Hi there, I've been trying to figure out how to post questions on the mesage board but being pretty computer illiterate I haven't had much success. I hope it works this time. I'm new with RA, OA, Fibro, and Sjrogren's. It took 8 years to finally diagnose the RA and now i'm on all kinds of meds: prednisone, plaquanil,methtrexate, folic acid and Enbrel to name a few.The methetrexate I take on Friday and it makes me feel lousy all week end. Then Monday rolls around and it's time to start my full time job as a special ed teacher. I usually put in 9 hours with a long commute and physical therapy after.My Dr wants me to keep working , says I'm impaired not disabled, but at 59 I'm tired. What actually constitutes disability? Do you have to be completely disabled? Does age have anything to do with it? If I do normal retirement, I lose my health benefits. Will try to get part time for next year but they might not let me. Any advice? Skinny. do you have long term disability coverage? Some policies allow
you to go down to part time and they supplement your income. Check
into it. Your doctor should walk a mile in your shoes. He has no idea
what tired is. Shame on him. Thanks Lorster for the good advice. I'm not sure I can get the long term insurance but I can get a reduced work load and keep my health benefits which I'm trying to do. The problem is they want to to move to a different school and start a completely differernt job. At my age I dread it. Also it would be more like a full time job for half pay.Hi Skinny and welcome...sorry I dont know much about disability etc...but Welcome anyways!Skinny, My rd says the same thing - he doesn't believe in long term disability. He says he thinks it keeps patient from trying to be active. I don't know if I agree, at least not in my case as I love to be active. Anyway, my short term disability will be running out in June. I am 50. Scares the heck out of me what I will do with no income. I have been blessed to get the short term disability for a year, I found out only five states have it, but now that it is used up, I am worried. I have never depended on someone else in my life. Keep posting and I hope you get lots of feedback. I am sure it is a concern for all of us. Roxanne Thanks crunchy, roxy and lorster. You don't now how much it means to me to finally have someone to talk to about all this. I try not to burden my husband too much. Keep in touch
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