Feel sick with worry!! any advice?

[ottoni]

Hi everyone, am currently awaiting the outcome of a medical I had for ESA on 4th february and feel absolutely filled with dread. Reading all the stories on here is like a minefield! some people get good outcomes, others get terrible outcomes. Bit of background, I was a victim of an armed robbery about 10 years ago, I didn't work for 6 months I was claiming incapacity benefit at the time, but had to go for a medical and failed, this is what pushed me back into work, wasn't aware then about reconsiderations of a decision or appeals. I began working for a large retailer in 2003 on just 12 hours a week, and over time my confidence began to grow back. I stayed there for almost 10 years, but in the last 12 months or so began to feel like I was ready to do something more. More responsibility, more money!

I applied to another retailer for a supervisor position, and got it! was so pleased with myself and my family were over the moon for me (have 2 kids aged 9 and 11, I'm 32) Felt like this could be the start of something brilliant. I had to do 2 weeks training in Loughton which went okay, but the staff there made it quite obvious that the store I was going to be working in had a poor reputation, staff not working hard enough etc etc! This filled me with dread, and wondered if I was doing the right thing!

I hated having to travel there everyday, very early starts and very late finishes, but thought, hey it's only for 2 weeks I can cope.

Well my 2 weeks finished and I promptly started in my own shop. The very first day there the manager told me all about the staff, how some are lazy, how the store wasn't performing, takings were down. So I tried to look positive! and tried to get on with my job.

 

I didn't realise at first that the Managers daughter worked there too, sort of like an unofficial supervisor. I later found out that she had applied for the same position as me, but was denied it due to her being family. She made it quite obvious to me that this company and this shop were **** (her words) and that she couldn't wait to leave and find something different. On many occassions she took it upon herself to point out my mistakes in front of everyone, or if her mum wasn't there go home and tell her if I had mucked up.

 

This was getting all too much for me, and wasn't helped by the fact that the Manager was so desperate for someone to help that the shop keys were flung at me on the first day. I had been there for about 4 weeks when the day before I just started panicking, crying uncontrollaby on the shop floor, my manager noticed something was wrong. The next day I opened up, panicked with so much anxiety and stress, this had all been built up and I shut the shop behind me and went home. Absolutely shaking with nerves, went straight to my gp and he signed me off in november 2011.

 

I feel like all the confidence and self respect that I built for myself over the years in my previous employment has come tumbling down again I have had 6 sessions with a councillor, this was able due to the retail trust. but this is all I was allowed. I have been referred to MIND through my GP, but I'm still waiting for this.

 

I feel like I could at some point, work again, somewhere suitable and without responsibility, and would love to get placed in the WRAG group for ESA. I will probably fail, and I will appeal because if I go on to JSA, they will expect me to go for anything and I can't do that right now. I do not want to be stuck at home forever being a house husband, but I also am filled with fear in getting the right job. It looks as if WRAG would be more sympathetic to my situation than JSA would be.

 

Thanks for reading, any feedback or comments/suggestions would be much appreciated, thankyou.

[Life-Goes-On]

I'm going for a "medical" next week.

I'm not worried about it as I know I will get 0 points normally you need to be dead to get over 15 points (I'm sure someone as ATOS would give 0 points to a corpse)

 

Get ready to appeal, while waiting for a hearing (when appealing always ask for one that you attend) send in Dr sick (fit) notes and you will carry on getting the assessment rate.

[lee100]

Hi Ottoni.

 

Sorry to read that you've been through the mill.

 

My best advice would be to assume that they'll give you 'Nil Points'.

 

I've been through two Medicals, and each time I was given 'Nil Points'.

 

Expect to fail it. Most of us do!

 

I'd be one step ahead, and download their appeal form / print it off / send it in.

 

Good Luck.

 

[lee100]

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