I Can’t Be Vegan Anymore

[Starving]

I think I need to accept I can't be vegan anymore.
I'm new. I just signed up here as a last ditch effort to see if anyone has any ideas how I can avoid this. Baically I've been vegan since age 13, I'm 40 now. However for the past few years I've been on disability benefits since getting thyroid cancer and the treatment wrecked my health. My benefits were recently wrongfully stopped and I'm going through appeal. I now have no income, my overdraft is maxxed out. I can no longer feed myself. I've been using food banks and olio, both of which are awful in my area. Olio has basically nothing, and the food bank takes so long to access that I basically get three days worth of food every 2 weeks. I'm so hungry all the time. I've been diagnosed with multiple nutritional deficiencies, the NHS give me free supplements but i still get no food. It's a stupid system. I'm so hungry i now eat whatever the food bank gives, vegan or otherwise. They don't give much at my local food bank, each package usually contains a loaf of bread, a bag of pasta, a block of cheese, some yoghurt and a packet of meat. I eat it. Whatever is in it, I eat it. The hunger is so bad I am almost past caring but when I've eaten and the hunger pangs are gone, I feel so guilty. When that runs out, I starve until I can get another food bank appointment. Even the salvation army and the local church wouldn't help, they both turned me away. I got banned from reddit for trying to sell my prescription meds on there as I'm so desperate and I have nothing else to sell. So, sorry, I'm sure you'll think I'm awful but unless anyone has any amazing ideas, I can't be vegan any more.

 

[Brian W]

I'm new. I just signed up here as a last ditch effort to see if anyone has any ideas how I can avoid this. Baically I've been vegan since age 13, I'm 40 now. However for the past few years I've been on disability benefits since getting thyroid cancer and the treatment wrecked my health. My benefits were recently wrongfully stopped and I'm going through appeal. I now have no income, my overdraft is maxxed out. I can no longer feed myself. I've been using food banks and olio, both of which are awful in my area. Olio has basically nothing, and the food bank takes so long to access that I basically get three days worth of food every 2 weeks. I'm so hungry all the time. I've been diagnosed with multiple nutritional deficiencies, the NHS give me free supplements but i still get no food. It's a stupid system. I'm so hungry i now eat whatever the food bank gives, vegan or otherwise. They don't give much at my local food bank, each package usually contains a loaf of bread, a bag of pasta, a block of cheese, some yoghurt and a packet of meat. I eat it. Whatever is in it, I eat it. The hunger is so bad I am almost past caring but when I've eaten and the hunger pangs are gone, I feel so guilty. When that runs out, I starve until I can get another food bank appointment. Even the salvation army and the local church wouldn't help, they both turned me away. I got banned from reddit for trying to sell my prescription meds on there as I'm so desperate and I have nothing else to sell. So, sorry, I'm sure you'll think I'm awful but unless anyone has any amazing ideas, I can't be vegan any more.

Are you getting a hardship allowance? They should be able to provide at least that while the appeal goes through. The last time they tried to stop my sickness benefit in the UK, Cameron had changed the system to allow full benefits up to the appeal, so maybe that has changed back again. Either way they should be able to pay you something.

 

[PTree15]

I'm sorry you are in such a bad way. I'm not in the UK, but that seems odd that they would stop your benefits while you're appealing. Do you have any family or friends who might be able to help you out? Are there any jobs you can do, like online or something, that won't tax your health? Are there soup kitchens where you could get a free meal? Can you do things for people in exchange for a meal? I'm not sure what your options are at the food bank, but beans and legumes are filling and nutritious. And there are lots of ways to make them, like pulses, soups and casseroles, etc.

I hope things get better for you soon.

 

[Starving]

I'm sorry you are in such a bad way. I'm not in the UK, but that seems odd that they would stop your benefits while you're appealing. Do you have any family or friends who might be able to help you out? Are there any jobs you can do, like online or something, that won't tax your health? Are there soup kitchens where you could get a free meal? Can you do things for people in exchange for a meal? I'm not sure what your options are at the food bank, but beans and legumes are filling and nutritious. And there are lots of ways to make them, like pulses, soups and casseroles, etc.

I hope things get better for you soon.

They always stop benefits while you're appealing at least in my experience. No I don't have any family or friends. My friends all drifted away when i got sick and wasn't fun to spend time with any more. My family split up when i was a teenager. I've got no-one. I can't do any work at all (multiple doctors notes to prove it) and I have already explained the food bank situation. They give three days worth of food at a time and it takes at least 2 weeks to get an appointment. That's 11 days a fortnight with nothing. They don't give options either. i can't say "give me some beans and legumes," they give what they give. People who aren't in this situation always think it's easier than it is though. People seem to think there is a selection of free food for the taking. There really isn't.

 

[Brian W]

I can't do any work at all (multiple doctors notes to prove it)

Why would you need multiple doctors notes? You only need notes from one doctor to claim sickness benefit.

 

[Starving]

Are you getting a hardship allowance? They should be able to provide at least that while the appeal goes through. The last time they tried to stop my sickness benefit in the UK, Cameron had changed the system to allow full benefits up to the appeal, so maybe that has changed back again. Either way they should be able to pay you something.

Why would you need multiple doctors notes? You only need notes from one doctor to claim sickness benefit.

Maybe because I've been through multiple claims spanning years, plus MRs and appeals? This is the latest one. So I've had two GPs and several hospital staff write letters on my behalf for MRs/appeals as well as getting my original note. But you've already made it clear in the other thread you think I'm a liar so i don't know why I'm even bothering to explain.