A ramble and a rant.

It seems many bloggers write about personal stuff on their blogs where posts are otherwise reserved for highlighting the dangers of the drugs we take. I've been careful to try and keep on track due to the obsessive simpleton who stalks my every move [word]. No doubt a post will soon appear on his doppelganger blog labelling me a whingeing bastard or something along those lines. Anyway, enough about that particular moron, I would hate to be the one responsible for staining the front of his pants because he seems to 'get off' when his name is mentioned.

Today, I filled in... or should I say, 're-filled', a claim for Incapacity Benefit. In their infinite wisdom, probably with some persuasion by some Northern Irish prick, the Benefits Agency sent me a form to fill. I've been on Disability Living Allowance for some years but this, apparently, means nothing. Ho hum, I thought, this should be a barrel of fucking laughs.

What is your name?

They sent me the bloody thing!

Please tell us about your illness or disability.

Would any of their highly paid doctors know about prolonged use of an SSRi, my guess is that many of them would have to look up what an SSRi actually was!

Do you think any of your problems are linked with drug or alcohol abuse?

Yes... but Pharma and the books your doctors tend to read will dispute this!

The next section applies to sitting, getting up, bending and kneeling. It's here where you get to tick a selection of boxes. However, there is no mention of the frequency of how and when these 'problems' occur. One is left to estimate.

The boxes:

1. I do not have a problem with sitting

2. I cannot sit comfortably at all

3. I cannot sit comfortably for more than 10 minutes, without having to move from the chair.

4. I cannot sit comfortably for more than 30 minutes, without having to move from the chair.

5. I cannot sit comfortably for more than one hour, without having to move from the chair.

6. I cannot sit comfortably for more than two hours, without having to move from the chair.

----

I was actually laying down whilst filling the form in, incidentally I had to send the original form back and request one with a much bigger typeface - unfortunately my left eye is shot and I need reading glasses - I cannot afford them.

So, assuming that the 'patient' answered the above question truthfully we have to assume that those that read and vet these applications are already there with red pen in hand to draw a red X through any discrepancy.

I actually made a comment that I was laying on the floor whilst filling the form in, I added it to a comment section where you give the Benefits Agency 'further information'

The form took about 45 minutes to complete so one would assume that the folk with the red pens would immediately be alerted to anyone who had ticked boxes 1,2,3 and 4.

I actually do have difficulty sitting on a chair, those that know me will know my back has been playing up lately as is my right hip. I refuse to take treatment in the form of Pharma tablets until it gets so bad that it makes me want to vomit. This past month I have wanted to vomit with the pain.

When readers of Seroxat Sufferers read my posts they probably envisage me typing away like a madman. Sorry to disappoint, it takes me quite a long time to post as more often than not I have to rise from my chair because when the hip pain kicks in it hurts like a bitch. I was diagnosed with Bi-Lateral Osteoarthritis when I was 35. Because of bureaucracy and probably money, The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital here in Birmingham deemed me too young to have a hip replacement. I'm 44 now, still no call from them.

Apparently it costs between £8,000 - £15,000 to have a hip replacement, this replacement lasts for up to 12 to 15 years. So I guess it makes sense to give a replacement to a male aged 70 because more than likely the chances of him dying before he needs another replacement are higher than that of someone who is 35. That's the brutality of it!

Politics at its best folks.

Anyway, the form has been filled and I have told the Benefits Agency that I have no intention of parading around in front of them, bending over to touch my toes or stretching my arms in the air so one of their doctors can make an assessment of whether or not I suffer with pain.

More importantly, I think so anyway, I have told them that if they wish to send me to see one of their highly paid doctors then I want the said doctor to be clued up about SSRi withdrawal and long term use of SSRi's and its effects on the humans taking them.

They won't be able to offer me such a doctor because no doctor has been trained in this field, at least not in the UK. Take that as a given.

I therefore offered them my services and told them that when they 'assess' depressed people they may be witnessing something that they have never come across before - they may be witnessing SSRi withdrawal.

If they want me to help them understand this then they can call me and request to see me. If they want me to discuss it with them on a patient/doctor basis they can kiss my ass - but they will have to do the bending.

Rant over.

Newsflash. My Internet stalker has just been spotted buying bleach to take away the stain from the front of his jeans.

Fid

Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal

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