Extra help - Disabled Students' Allowances - Page 2

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Hello all

I'm seeking information or advice from other students that suffer with thyroid related problems.
I'm 23 and was diagnosed nearly five years ago with a severely under-active thyroid, caused by what I believe is hashimotos disease. (although a doctor has never referred to the term, Hashimotos before, my symptoms, experiences and medical reports match perfectly with that of Hashimotos.) I have found my thyroid journey a troubling and difficult one, with most GPs not knowing enough about the condition and being completely unable to balance out my dosage. I currently take 200mg of Levothyroxine per day, but no doubt this will change again within the next three months.
I find that I have good and bad days in relation to the symptoms brought on my thyroid disease, however the main issues I contend with on a daily basis are that of extreme fatigue, loss of concentration, irritability, hair loss, dry skin, painful joints, painful muscles and horrendous bouts of depression. Another kick in the shins is that regardless of what the doctors measure my T3 and T4 levels at, these symptoms do not go away. EVER.

(I would just like to say that I love my studies and despite the health issues I am doing very well. I keep the problems to myself and rarely discuss how I'm feeling with anyone, other than my Dad who has the same condition. My depression is also something kept very quiet, I receive no help for this from the doctors for that particular issue.)

I have applied for University this year, and i'm concerned that there wont be any help or support for people with conditions relating to thyroid problems. Could anyone tell me of their experiences? Is this the case?

Also, a lady from student finance passed me a leaflet today regarding student disability allowance and support. I have never classed myself as being 'disabled' - and I don't still, but i wondered is anyone had ever successfully used this with thyroid issues? - As a mature student this would be extremely beneficial as I'm just about making ends meet!

Thank you and positive vibes!

Hi there,

We're glad to hear that you are enjoying your studies.

In terms of applying for DSA, we don't take age or any previous study into account, and we would suggest that you apply for your new course as soon as the applications open. You can find all of the information about how to apply here: https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students...-dsas/overview
The applications for 16/17 will open at the beginning of March.

You‘ll need to provide medical evidence of your condition, such as a medical report or a written medical statement from a doctor or qualified specialist confirming your disability or mental health condition and how this will affect your ability to study.

We hope this helps.

Amy and Emma

Reply 21

Sarah SFE

Thanks to Amy and Emma for answering all your questions.

If you want to know more about about what student finance you can get, including DSAs, check out Student Finance England's student finance zone.