disability or job questions

Diseases & Conditions Rheumatoid Arthritis
1
Hi all,  I should find out tomorrow if I'm employed or have to go on short term disability from my work.  I've gone through the anger, tears, frustration, depression, etc. ...well, maybe not done with all of it, yet..lol.  I was doing OK at work until a new assistant manager started and he's "by the book" so he's requiring my doctor to complete a light duty form to see if I can do that.  First, we're only allowed to stay on light duty for 45 days, and second, I don't think I can do what they require, so, either tomorrow or in 45 days I will be on my works short term disability.  I have osteoarthritis in the hands which is preventing me from lifting a minimum of 25 pounds (light duty) or 50 pounds (regular duty) and cannot do 2 continous hours of repetitive work (again, light duty).  I thought I could find an office job, as I used to do that years ago, but I typed for an hour tonite and my hands started hurting bad.  Does anyone know a type of job you don't need your hands for (besides typing with your feet or mouth...lol) and/or how bad does it have to be to apply for SSDI or do they just fight everyone? BTW, STD will last for a year and I'm only 42 so expect to be denied SSDI to start with.  Thanks for any answers or suggestions you can give me, as I'm sure many of you have been or are in the same situation.        Wendy
2

START the process NOW for ssdi so you can expect to try to get it in 2-3 years from now, as that is how long it usually takes for peeps to collect it as they fight you like mad especially sicne you are 42.

25-50 pounds? sheesh taht would kill me, i cant do lots of typing wither as i have carpul tunnel in both wrists from repetitive tasks office work. plus i have FMS and bad back, neck etc, i had to wait 2.5 yrs before i got ssdi. they bascially told me there is nothing i can do proffessionally with all my health issues and meds i take. here;s the deal how can you drive to and from work if you are on pain meds? did you know in most states this is a dui crime and you can be fined and have your liscense taken away?

i would tell who ever you work for if you are on pain meds and how it is illegal for someone to be driving who is on these.
get going cause you will be denied ssdi prolly right off the bat and then have to do an appeal, then drag an atty inot the pot later on. they dont get involved until you get through with all your denials, then they file the appeals for admin law judge to chime in to get you up and runnig with it. they take a max allowed by law of 5300 fee if you win, if they take your case and you win, they take it from your cut. but ssdi claims take a long time and your condition may worsen so do not wait. also ssdi holds back the first 6 months from your pay, so say you win 2 yrs later they will pay from 6 months after your first application date. its a lot of paper work but start your paper trail going now and get all your tests done and ducks in a row

9-02 crash w/ C-5-6-7 anterior/posterior fusion in neck w/11 screws and 4 metal plates. multilevel HNP at T & L section. FMS, PA in dec 05. on SSDI after 2.5 yr wait. sezuires, CTS, IBS ( C & D). norco, xanax, predisone shots. i dont know what else is wrong with me and neither does anyone else!!!

3
Yes, apply for your disability. It is a long drawn out frustrating process. But you need to start since you can't work. They will pay you like Missis said. I had to get an attorney and I had a workemann's comp claim going on too. They took my W/C settlement off =what they were supposed to give me as back payments. Well, my attorney didn't get any money from the SS claim. But about 5 years later, they found their mistake and repaid me over $5000.00. But at first I only $3.00 a month. It cost them ore thatn that to cut the check.

Also, keep good records of ALL you dr visits, your symptoms. both physical and mental. I ended up with severe depression and I really think that is what finally got my disability approved. I was I was in my early 40's. They have sent me 2 letters wanting updatges on my health. Well, once they see al my dr. appts. they leave me alone.

It is hard to come to terms with being disbled in a sense of the word, but sometimes you just can't help it. I hate using a walker and cane at times and will go through hell to not do it, but then I have to break down and use the stupid things.

Good luck. Jbrat

Here is a list of my meds. I keep trying to decrease or eliminate some but then I get sick again.

 

Accolate 20 mg                        Albuterol  2 mg                      

Atrovent 2.5 ml                        Celexa 20 mg                           1 a day

Flexeril 10 MG            

Florinef 0.1 MG                 

Fosamax  70mg               

Lasix 20 mg.  

Librax                          

Lidoderm Patches                        

Loracet 10 mg                         

Micardis 40 mg                       

Micro-K 10                            

Mobix 15 mg                           

Nexium  40 mg           

Potassium CL 10 MEQ            

Prednisone  5 mg                   

Premarin .0625 mg.                  

Tessalon Perles 100mg 

Zocor 40 MG                          

 

Calcium W/Vit. D                     3 per day (total 1800 mg.)

Vitamin D                                 800 I.U. per day

Centrum A-Z                            1 per day

Stool Softener                          2 per day

 

ALLERGIES:   Compazine, sulfur, imitrex

 

 I also have COPD, Addisons Disease, Osterarthritis, Osterporosis, Acid Reflux (GERD).Depression, (why I have depression, I'll never know). And just all over feel like crap.

 

4

I think no one likes this process.  It is emotionally & physically draining...but what can ya do if you cannot support yourself due to disease?

I agree with the panel here...start the initial process now.

I'm in the appeal process now, sent my appeal in February!  Haven't heard anything yet.

Now THEY REALLY DON'T WANT TO APPROVE ME!  I know they're thinking..."she's 25!...that's 60 years of shellin' out money!".

No one wants to work & have there career more than I do, and it's heartbreaking to have worked so hard your whole life to achieve a goal and not be able to thrive in it...but I never expected this to get THIS bad.  I hope I do not have to be on SSDI my whole life....but until then, what has to be done needs to be done.

I would start the process now definitely.

Best wishes.

Active, Severe RA. Crohns Disease. Chiari Malformation & Right Brain venous anomoly. AS. Emphysema. Rheumatic Lung. MVP and Tricuspid prolapse. Had Lymes disease for 10 years.
Meds: Humira 40mg every 4 days; pred; Pentasa; Imuran; dilaudid; diazepam; Avinza 30mg; MiraLax & too many others.

5
Thanks Missie, JBrat, and Erin for your replies. I'm still waiting on the fax from the rheumy on whether she thinks I can work or not so right now I'm in limbo. Like I said, I think the answer is going to be I can't so I'll take everyone's advice and start as soon as I get verification. I'm leaving on vacation on Friday for a week...planning this since December..WDW with the family, so I'm hoping to get the STD started before then, then I'll start SSDI rolling when I get back. I'm prepared for the frustration and aggravation, and my parents are a great support system, more financially than emotionally (my mom still doesn't understand when I say I can't lift something, she figures I'm taking advantage of the problem). The good news is my only child just graduated from college and her car was paid off in March so those expenses are elimated. I wish my car had been paid off before this happened, but I should be OK.
I feel for you all and hope everyone succeeds to the best of their abilities. Dwelling on the negatives doesn't get us anywhere, so think of what we can do...even if it's "just" giving online emotional or informative support, which is a great thing to do! Take care of yourselves! Wendy
6
Thats what i did the ssd i knew i couldn't go back to work i filed nov2004 and i was told that there is still a 20 month wait it gets tuff i know but we are hanging in there DEB
7
Start the process ASAP as it takes a long time. I filed in summer of 2004, got the initial rejection and finally had my hearing in Jan 2006. I won my appeal ( with the help of a lawyer) and got a nice check for back SSDI dating to Dec 2003 ( I stopped working in June 2003) Well worth the wait for a big check and now get monthly payments. You definitely need the lawyer for the appeal - they get their money out of your back pay. My lawyer worked on a contingency basis so no cost up front. I have OA, degenerative disc disease, carpal tunnel and fibromyalgia. Good Luck!
8
I was on state dis. for a year....during that year I applied and appealed to SDI. I was denied because 1. the doctor who kept pushing me to stop working altogether and stay home screwed up the paperwork in more than one way. 2. The first case worker made a major goof on what I wrote down as my disability. 3. When I appealed and tried to correct some of the mistakes, they were still not corrected based on what I read on my denials NOR did they contact my other doctors as they claimed they would be doing. 
 
Because my arthritis (thankfully) hasn't deformed me yet and the specialist I was refered to to get a better (or more official) diagnosis on the autoimmune hepatitis decision for my case decided that I was "fat and just need to loose weight" rather than do what my doctor asked him to do - SDI felt my issues were not tangible enough to warrent SDI.
 
As my health leveled out a bit this year (not much, but some), I took a chance and started a part-time job last month giving up on SDI for now. But because of the computer work I have to do I popped so much motrin in my body to make it through the adjustment period, I messed myself up. Now, I've been sick for the last week and not getting better as of yet. So, who knows what's going to happen. I don't think I could tolerate loosing yet another job to illness, especially since I think I was pretty darn lucky to find such a situation and someone willing to hire me with such a splotchy history these last 3 years (and no, I did not disclose my health situation to them.)

What's the point to all this whining? Keep on top of your claim. Keep on top of your doctors and get their support. Make sure you answer everything crystal clear on your application and have someone you trust look it over and make sure it is clear and makes sense before you send it in.
 
GOOD LUCK! ***

 

9
Hi all,
First, just got back from Florida...it was great as the weather there was nice (they're having a drought problem) and the weather here (Massachusetts) has been rain since the day we left! It was great seeing my neice and nephew again, and my nephew is my favorite and he told me he's going to come live with me when he's 18, he's 13 now, and help me out. He's such as sweetheart!!
Second, haven't heard anything from my doctor! Faxed her the forms last Monday and she was supposed to fax them back to me. If they came while I was gone then my dad was going to bring them to work so they could start processing them so I'd be ahead of the game. I still don't know if I'll be working for 45 days of light duty or not!
Thanks for the great information! CaMama, congrats on the job but don't make yourself ill! As soon as the rheumy states I can't do my job then I'll apply for my STD to that'll cover me for 1 year, with a 20 month wait I'll have to help my dad out to pay for insurance. I have a friend who's husband was injured in a worker's comp case and he's been working on the SSDI appeals and has a lawyer they've stated is pretty good, so I'll have to find out who they've used. I'll update once the rheumy notifies me (I'll call them tomorrow, but I think they're closed on Wednesday). Guess I'm still on vacation until I get a response! If it takes too long I'll have to apply for a medical leave of absence, too...what a pain in the butt!! All she needs to do is check off whether or not I can do light duty or not and sign the form!! Oh well, guess we know how fast my paperwork is going to get done from that office. Take care everyone, your health is not only important to you but also your loved ones. Wendy
10
Contact Your Congressman to help you. That seemed to help my case.

CDTripletMom
 

11
I too had contacted my state representative & local congress when I was being treated poorly by SSI when I was very very ill last October.  I got a phone call THAT SAME DAY from SSI with apologies! hah!
So yes, contacting local/county/ and state congress does help....especially if you know them or if you're from the same town.  Heck, even contacting your town's Mayor could help.
Much luck & best wishes
Erin

Active, Severe RA. Crohns Disease. Chiari Malformation & Right Brain venous anomoly. AS. Emphysema. Rheumatic Lung. MVP and Tricuspid prolapse. Had Lymes disease for 10 years.
Meds: Humira 40mg every 4 days; pred; Pentasa; Imuran; dilaudid; diazepam; Avinza 30mg; MiraLax & too many others.