How can you prove you have pots with cfs/me?

A question about : How can you prove you have pots with cfs/me?

I'm appealing pip for the care element. They gave me a score of 2 for the bathing but I have clearly told them that I can get into the bath by myself but because of chronic fatique after having a bath and the change in my body temperature from the hot water I get very weak and dizzy after taking a bath and need help to get out of the bath which would score me the 3 points that I really needed to get low rate care element.
I have asked my gp for the pots test as one idea of how I can prove that I do suffer dizzy spells. As usual my gp said no he wasn't going to spend money on expensive tests.
My appeal is coming up soon. Any ideas how I might be able to prove to the court that I am telling the truth and do need help getting out of the bath? My doctors aren't sympathetic at all.
It seems the DWP have given lots of people a score of 7 points so that they miss receiving the care element by one point. A disgusting lot they are. I wonder if anybody that has gone through the ordeal of trying to claim pip would vote a conservative government in again with the horrible ian Duncan smith creating further stress for the disabled.

Best answers:

• Could you not just have a shower?
• Unfortunately I don't have enough energy for a shower. It might sound silly but sitting on a stool with a little bit of water tricking over me sounds like torture. I'm either very hot or cold. I would be shivering feeling so cold.
  The hot bath helps relax my aching muscles. A warm or cold bath again I would be shivering and it would be torture. Since having CFS/me my body is very sensitive unfortunately.
• as above.
  if your only issue is getting out of the bath i don't see that you will win an appeal.
  you need to show frequent and sustained care needs that fit in with the desvriptors
• To get PIP care or mobility = you have to spell it out that you cannot do some task SAFELY/REPEATEDLY/RELIABLY & IN NO MORE THAN TWICE THE TIME AN ABLE BODIED PERSON DOES IT.
  When filling out the forms that is what you need 2 B thinking - for example I would have put it like this: I need help to have a bath once I get into the bath because my hands/arms tire very quickly & I therefore do not have the strength to raise myself out of a bath once in it. No need to mention hot water at all. KISS is keep i6t simple stupid & that is how you need 2 do things when applying for PIP/ESA. Go through your copy of the application & any other forms and appeal on that basis. GP is right you do not need a pointless test to do this. I used that method on both my DLA application & the recent uprating & got both awards straight away. It works. Same applies to mobility, if you get dizzy after say 2 meters of walking, so are in danger of falling down - that's what they need 2 know. Hope U take this on board & go 4 it.
• Horseunderwater thank you for the great advice. I'm not good at keeping things simple. That's probably where I have gone wrong. I will take your advice which is a much better explanation than I have given the DWP so far.
  To the person asking what I would use the care element money for ?? I would use it for a carer simply. I have said that I have already scored 7 points towards the care element but should have scored the 8'points that are needed to recieve the care element. I live alone so have to rely on family members to come to my house to help me get out of the bath safely and to walk me to my bed to lie down until I have enough energy and feel strong enough to feel safe walking again.
• Tory Quinn thanks for your reply. I scored only 2 points under pip for the cooking food element as they say that I can cook a meal using a microwave. I am also appealing this point.
  I have asked for a wheelchair for when I'm outdoors but got a no because I do not need it inside my house. I had given up on social services after that but maybe the bath seat they might agree to. Thanks for the advice.
• Nanny tone I scored 7 points towards the care element. They gave me 2 points for bathing. I would have scored 3 points if they accept that I cannot get out of the bath without help. This would have given me the total,of 8 points to be awarded low rate care element.
• Not a new user.
  I have cfs/me and possibly pots but cannot have the test to be diagnosed for this. I have to sleep for most of the day because of total exhaustion. Unless you have this disability or have witnessed somebody close to you with the same as me then you probably don't fully understand how debilitating the illness can be. I wish I did only have pots.
  The reason for posting on this site is for helpful kind help from other people that have been in similar situations. I think it is harsh to compare one persons disability to another person who is fortunate to be able to work. I would love to return to work and one day I believe I will but at the moment my body says differently. I'm p,eased for your sister that she is able to work 12 hour shifts with pots. I wish I could do the same and support myself again.
  My dizzy spells which might be pots is just one part of having ME. Don't judge me please.
• Tea-bag who is your post aimed at regarding doing housework? Torry Quinn I'm guessing.
• Notanewuser if you were unfortunate to be in the position of needing to apply for PIP then you would understand my original post.
• If my condition fits the pip descriptors then I qualify for the care element to pay for a carer. My condition does fit the pip descriptors to score me the 8 points that I need to qualify but the DWP do not always play fair.
  It is your opinion that I am trying to screw every little bit of money out of the welfare system. What is the welfare system there for? It's there to help out people who need some help to hopefully get them back on there feet again one day. I have worked all my life mainly working a 55 hour week so don't judge me a lazy. I have paid in plenty of money in tax and NI and I am now in the position that I need a little help. There are genuine people out that that are disabled and would rather not be and be able to have a fully working body like yours. Nobody wants to live off disability benefits.
  Let's hope that you have good health for the rest of your life and don't need to find out what a battle it is to get what you are entitled to.
• Thank you for all the helpful comments made on here. This site is great for advice.
  To the people that seem to think that the disabled are scrounges get a life. We would love to have fully functioning bodies again.