Disabled or Not?

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Leggy

Can anyone tell me if having an 'ostomy' is classed as disabled? My circumstances have changed recently and someone has advised me to claim Disability Allowance (I live in England). A magazine I read says yes, but another said no - can anyone on here clarify? I have mild angina but nothing else and my urostomy op was 3.5 years ago and no trouble at all. Thank you.

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Past Member
Hi Leggy! I'm writing from America, so what's done here will not provide you with the best answer, but I think you posed a good question. Here, an ostomy alone will not necessarily qualify you for disability benefits. If you have an ostomy that causes chronic and severe problems or another chronic disease process, then that's a different situation. However, an ostomate is protected by the Americans With Disabilities Act, which protects us against discrimination on the job and does mandate that the employer make certain allowances if called on. I mention this because a lot of ostomates are not aware that they fall under this protection.
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vulcanBMk2
Hi Leggy, after my urostomy, I returned to work for 7 months. Then, my company closed down and my position was redundant. This company was very good and took me back after the operation, making allowances for me. I went to sign on as unemployed and when I explained my position, I was told nobody would want a 63-year-old urostomate, so they told me to claim Incapacity Benefit.

I duly did this and was accepted. I no longer even have to send them doctor's certificates. I will now get my £390 per month until my official retirement date next year at age 65.

I realize you cannot live off this amount, but my lady partner and I are in a comfortable position anyway, with family inheritances, pensions, savings, shares, etc. Also, at 65, my state pension and other works pensions kick in.

I'm not sure about Disability Benefit. I think that is slightly different and you need quite a lot wrong with you, but I feel sure you should qualify for Incapacity Benefit!

Oh, I live in England!
eily

Hey Leggy..... I have had my colostomy on and off (have had a few reversals) for the last 10 years..and in April this year I got a permanent one... I went to welfare rights after the operation and was told I was entitled to Disability Living Allowance even though I still work..so I am going through the process of claiming it just now... I live in Scotland, not sure if the same applies in England but will worth finding out... Eily

Past Member
Hi Leggy, to reply to your question about Disability Living Allowance, I live in Liverpool and I get DLA. I think it depends on the individual at what level you are, as you know everyone is different. I read that we people with ostomies are legally disabled. Remember, you are technically incontinent, that's why you wear a pouch, so you may be entitled to the care component. For example, if you have an accident through the night, you may have to get up and have your husband help you clean your bed linen and put fresh bed linen on. Also, getting showers because of the accident, remember to look at it the worst-case scenario. Hope this helps. Pippa.
 
Living with Your Ostomy | Hollister
boatlady

I got DLA lower rate not for my ostomy but for the depression! I was suffering due to another circumstance... bloomin crazy.
However, I know of others who have had DLA higher rate for having an ostomy, think it depends where you live all councils are different.

Past Member

Personally, I was rendered disabled, though thankfully they still let me work part-time. I've worked very hard all my life and it does hurt my pride to not have the workload I once had, even though I'm feeling good these days, my doctors advised me to stay on disability. Unfortunately, the last time I had a problem with Crohn's (after an 18-year remission) I was in-between jobs without insurance!....and poof, my savings was gone in the blink of an eye. Everything I worked so hard for evaporated before my eyes with medical bills and junk. I've had five surgeries since the age of ten. Crohn's ...bleh. So, living alone is very hard, financially and otherwise...I just barely survive. I am contemplating renting a room in this old house of mine to help me get by. Good luck to everyone!!

weewee

I know I am fighting here in Montana for SSDI also because they say I am not blind at 65. I have two arms and two legs. You can find a substantial income that states anything is better than nothing. So, like a wounded doe, I also got stuck without insurance and nobody will hire because of the liability and all the blowouts a person can have. So, good luck with your fight.

Past Member
Well now, that all sounds familiar! I had my spine fused in two places and was fired from my 8-year job the week I went back to work! I approached the insurance company paying me the long-term disability while I was recuperating. I presented them with a presentation on what it would take, financially, for me to get trained, pay bills while training, etc... They settled with me for a fair amount over $100k. BUT, the week I went back to work at a new job, my colon issues struck me like a brick wall. After two weeks of losing blood and 25 to 30 trips to the bathroom a day, I was getting quite ill and had no idea of why, so I had to resign. I then spent a month in the hospital and emerged colon-less. This was the beginning of 13 surgeries for this, due to abscesses, failed reversals, and two MRSA staph infections!

After much prodding from many people, I tried to get disability while I was going through all of this. So, even though my career was as a mechanic and I had a fused spine and an ostomy and such, I was turned down for the disability a day before one of my surgeries!! So between medical bills, living expenses, and of course 40% taxes, that settlement just melted away quickly.....

What a system. It is just maddening that someone who had been through so much and paid so much into the system gets flatly refused, but turn on the news and just watch the scammers getting disability checks while jogging, working, etc.....

Oh, and by the way, I am still a mechanic. I took my experiences as a challenge and spend a lot of time in the gym working out to maintain an active healthy life.
Past Member

"What a system. It is just maddening that someone who had been through so much and paid so much into the system gets flatly refused, but turn on the news and just watch the scammers getting disability checks while jogging, working, etc..... "



Yes, I know what you mean. Aside from my Crohn's problems, I have severe fibromyalgia and back problems that have warranted surgery for years (though I'm too afraid of the back surgeries to have them, they want to fuse me also)... I was turned down for disability initially, but then I had Binder Binder Law Offices step in and they were successful in getting me the assistance I needed. It was a struggle to get the assistance... and yet, I see people, "scammers", who have few or trivial problems with their health and have disability when they don't need it. Grrr!

Past Member

Doe, my spinal fusion is the best thing I've done. It has given me my life back (no pun intended). I go to the gym regularly and can lift a lot of weight for someone who's never had back surgery, let alone a fusion. I can also run again, not that I want to, but I can.

Past Member

Thanks for telling me this, it gives me hope.    If I would ever decide to have that surgery though, I would be needing some help for awhile.    How long did it take for you to recover?    I'm here alone and not sure how that would go ... I am a bit scared ... but maybe the surgery would be worth it.
Past Member

It does take a bit to get mobile again. However, you can't leave the hospital until you can walk with a walker by yourself. I had to climb a flight of stairs too. It would certainly help if you had a nurse to come in and help you a bit each day. The funny (not ha ha!) thing is that if I had my ileostomy before the back surgery, life would've been much easier as the worst part of recovering was using the toilet.

Past Member

Oh gosh...who would take care of all my critters lol and everything else around here.    I think I am sunk (I'm also making excuses to cover the fear LOL)
vulcanBMk2
Yea, it seems to me that our USA cousins have a harder time of it than we do over here in the UK. The USA seems to be medical insurance driven. Luckily, over here we have a National Health Service! We complain about it a lot, but in the long run, it's free. Things do eventually get done.
I, for one, have benefited from 2 free OPs, free home nurse visits, free supplies, etc.

I have to go back in again for a few days next Wednesday for some remedial/cosmetic surgery. Tummy tuck, repair post-op incisional hernia, tidy up scar line - all free.

As I stated before, I do not get Disability Benefit, but I do get Incapacity Benefit.

If you are an ostomate, the UK is one of the better places to live... Well, my opinion!!
Past Member
Hi to all, I have to agree with everything you all have talked about. I have worked all my life, and when I applied for DLA, I was refused and I had to appeal. It seems so unfair. I think you need to have someone help you fill the relevant forms, and of course, your DR will be contacted as well, so you need to let him know the situation.

I have been put into this situation through no fault of my own. I had a hysterectomy last July (it's coming up to a year). After the op, I was sent home 2 days later. 7 days later, my husband rushed me to the hospital. I had blood tests, X-rays, CT scans. They rushed me down to theatre, cut me open, drained a litre of abscesses, gave me a colostomy. I was in the Post Operative Care Unit for 7 days, then in intensive care for 9 weeks. In those 9 weeks, they took me back down to theatre, re-opened me, gave me another wash-out (because I wasn't getting better), back to intensive care. I had a tracheotomy, my lung drained. At the beginning, I was given 24 hours. It could have gone either way, and lots of other complications. Oh, and I lost all my hair through stress and trauma, and I had to learn to walk again. I was in the hospital for 3 months in total, and I am still getting physio and also waiting to see a counselor. I also have the reversal in the future to deal with. Julie
Past Member
That is most interesting, thank you for sharing.    It all does sound like a good thing.    I cannot help but wonder how much Obama will change things for us...we shall see!    
Past Member

Doe, be careful what you wish for. Without getting into the political aspect of national healthcare, you should realize that people come to the US from all over the world for treatment. We may have an "insurance-driven" system, but our doctors excel to the point of luring patients from all over the world because they can't get the needed treatment in their homelands.....
Past Member

Doe, be careful what you wish for. Without getting into the political aspect of national healthcare, you should realize that people come to the US from all over the world for treatment. We may have an "insurance driven" system, but our doctors excel to the point of luring patients from all over the world because they can't get the needed treatment in their homelands.....        

That is true hun.    Very true.
Past Member
+1
budd002

I have an ileostomy and I am on disability. However, I also work part-time. Up until last year, I couldn't work because every time I would go back to work, my Crohn's would start up or I would get some illness. Now, I work 3 days a week and disability supplements my earnings.

lottagelady

Hi, I too am in England and do claim DLA middle rate for care and the mobility as I really cannot walk far and am in a great deal of pain due to my large parastomal hernia which I have now had for 5 years. It is all about filling in the form correctly - make sure you describe your worst case scenario!!!!! ie what happens when your bags don't stick or fall off in bed etc etc....... If at first you don't succeed, throw it back at them until you do, it gets seen by another assessor and it may get through. If you want any help with the form filling, get in touch through the site. Happy to help, Rachel x

Past Member

Hi there. I read in the Colostomy Magazine, that with a colostomy, you are regarded as disabled and can apply for either Attendance Allowance if you are below retirement age or Disability Benefit if over it. I claimed it 2 months ago and got it on the first try. I think if you get refused, you should not give up as you are entitled to it. I get the middle rate of benefit and it's a great help to me. Good luck!!

Leggy

Thank you everyone for being interested and letting me know your thoughts. I echo the sentiments that being in England with our NHS has its benefits!!! Even though it's criticized a lot, it has its blessings. My op was almost 9 hours in the theatre - all evening and overnight in the recovery room with one-to-one attention and cost me nothing. I have a check-up and a CT scan every year. Our 'goodies' are free and mine also comes with creams and wet and dry wipes if I want them. So no complaints from me!!! However, at the moment, still no wiser about being able to claim benefits. Seems to differ as to what's available and where you live. Planning a visit to Age Concern for a discussion. I'm told they are very helpful. I'll let you know if I am successful!!!

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