answer from disability | Arthritis Information

 

I received my answer from disabilty. While they feel I am disabled and cant do my job of 14 years, they feel I am not disabled enough. At least they said I am disabled. Since my ra is most severe in my hands, wrists, and elbows I wonder what job they think I can do. any thoughts or advice would be welcome.

if you disagree with the decsion the only thing to do is to appeal.  If you haven't already consider getting a lawyer or advocate at this point.  Review ALL of your medical records to insure that they support everything you told social security.I would agree with Buckeye in that you should appeal. You may well need a lawyer to help you. Best of luck to you Get a disability attorney.  They all aren't the same, there are good ones and bad ones.  Do some research.  I used one of the national disability attorneys and they were excellent.  Lindydon't give up.. you can't do your job.. you can't work......... I'm in agreement w/all the other posters:  I'd heard that it's most unusual to get approved the 1st time around, so it's very wise to appeal.  In fact, here in NJ, I believe that you MUST have an attorney if you chose to appeal:  it cannot be done on your own.  After reviewing my case, my lawyer worked on a contingency basis, and his fee was pre-determined by the government - 33% of your $ benefits, retroactive from the date you first applied to the date you are finally approved, if I remember correctly.  (Not sure re the particulars, as I've been on disability for 10 years now........I'm sure there are other, wiser folks on these great boards that will point you in right direction!)   Stay strong, and best of luck to you!  Let us know how you make out?
Dogmom

K...  I am in that disability process right now too---in US..(it's probably different elsewhere).

Cathy is right on.  I went through all that trying to get my disability.  You should get a disability lawyer... the way the system is set up, you are almost 100% guaranteed denial if you don't have one.  It shouldn't be this way - we need the money more than the lawyer - but it is this way. 

Also, a letter from your RD predicting how much work you may miss due to flares, pain, illness due a lowered immune system, any side effects of the drugs (nausea) and so on helps too.

Don't be discouraged, fight!  It took me almost 2 years to get mine, tiny as it is, but worth it!
thank you everyone for the advise. I will keep you postedHope your next try is more successful! KK~ I don't understand this.  Who, exactly, has decided that you are "not disabled enough"?  Are "they" doctors?  Do "they" know you?  Have "they" consulted with your physician and if yes, on what grounds did they deem his evaluation of you to be untrustworthy?   Do you suffer from depression, as this alone would get you a disability pension in Australia and also alcoholism, hope you don't have either but depression is common with chronic illness.  Regards Janie. Linda, read my post above, I'm in the same boat as K.  I, too, got denied.  I was practically bed ridden and couldn't squeeze toothpaste.  I waited a over a year to apply for disability, b/c I kept thinking I was going to get better.  Eventually I was diagnosed w/ RA.  A year and half after symptoms began. After I filled out the papers,  2 months later I had a check. the doctors said they never seen anyone go down like I did.  my feet droped my hands wouldn't break bread or open adoor.my doctor toldme to get a lawer and sign up, they worked togatherand got me on had to go into their office once, lady had to fill out the pappers, I couldn't, got a letter few weeks later that I had been approve.  they put me in hospital and put predisone thur vains and went home on high dose. wore braces for a while and got back up on my feet and got a job.WHAT EVER YOU DO, IF YOU GET IT DON'T DO ANY KIND OF WORK,  THAT ENDED MY SS So 2 years later when I got back down, they turned me down, I had a fight them all the way.  Got same doctor and lawer  and started over, 1st. time turned down, had to go to there doctor had to appeal which was turned down, tried again and got a letter to go to court. that was the easest part, he was very nice and approve me after tlking to me.  You need to talk to your doctor and see if he'll get involed  with the lawer.  most people that I know got approved on 3rd. try.  I'm the only one I know who got it the 1st. time.

but if you do find medicine that works and gives you quality of life, why wouldn't you want to go back to work?  even if you are on ss disability, i would think the goal would be to get better and get back to work if you can.  not avoid work just in case you get worse again.

nori: i loved working, thats why I went back, I don't care for disable.  RA is funny some never get better and most people hurt and swell more when they  work. It hurts, the best of meds can stops working at times.  you don't think as fast when you have drugs in you.   alot of jobs are unsafe for you. and the more you work the harder it is for you to have to prove that you can't, and before you know it your old and going to wish you had aken better care of yourself.
When I applied for disability, I picked my very worst day and gave graphic details of what this miserable disease had stolen from me. From "rushing" to the bathroom and not quite making to not being able to talk to my Mom on the phone for more than 5 minutes because of the screaming pain in my hands and arms. I ended up sending back about 12 extra sheets of paper just to try to make them understand what it was like to live my life. It took me about 2 weeks to write all that because I couldn't write for very long periods. I also told them that all their paperwork was making my hands flare up!

I was extremely lucky, I was approved in 3 months, without a lawyer. I think that when they saw all the papers I was sending back and all the work I created for them, they approved me just so they wouldn't have to read anymore from me!

Maybe it was that or what my doc wrote, I don't know. I hope you all will be approved and I wish you all the best of luck. Don't give up. Here's the addy for Social Security http://www.ssa.gov It has lots of info, like the trial work periods where you can earn up to X amount of dollars a month without losing your benefits. You could have also applied online. It will basically tell you everything you've wondered about disability and they have an extensive FAQ if they don't already cover what you want to know.

Another thing, check to see if your doc will sign the paper for a handicap parking permit. Check with the people at your driver's licensing place to see who has the forms. You might not have to use it everytime you go somewhere but it sure is handy to have on hand if you do need it.

Auntie... I do have a handicapped parking permit. I've also been ordered to use a cane and a scooter in stores (which I rarely go to). My RD figured out that the reason I've started having episodes of falling in my home is because I don't use the cane in the house. I also submitted pages of description of the limitations in my daily life, that took me a week to write.  I was afraid that turned them off or they just ignored the whole thing.  I'll be 60 on my next birthday, so that should make them happy.

it seems those that get approved for ss disability have the support of their doctors.  i have not.  my doctors don't believe in ss disability for RA.  Even when i couldn't squeeze toothpaste or could barely walk.  before i was on ebrel or had PT which has made a big difference for me.  here's the irony.  my doctor was telling me i was fine then later prescribed enbrel.  if i was so fine, why bother prescribing a drug that has potential risks?  i have had bad luck w/ docs.  the first doctor said i had a less than 1% chance of having RA when I said i thought that was what i had.  gee guess what i was diagnosed with over 1 1/2 years later?? Another note on getting disability; make sure you make copies of EVERYTHING you send in to them.

I was told by the SS office their policy was to deny, deny and one more time, deny.  The lady told me my job was to appeal, and continue to do so until I came before a judge and panel.  She is the one who told me to get letters from every doctor I was seeing, so I got them from everyone.  My PCP told of past issues and RA related complications, my Cardiologist told of past issues and potential problems and so on.

Every little bit helps and the more they have to read the better.  I also kept a daily log of my RA issues.  I hope this all helps and good luck to everyone in this battle!

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