To those approved for disability the 1st time, | Arthritis Information

how bad was your actual disease? please explain how you were when you were approved without being denied. Like deformities, if any medicine treatment worked (like that's how the decision was based cuz no meds worked), what type of work you did, loss of range of motion (no mobility in your joints), where you have it and where is it worse, how long it took to get approved, and anythiong else that I can prep myself for. Thanks for the info.I got through on the first round. I had good doctors that backed me and a good Social Security examiner. I think the extent of my diseases did more to get me that first time approval than anything else. It took me 9-months to get thru the process.I was approved in 62 days from the day I applied, it was less than 2 weeks from the time they received the last set of forms to the day I received my back pay check. At that point I had been off work 15 months. They approved me back to my first day of not working. Work STD was paying up until then. Now its a combo of SSDI and LTD.

I had RA for 22 years at that point. No other medical issues . I've been through all meds except Rituxan which I was just starting at the time and I was on daily percocet for pain.

At the time of application I had 6 major joints replaced and had the 7th six weeks after applying. I have major restrictions due to the upper body replacements that include a 5lb lifting restriction, no repetitive movement. My hand surgeon was very through in his medical evaluation to Soc Sec and included several years worth of measurements of my ROM of my fiingers, wrists, elbows and shoulders.

Besides the upper body limitations I have documented deformities and loss of ROM in my feet, which need reconstructive surgery, knees (been replaced but left knee can still only bend 90 degrees). I also have loss of ROM and documented damage in my cervical spine.

My doctors notes had several mentions of disability years before I applied. I took a LOA from work and tried going back for 3 months and failed.

My job was essentially sedentary but required a lot of computer use plus the ability to think and make multi million dollar decisions. I couldn't take pain meds and still function in a work environment. My typing was getting worse by the day. I was making mistakes and not catching them.

I did have an advocate when I applied paid for by the LTD insurance carrier. When I had to fill out the paperwork explaining how I was affected I was very very through. Since my handwriting is illegible (and I had a cast on my hand) I had my niece fill out the paperwork. I essentially took my job description and line by line documented how the RA limited me in each area. I followed up each work limitation with how I was affected in my activities of daily life *eating, dressing, grooming etc). I think I took the 3 pages they sent me and turned it into 15 pages.

For each limitation I had medical backup.

My recommendations for applying include...being brutally honest. describe your worst days or weeks not your best. Be very specific about your limitations. If you have trouble wiping your own butt say so but also insure that you indicate how your limitations affect your work life first. They really don't care about anything else in your life. Make sure your doctors are 100% behind you and that their records back up everything you have said. My advocate said that the notes from my hand surgeons were instrumental in winning the approval. I think 7 joint replacements had something to do with it also

buckeye2009-01-04 06:22:34I was approved due to cardiomyopathy. The life expectancy for those with severe cardiomyopathy is 5 years. I guess they figured they wouldnt have to pay me much.

I was extremely sick. I couldnt walk across a room without stopping and resting. I was being considered for a heart transplant. I couldnt eat a whole meal without resting from the exertion.

I think that the fact that I applied in a rural village made a difference. The interview was with a very sympathetic woman, and I seriously dont think they have a lot of people applying..

I agree, I was brutally honest. I could'nt raise a coffee cup at times. I didnt have the strength to shower some days. I couldnt hold a book upright. I certainly couldnt walk fast enough to get a classroom full of kids out of the building during a fire drill.. I couldnt do stairs at all. Moving a kids desk around was too hard.

and yeah wiping my butt was hard if I was exhausted from going to the bathroom. When I had to recertify I had RA pretty bad so now besides the heart stuff, I have the arthrits stuff.. I'm pretty much going to be on SSD forever.

kathy_in_wlsv2009-01-04 09:58:01Buckeye. A question. Why didn't you apply for this much sooner? I have to applaud you for your perseverance to stay in the workforce. I hope being able to stay home and take care of your disease has made life easier and less stressful for you. I was walking with a cane and/or walker. Both knees were shot. I was on 45mg of Pred. and had failed all the meds. I had back surgery and several more herniated disks. Damage to ankles, elbows and toes on xrays. I was able to drop my work hours from 60 hours to 40, 3 months later to 32, 6 months later to 24 and by that time I couldn't walk due to inflammation and pain. Having RA, psoriatic arthritis and osteo, cardiac and pulmonary complications made getting SSD easy. I also had a pulmonary embolism related to my sedentary lifestyle at that time of my life. I was approved within 9 months. Had an exam with a SSD doctor when I was at my worst. I retired as vice president of a large insurance company and then went to work as an advocate for the state for senior citizens. I had to leave that job due to disability. My doctors were behind me 100%, I had complete medical records, an attorney from the start, and was in the throes of the flare from hell. LindyI was approved the first time with no problem even though I am sero-negative with no surgeries and very slight joint deformities. They are really only interested in hearing why you can't do your job or work in any other job for a period of one year or more. Pain and fatigue and fuzzy headedness due to meds have an affect on how you can do your job. Even the simple things like not being able to use a stapler or tearing forms off a printer are important to them. Doctor's notes are extremely important. It's not enough that the doctors just say you can't work any longer. Any other diseases or physical problems are factored in, as is age and ability to retrain for another type of employment. Be very specific on your limitations and don't leave anything out.I have looked into it. For me would rather they just pay my insurance premiums, or give me medicare....I am fortunate though, I only have to work three days, and If I do get down, I can take days and not cut pay.

I hope you get your disability through, I would guess Documentation, Paperwork all in order and organized would be the ticket.

Best of luck,

Lisa

Why didn't I apply earlier...there's an easy yet complicated answer. I wasn't ready mentally. I enjoyed working and had a very accomadating employer and until the end I could do my job and do it well. I support myself so there was a tremendous fear that I wouldn't be approved for disability. I was afraid that without work I wouldn't have a purpose anymore. I had 2 surgeries within 6 months after first going off work and I think that eased the transition.

I always said that one day I was going to wake up and say to myself that I couldn't do it anymore and that is essentially what happened.