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Bluebell

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Everything posted by Bluebell

  1. Appreciate that this was written last year, but am interested to know how you got on (if you are still monitoring this site), as I read on another forum that a lady who returned after living in France for 6 years, and had turned 65 years during her time away, was refused her re-application for mobility on the basis that she is now over the age limit. She had her DLA care reinstated so that was not affected apparently. Obviously the DWP considered her application as a completely new one, despite her having been awarded indefinitely previously. So would also like to know if anyone else has had same treatment by DWP and any differences in their circumstances, particularly those who were already over 65 years old when moved to France but were on DLA as awarded before reaching that age. Has anyone returned to UK and been refused reinstatement of mobility? Thanks. BB
  2. Many thanks for your replies. I shall have a chat with my local pharmacist about availability of my current remedy (poison ivy) for arthritis and put out some feelers for a GP who offers homeopathic services (in particular I am looking for acupuncture). BB
  3. Although I have been in France a while I still get my homeopathic remedies from UK. Are there general practitioners here that provide such remedies? Any information much appreciated. BB
  4. Many thanks for bringing this to our attention. I have put the link on to the dedicated campaign website and am urging everyone to sign up.
  5. Gacias for the responses. As the notes still contained their full reference numbers my local bank was quite happy to send them to the Banque de France to get them exchanged. Not to worry about Granny - she's a tough old bird, even at 90-years-old (not to be confused with Clair's cockerel) and has now vowed not to send money through the post again! We've been trying to tell her for years (after many losses of cards - mainly in the UK!) but it has taken an event in a "foreign" land to put her on the straight and narrow. [:D]
  6. My 90-year-old grandmother sent 4 x €5 notes in a birthday card to me (received today) where the envelope, card and money had been cut through and half of each of the €5 notes were removed. The envelope had then been resealed with a large white "customs" sticker. Has anyone else ever experienced this or can explain why it has happened. I will have to tell granny the news tomorrow and would like to be able to give her an explanation - because the whole thing is beyond me (rather petty, I think personally). Fortunately the halfs of the notes restuffed into the envelope contained the full reference numbers so my bank has sent them to Bank of France in hope of them being reimbursed to me. Not a pleasant experience - or a happy birthday! Thanks in advance, PG
  7. [quote user="Russethouse"] I thought the DWP had recently started working in Spain and had already uncovered fraud there ? I saw something on 'Breakfast' a few weeks ago [/quote] Yes, the DWP have representatives working in the Consulate offices of the most expat-populated areas of the Spanish Costas (to "help" expats claim their rightful allowances as well as deal with benefit fraud). The BBC covered the story with interviews, including those who admitted to fiddling the system: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8015229.stm
  8. [quote user="andypandy"] I can't see a situation where I will be able to afford £300 for joint health care with my wife. [/quote] Not jumping down your throat [:)], but we have to fund top-up insurance of €1000 per annum from single state pension. OH covered 100% for 2 illnesses under ALD scheme (the 3rd illness only covered to 75%). If you are looking to afford to live in France then you will need to find some way of working here. PG
  9. Bluebell

    DEET

    We got some mossie stuff last year with DEET in it - but brought over from the UK. We've never seen any product here with DEET in it - but have just found this on the internet so they must be ok with it in France: http://www.smi-voyage-sante.com/shop/DEET-50-Spray-75ml_p87.html
  10. Bluebell

    worried

    Hi Dorothy We have regular blood tests, which are taken by the insertion of a needle (with small rubber tube attached) and the blood collected in a small phile - that is then decanted into miniature plastic bottles. No syringes are used. However, the needle is always a new one removed from a packet in front of you. Although I would not worry on this occasion - as it is entirely possible that the nurse had just prepared everything in advance of your appointment - I would ensure that future blood tests are taken using a needle removed from its sterile packet and witnessed by yourself. kind regards, Tina
  11. Ignore my last posting. Found the answer that I was looking for! And no, I do not intend to introduce sheep to my garden (although am considering a few hens) [6]
  12. Does anyone know if there are EU subsidies for keeping sheep or goats on your land? I know that the French are traditionally self-sufficient, but I've noticed that an awful lot of my countryside neighbours have recently taken to keeping a couple of sheep (and/or goats) alongside their usual flocks of laying hens. Do they know something that I don't? (no rude answers to that question please [:D])
  13. We adopted a stray (abandoned in our garden) a couple of years ago. He was very aggressive towards our other cats (and although a lot better now still has to be kept separate from them). The vet aligned his behaviour to stress and prescribed a herbal-based pill - IPAcalm. It does calm him down, but can also make him a bit dozy so we only use them when he displays his more extreme behavioural traits. Funnily enough, he just loves small dogs and is prone to chase sticks. We wonder if he was originally brought up in a household with dogs as opposed to other cats [8-)]
  14. Bluebell

    DLA

    Hi Rockstitch Information for anyone looking to make a move can be found at: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport/Introductiontofinancialsupport/DG_073387. I would have thought that as long as you meet the criteria there should not be any problems with a smooth transition - no doubt someone will correct me if they have experienced anything different! It is my understanding that people moving abroad have been processed under the new rules since last April - so the DWP should have got their act together on that front by now [:)] As you may have realised the other thread is very much discussing the issue of those of us already living abroad (prior to the ECJ ruling) and still fighting for our rights to the benefit. However, I would put any further posts onto that thread, as the people there have a wealth of information that may be of help to you. Kind regards, Tina
  15. [quote user="WendyG"] They are presently embarking on dentristry, scans and tests and it will be interesting to see what happens.  [/quote] Ooh - wouldn't want to receive the bill for that lot [+o(]
  16. [quote user="Dog"]Fresh tomato juice is a good alternative to grapefruit juice. Check salt content though and don't buy long life it's yuk.[/quote] Also very good for male prostate problems.
  17. Many thanks for posting this. I had to come off of one type of statin (Crestor) due to adverse effects and am now on Lypanthyl. I have a couple of cartons on grapefruit juice in the fridge - better leave them for someone else to sup [:)] rgds, Tina
  18. Good advice, Gardian It doesn't surprise me that some people can be led down this way of thinking. I know of a couple who moved here on the premise that healthcare was 100% free for the over-60s - and ended up moving back to the UK when they realised it wasn't. All the time that they were here they kept nipping back "home" for treatment! rgds, Tina
  19. Sent you a pm, Benjamin.
  20. Can concur that you will have to pay percentage of costs. I fell ill while on holiday here (prior to making permanent move), which required ambulance to hospital and relevant treatment. I was presented with an €1100 bill to pay! Thankfully I was covered for full costs, although it took over two and a half years before it was all settled (due to an error made on the French side that is too complicated to go into!). regards, Tina
  21. We never received any notes, despite asking for them. Even with the complications of the John's history, his GP looked at his UK medication then started from scratch with a full medical, blood tests etc. We even found out that John had a leaking heart valve that had never been picked up in the UK (although his GP there had been treating him for blood pressure probs!). In fact, we both now have access to a cardiologist that was never made available to us on the NHS. My own GP is homeopathic, which has some pluses and some negatives, and also took the steps to go for a full medical, which picked up some issues missed back in Blighty. All in all, we are both very pleased with the service we get and don't regret not having got hold of our notes. regards, Tina
  22. Thanks for the clarification, Clair. I must admit it was reading about the possibility of a claim on your estate that was a bit off-putting for us (as well as by going by our maire would probably ensure that the whole village would know our business in about 5 minutes flat!).
  23. Definitely head along to you local emergency department. Had to go to ours a couple of weeks ago for a trapped nerve in my neck. They were brilliant! T
  24. I appreciate the publicity given through the forum to the DLA petition and felt that it was only right to return the support [:D] I know that a lot of people are put off by French form-filling, but in this case it is really quite easy. I'm not a fluent French speaker/reader so used Google translator to work through the form. A half a day's work on it resulted in CPAM sending vouchers that will save half the cost of our insurance this year - plus a letter that we present on visits to our doctor that saves us the €22 standard payment! Another (non-health) option for low income support is the ASPA system, but it seems more complicated as you have to go through your maire (and they don't always have the information to hand or know anything about it). T
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