Hi Chris... check out a brilliant website called www.benefitsandwork.co.uk ( they also have a Facebook page)
if your not working you should get ESA or possibly PIP depending on where you live and if its been rolled out yet . You should also apply for DLA both care and mobility
The above website will help you answer all the questions on each of the forms to best help you succeed in you claim and get the best entitlement you can. They also have a members forum where you can ask questions off members with similar illness on how they responded that made their claim successful.
There is a small fee to access the site, I think they also quote a discount code which saves you about 20% ( so works out about £16 and you can renew annually)
They keep totally up to date with any changes coming into affect that may help/hinder your claim and advise how to deal with.
I have used it, my daughter has used it and have recommended to a number of others, all have had the best outcomes or better than expected, by simply completing the forms they way they suggest.
I had mine accepted all without medicals due to the detailed info I was able to correctly put in forms.
Hope this helps and sending gentle hugs xx
Jacqui

It is funny you mention opening bags. I had to get my daughter to open a choc bar wrapper. I was getting angry thinking they made the bag stronger on purpose. Nope, just me.

I don't know the answer but just wanted to let you know I've just started using Actipatch, you can attach to your back and wear it anywhere. I already noticed improvement in just two days! I hope this will help you too, please let me know

Hi yes it is in the UK. I work & have had this recognised by Occ Health as a disability. There are many disabilities that are invisible to many like dyslexia,diabtes, Lupus, CFS, Chrohns etc jobs needto make 'reasonable adjustments ' to help you work. Please dont be too hard on yourself.

uk government state any chronic pain is a disability. If in uk fill out pip forms and go from there. I get lower rate x