Dyspraxia, depression and other ill health

[Isis Black]

Hi there were currently into year 2 of our iva
My hubby works full time and I'm a full time uni student

Problems this past 6 months have arisen with my health so much so I'm considering leaving uni as I'm not coping
Thing is my £6000 year student income is of course included in our iva
We should be able to keep up with our monthly payment if I lose that money so will they be ok with that or will Grant Thornton have to reassess??
Also will I have to get rid of my car even though its only worth £500 and was allowed to be kept to get me to uni and back but it's my lifeline as I have days ATM where I just cannot go far without being exhausted and losing it will I feel impact badly on my health

I hate to be in this position but right now I'm unable to get my health back to some sort of normality quickly but I don't want to screw up our IVA [V]

[kallis3]

Sorry to hear of your health problems and I do hope they improve.

If you can keep up with your monthly payments then there shouldn't be a problem but you will need to let GT know and obviously your I&E would change for your next review.

As to the car I think you would be ok as I presume you will still need it get to the doctors or hospital appointments?

[Tina Shortland]

Hi Isis - your health is the priority and I am sure GT will work with you on finding a solution that enables you to continue with your IVA and focus on getting better. You will not have to get rid of the car as it is worth very little and you still need transport and it doesn't sound like relying on public transport would be good for you.

GT will review your I&E so that your payments are set correctly and if there are any significant changes they can address that with a variation to find a solution.

I am assuming your IVA payment was only based on your share of the household disposable income which is why you can afford the payments even with losing £6000 - either way, for peace of mind moving forward you will want to make sure your payments are set right.

Best of luck getting it all sorted and I wish you a healthy recovery although with the things you have listed it won't be quick. Hope you are getting lots of support from those around you and you have a good GP. We're all here anytime you need your online supporters too

[Isis Black]

Thank you both for replying

income was based on my student finance, hubby's wage, tax credits and child benefit
Were on £200 pm payments

I Haven't sadly had a referral to the hospital yet but if I do then thats a 24 mile total journey, it's not far down the road from my uni lol. I'm just backwards and forwards to the drs saying I feel like I'm falling to bits aches, pains, tiredness exhaustion but ATM its only been put down to severe vitamin d deficiency, if that's all it is then b***** hell it does play havoc with the body :-s

I do need to make a decision very soon so I can sort out with the uni be it being removed from the course or being allowed to resit.

I just find it annoying I seem to have a running problem when I'm working in that I'm there for a certain amount of time and thenI get ill, Im starting to think my body hates work lol even though I'm still working at home having a hose 3 kids a dog and 4 cats :-s lol

[Isis Black]

well since i last posted ere now looking towards me having CFS :-s
there is no cure and no meds.
only coping strategies :-s
once got a proper diagnosis i will need to see if i am eligible for disability but im betting i wont qualify, even though there are many days atm i just cant move far
i have just missed all my exams as i was unable to revise due to pain and inability to red or take anything in, short term memory is shot, so now need to go get a letter from the dr to get the uni to let me sit them in september.
ive no idea where this is all heading and just taking each days as it comes but its infuriating that i was getting somewhere with something new and bang this had to kick in and right royally screw things up

[Broke of London]

Just take every day one at a time. It's enough just to get through the day when you're ill and don't know what's wrong. Hopefully you'll get your hospital appointment soon and once you have a diagnosis you can really start looking to the future and planning how to continue your studies. x

[Grant Thornton]

Good morning Isis,

Thank you for your post above and we are very sorry to hear of the issues that you are currently having to cope with in relation to your health.

As per Tina's comment above, if you experience a change in circumstances we can review your financial position to determine what (if any) course of action needs to be taken.

Please get in touch with us on 0844 855 2166 or by email to ivacustomerservices@uk.gt.com (please put "IVA Forum" in the subject line) and we will be able to answer any of your questions.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards

Grant Thornton

[Isis Black]

Thanks GT

I will get in touch as soon as I know what is going to happen
I first need to get things organised with uni, wether that's staying or leaving but that won't be done till August so right now I plan on taking it easy and trying to relax (which with 3 kids can be hard lol ).
Any sort of diagnosis may not occur till the end if the year as I need to have had it for 6 months with no other problems before CFS will be accepted and since I've had a vitamin deficiency problem well that's put a spanner in the works a bit lol though that's sorted and now on daily vitamins [8D]
So I'm now keeping a diary of each days problems if any so it's just that wait to see if things improve, or get worse
Ah the things were tested with lol
Though would be very happy to win the £126 million tonight [:D]

[Broke of London]

Things will get easier! Are you putting any of the coping strategies in place already? x

[Foggy]

Hi again. The coping strategies will help before diagnosis. Think of your energy levels as a mobile phone battery ---- keep them topped up and things work well, let it run down and things go wrong.

Everything (everything) you do uses energy, so try to keep life on an even keel. Even if you feel full of life one day, don't use up all that energy!

It takes some getting used to --- even several years in I forget.

[Broke of London]

That's a great analogy! Which of the coping strategies work for you?

[Foggy]

I am "lucky" in that I have a friendly alarm clock ---- tinnitus ! When my ears start to ring I know I have to rest, if I don't it gets louder until I practically can't hear, but by then ( I have tried to fight) I feel so ill I have to take to my bed. Fortunately, I usually heed the warning and rest up --- flex time at work is really helpful there.

I start work early, so I can leave early if needed, and my employer allows me to work from home if needed every now and again.

My employer is very helpful ... I took the opportunity of getting them to watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBriPTFO ... re=related

So I didn't have to explain ! They have also allowed me to take more sick leave than usual as well as time for treatement (such as it can be described ---- cognative behavioural therapy to teach you to pace yourself).

Funny thing is, being diagnosed was a relief! I thought I was getting Alzhiemers (sp).

[Isis Black]

Well I got the diagnosis but that was it!!
Dr not done anything, all I got was cocodamol for my pains! (Im allergic to ibuprofen)
I think I need to go back to get a referral, but really confused about evetything ATM :-s got no coping strategies yet eeeek
I'm still neeeding to get In touch with uni, though times I have tutor hadn't bothered to reply
I'm up In the air with what's going to happen next
Also no clue if I'm eligible for any disability awards
Everyday my walking is getting worse, I'm seriously looking to get some crutches even before a dr says yes
I'm so tired but have trouble sleeping,
I have found a pointer for me if I've over done things is I get the shakes :-s but yeah I also get the joyful tinnitus as well as palpitations! Though think may have worked out the palpitations ( no help from dr!) I maybe dehydrated at times when the palpitations occur!

And the new kick in the teeth this weekend was finding I'm allergic to watermelon!! Wtf it's my fave fruit but this time my mouth and tongue began to get itchy so did back of my throat!. Surrounding my mouth was tingly neigh on numb and going down my neck too, I kept calm and made sure I took note of what was happen ending and being aware incase my throat stated to close up, luckily it didn't but I'm sooooo not impressed. The melon is now taunting me in the fridge

[Broke of London]

That's crazy! A family friend was hospitalised recently after eating a bowl of pre-packed melon. She ate it once and got the symptoms you described but didn't know what it was and when she ate melon a few weeks later...hosptal! Don't give in to the melon now you'r e sensitised to it!!!!

I'm glad you got your diagnosis. It is the first step to getting everything in place. Do you have an appointment to see your doctor?

[kazzafunk]

I hope you can get sorted soon. Be careful with the co-codamol, it can end up giving you indigestion probs as well as bad headaches when you wake up.

I now take the higher dose co-codamol during the day then a high dose of amitryptiline in the evening to help my muscles relax and help me sleep. Happy as no more headaches or sickness in the morning.