I know several of us are either going through the process of getting SS disability or have already been through it.
I got my letter today for the exam with the doctor. But it's a physicatrist, not a medical doctor. It says that they are going to do a mental evaluation. I'm guessing this is for depression which wasn't one of my biggest problems until I started the disability process. I'm guessing their wanting to do that because of FM.
What is everyone else's experience? Shouldn't I be seeing a medical doctor?
Oh, and my General Assistance was denied because they said I didn't get in the doctor's paperwork. But I did.
My doctor's office is taking forever to process any of the paperwork. They are really screwing me over. Everyone demands the doctor's paperwork in 10 business days, but the office takes up to 3 weeks.
I know for sure that I was really depressed today. Maybe I'll get my walker before this visit. It's on November 28th. By that time, I will see my new Rheumy, the Neurologist, the Pain Specialist and the Ortho.
I am very stressed, depressed and sick. Yeah, somebody help me already.
I just want to say that I am sorry this all so frustrating. I wonder if calling the doc's office often and bugging them would expidite them getting your paperwork done and in on time. This is too important for them to be screwing around and taking their own sweet time.
Are you going to get all the paperwork and medical reports from the doc's to take with you on your visit to the psych doctor? Depression is a very real part of all of this and I have known people to get disability with having very bad depression to the point that they can't work and they didn't have the RA on top of it. If anything, I am hoping that the RA and everything else works in your favor. When a dear friend of ours was injured permanently on the job (he had a brick wall fall on him) he applied for SSD and had to go thru a psychiatric exam also.
I wish you much luck in getting SSD and the General Assistance and hope everything works out for you. You deserve it.
I did have to see two of their doctors, at two different appointments. One was an orthopedic specialist and the other was a psychiatrist. After speaking with the psychiatrist, I thought that if they were basing my disablity on that, I might as well write it off. I even got that impression from the doctor doing the exam! However, when I got my Fully Favorable Notice, depression was one of the disabling health problems that qualified me for Soc. Sec. benefits. Not the main one or the only one, but it is part of the reason I am unable to work. We had our own business for over 20 years, and it was very difficult for me to stop working. Even after all this time now, I still don't know what to do. So many of the things that I loved to do are impossible now. But I'm sure you know just how I feel. Anyway, go to the psychiatrist appt. and just be honest. Don't try to be strong, just tell it like it really is. I'm sure they will also make a physician appt for you, too. I don't see how Social Security can demand the doctor's reports within 10 days! I've never heard of that. Do you have an attorney? If so they should be working on getting records from your doctors. If you don't have an attorney, and they should happen to turn you down this time, don't give up. I did it by myself first and was turned down. Just get an attorney if they deny you and you should be fine after that. Just make sure you get someone that specializes in Soc.Sec. Disability. You can call the Bar Assoc. where you live and ask for their referral service. Personally I don't like the ones that advertise on t.v. Best of luck. If I can help, let me know. Hugs & Blessings, Nini One more thing, Deanna. I forgot to suggest to you that, after you are done with you exams with your new doctors, let them know you are applying for Soc.Sec.Disability and that they might be asked to complete a form, etc. Good-Night
Nini Deanna, I am looking forward to my psyche appt. I am just going to reminisce about my pre-ra life. In my doctors papers my doctor said "she is extremely depressed but who could blame her. She has lost so much" Just focus on what RA has taken from you, that is enough for anyone to be depressed. Tough day Deanna. You have to quit reading into all that is happening. You are making much faster progress with your disability than I have. You are going to all the right doctors and I predict, you are going to be much better in 2007. I saw you in my crystal ball
Liz, I have been calling the doctor's office regularly. It's the only way anything gets done. It says on the paperwork NOT to take any medical paperwork with you to this appointment. The well wishes mean a lot. Nini, your comments were very helpful. It is not the Social Security office per se that is requiring 10 days turnaround. It is handled through the state. They are the ones who decide medical and general assistance. I talked to 3-4 different people in their office when I was having trouble getting the doctor to get me the paperwork. They promised to help me through the process. I hand delivered the paperwork to the local office. They were supposed to scan it in, but they just made a copy. They refused to scan it. Now, it seems it has disappeared. That was over a month ago. There could have been some kind of notice. Now, I have to appeal the decision. It's the same deal with the car insurance. Oh, they're great!. They had some snafu in their outgoing mail, but I still need to get this second set of paperwork saying that I'm still disabled into their office. They've said that they are cancelling my claim because they didn't get it. The doctor didn't send it. They have it in their records that they did. Didn't I get the bill? And, it's even worse with LTD. That one seems to be stuck in the doctor's office. Supposedly, he signs it today. They bill you for every piece of disability paperwork except the SS and state which I guess they are not allowed to do. They want 2-3 weeks to turnaround because they are working so hard. Crunchy, I don't want to go to the lawyer yet. Most of the paperwork they couldn't help me with. I had to dig out all my records, etc. Unless they can go to all the appointments, copy all the paperwork, do the online apps, make the phone calls. Will they do that? Will they also do the car disability, the LTD disability and SS? Will the help me get LTC? I just don't trust lawyers much. The only one that ever helped me was my bankruptcy lawyer. The lawyers that I hired to help with my divorce and child custody promises were horrible. I had to fire the last one after she cost me my job. I cannot even begin to calculate what the divorce lawyer cost me. I will go to one if I get denied. But as Roxy say, the SS seems to moving along. In fact, it may be that I'll get it before I get my LTD. I'm just tired of fighting all the time. I fight for my daughter's needs and then I fight for mine. Just once, I would like something not to be a fight. But I cannot go back to work. I don't have a choice any more. I was forced to do that 4 years ago in order to save my kid. SS didn't send me any paperwork in all that time. But I was living in New Mexico. Maybe AZ has their act together better or I got a decent SS case worker which I think might be the case. Roxy, hope you are right about the crystal ball. I did put down depression in my answers, knowing that it adds to their decision. In fact, in the past I have been diagnosed with PTSD from my first marriage and depression. But I have bad reactions to medications. My daughter's process to getting disability was just one visit to one doctor. That was it. I believe it is the same doctor. I have been saying so long that I would be better off if they just would declare me seriously mentally ill becaue it's a quicker decision. Now, it might happen. And, I'm complaining? The day was improved. The car disability paperwork was faxed and received. That should be a done deal. It says I will never get better. I found out what happened with the General Assistance paperwork. The Rheumy's office didn't feel out the entire form and since they faxed it over the office nearest me, I had no idea that 2 pages were missing. I had to go back to my original case manager with the state. He's been pretty helpful. Tomorrow, I will try to get a full copy of that paperwork and see if they actually processed the LTD. I felt better today which helps my mood. The Psych doctor for SS confirmed my appointment. He sounded nice and even said he would call to remind me the day before. That's encouraging. After all your comments here, I feel better about it. At least it's progress. As far as those thinking about filing disability, there may be some advocates available. I have called our's here, but most of the help seems only to be for seniors and not the disabled. There is one advocate that has tried to help me. He was the one that sent me to LTC who made me cry with her statement that I should just "fake" how bad I am to get the help I need. That is such a slap in the face when half the time you cannot walk or do many necessary things. However, check for disability advocates in your state. And, as Crunchy said, a disability lawyer can make all the difference. You pay them out of the SS reward, not anything up front. But most of them will not talk to you until you have quit working. If you think you might get to this point, I suggest that you do as much financial planning in advance as possible. Reduce your debt to a minimum, live on less than you make, etc. Then, the transition is not so hard. So where is the nervous breakdown????? Come on Deanna, for meeee. I think I am the only one that truly bears my soul and has a nervous breakdown at least weekly.
You think I'm crazy, don't you? Well, I'm not I tell you! I'm not! I am under control. This is under control. No, I'm not raising my voice. You're raising your voice. What do mean I should calm down? Sweetie, this is calm. You should see me when I'm angry. Where is your supervisor...... Depressed. What makes you think I'm depressed? Haven't you ever had a good cry before? Okay. Okay. I'm calm now. Make the guys in little white coats leave. Does this mean I get my Social Security? LOL Deanna. That's what I'm talkin about. Turn on the water-works girl! You have to add a little bit to it too. Like: But you don't UNDERSTAND. I live in a one bedroom apartment. With 11 kids and 3 dogs and a hampster and 4 cats and a ferrett and a hairless albino rat and a parrot with a lisp and a wookie and a 57year old goat named James, and we NEED the Social Security. We need it to pay our medical bills because all 4 of the cats have mental problems, and the dogs have to have regular "physical therapy" and the hampster has an alcohol problem and the ferrett and the rat are hooked on heroin and the parrot and the wookie have AIDS and the goat, well actually he's in pretty good health. All the kids have syphallis(sp) and severe learning disabilities and little Jody she has a seizure disorder she can't ever look at the goat, it's all very complicated.....so will you help us? LOL LOL j/k Cassandra, we do have I think 5 year reviews. But I haven't heard of them being horrendous. I found that posting that you were asking about. I'm pasting it here: Don't let the ignorance and inconsideration of others define your response to your situation. Tell your husband that you are going to the doctor because you have one of the most potentially disabling conditions in the the U.S. and that you don't want to be become such a cripple. He needs to back off and grow up. It is not in your head. You are not a hypochondriac. You are sick. And, yes, while people can understand how difficult cancer is, they don't get that this disease can be just as life threatening if untreated. Plus, most cancer patients go through short terms of toxic medicines while we must continue them the rest of our lives. Cancer is horrible, but so is this. And anyone that uses the excuse that at least you aren't missing an arm or a leg is just being heartless and selfish. Sometimes, I wish my arm or leg would go away because then at least it wouldn't hurt so bad. Or, at least the problem would be done and I could adjust to it. But with RA, you feel good one time and bad the next. You have to adjust constantly. I feel like I have lost an arm. I can't really walk any more for very long. So, what is the difference between me and someone else who has lost a limb. You must educate people or tell them to get out of your face. But you don't have to suffer with their unkindness. Pain is pain. You cannot measure another's against your own. This kind of treatment really does make me angry especially when I know what it costs you inside. You deserve to be treated with respect and caring. Demand it and don't settle for less. Roxy is right to take things into her own hands. Brett might not come around, but she is going to protect herself, her kids and her living situation. She is going to build a system of support around herself that will help whether or not her husband is in the picture. I think we all need to consider this attitude in our relationships. My kids have been so wonderfully supportive, especially when I hear the stories here. But sometimes, they let me down. It's just too much for them to deal with. But slowly they learn. However, I have to take care of myself first and sometimes that is at their expense. But they do know that if I don't, I won't be here any more. That is something your husband needs to realize. His comments are cruel and selfish. He is acting like a spoiled child who is not getting what he wants in life. Well, you aren't either. And, if you are married, they are supposed to take the bad with the good. But living with RA is not all bad. With a little help and understanding, it can be dealt with and happiness can be found. Ms Midge, thanks for the hugs. Cassandra, it would be nice if there was a world-wide organization to support Arthritis sufferers. In the U.S., we have the Arthritis Foundation at www.arthritis.org. I forget where you are from. I think Australia has something similar and so does Canada. I have at some point been to both of their web sites. The Arthritis Foundation site has a lot of good information on disability. This site (outside of the forum itself) also has some good info. Of course, both of those are for the U.S. But it still the information might be helpful.
powerless you seem to get with RA. I would like to see the Arthritis Associations be more proactive in advocating for us. They could have some sort of support network for all people needing diability or at least produce some sort of brochure setting out clearly the process & what is needed - that would seem to me to be a good way for them to spend some of the money they receive from fundraising.
Deanna, some time ago, I think in Sept. you posted a very good reply to a young woman with RA who had a husband who wasnt very supportive. From memory he made comments about people with cancer being worse off & that some people dont have arms or legs. I really liked your reply & didnt get around to printing it off. I imagine there is a quick way to do this but I havent been able to find it (am having a nervous breakdown after all!)
I would like to do a copy of it - are you able to help
& tell me how I can retrieve it.
I hope you are okay - how are you managing on your 0.
Maybe we could have another post on how to keep costs way way down. The stress levels must really help our RA.
Take care.
APPLAUSE
I hope everything works out.
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