerly Social Security or antisocial insecurity) is the division of the Human Services Dept (often called Inhuman Disservices by applicants) which issues disaiblity, aged, unemployment etc etc pensions
I did say "or whatever it's called in the UK"!
Hi Me Again Just Got My Post Thro 81 per week Has Been Awarded To Me For Attendence Allowance {backdated 3 weeks} Sadly I`m Like The Average COPD Sufferer !0 Paces Then Knackered. If Nothing Else The Tobacco Industry Should Be Held Accountable,Not The Government.
That's great news!
10 paces and then knackered isn't average unless your COPD is fairly well advanced and if so, I'm sorry to hear that.
Have you tried rehab? It's not really rehab with COPD but it's about managing the condition and slowing down its advance
Both the Government AND the tobacco industry should be held accountable for what happened as the BOTH profitted from it in the full knowledge that it was damaging a good percentage of the population.
If you google copd class actions there's some info about a Florida man who won $12.5M against tobacco companies for COPD, but it wasn't class action which I reckon could be brought in Australia, UK or USA but doesn't seem to be happening
Probably because nobody in the UK has the funds to commence and carry on with an action of such potential magnitude.
It should happen though because these governments and especially the tobacco giants have literally got away with murder.
Class actions in Australia are done by lefty legal firms on a no win no cost basis: nothing like that in the UK?
Yes we do have such legal firms here, but what has to be taken into account here is the sheer size and huge cost involved in prosecuting either the tobacco barons or the Government.
Having said this I can foresee a time when someone is brave enough to bring this matter before the European Court of Human Rights, because they have the right to do so, and it concerns so many human beings who are still struggling with severe health problems as a result of smoking.
So what are you waiting for? You could be that someone!
I'm about to research Australian legal firms to see if any of them wil take it on