hi everyone,
i have a appointment this saturday with ss doctor, and wouldn't you know i'm not that swelled at all i am alittle nerves about the appointment don't know what he will think. any advice from anyone pleaseof your medical files. Also, don't get chatty and offer anything to the SS doc. He should ask the questions and you should answer but don't start chatting. Make sure that you answer the questions about your RA as it would be on the worst day of a flare. You never want to minimize. I received benefits 8 months after I first applied. I have several serious complications from RA and I think that helped to speed the process. Good luck. LindyDo you have any pictures from when the swelling was bad? I haven't been through the process yet but I am sure someone else will have some better info for you.
i don't have any pictures, wish i did, i couldn't hardly dress myself or use anything with buttons on it. i am suprised i am being sent to doc. so soon, they said in letter i received they don't have enough medical on me so they want to sent me to him. i only applied back in march.
Marion, how long have you had RA? Why don't they have enough medical on you? They should have every medical record on you from as far back as required. This includes any hospital records, all labs, exray, mri, ct reports, all your files from your family practicioner, internist, RD, orthopod, etc. The one thing I realized early on is that even though SS assigns a case manager to your file you have to be your own advocate. You need to know where they are every step of the way. How far along they are in the process, what records they have, what records they're waiting for, etc. My case manager was waiting for hospital records and somehow pages 57 through 83 were missing and the hospital was lagging behind in mailing them. I went to the hospital and requested copies of that particular hospitalization, got them the same day and faxed them to SS and mailed the copies.
Your involvemnt can speed up the process. You may already being doing this but just in case get involved. What you think might be obscure and not needed is just the thing that might be holding up the proceedings. Actually the exam with the SS doc was interesting and not forboding at all. Lindy
i was diagnoised in may of 2006 when it was real bad and didn't know what was going on i just started swelling and hurting so bad couldn't even hardly do anything. now if you look at me i look fine nothing like i was but still fatuge and some days fingers or wrist hurt
this is not a questin intended to be insulting or to start a fight..it will just have to be a question you need to be prepared to answered.
If your symptoms are essentially under control with as you said with some fatigue and non constant hand or wirst pain why can't you work at least part time. How does the RA affect you currently to the extent of NO work. Keep in mind that socal security standards of ability to work are ridiculously high.
Marion, From what you've said I don't think that you'll meet all the markers that's needed to qualify for SS. Don't be surprised if you're turned down. Because you couldn't work at the onset doesn't mean you can't now and that's what they'll try and determine at the SS exam. Remember pain isn't a marker for SS. They don't care about pain; they want more tangible signs of the disease and records showing ongoing disease, disability, and damage. Pain isn't a reality for SS unless you have had ongoing pain with documented medical records indicating range of pain and pain treatment, including pain clinic treatment.
On the other hand you might be lucky. A lot depends on the state where you live. Do you have an attorney?
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Marion you must be unable to make 0 per month in order to qualify. That is what they term being gainfully employed and it is the lowest amount SSDI pays out. Don't let the SS Dr. bother you much. I was having one of my very few good days at my appt. and he wasn't even a rheumy so the firm handling my claim didn't put much stock in the appt. My Dr.'s and medical records told the story. I was denied but most of us are at first.
Good luck.