Disability Benefits?

Question

I have an on going application for Social Security Disability. The paper work itself is stressful. I was just wondering what my chances will be if anyone is familiar with any of the following conditions in regards to disability:
I am a 39 year old female:
1) miagraines with visual disturbances, dizziness, black outs and an arachnoid cyst on brain left middle cranial fossa (which was discovered after I blacked out while driving.
2) Heart problems specifically moderate aortic regurtitation, and all other valves also regurgitate mildly. Dylistolic dysfunction grade 3. I currently take 5 pills a day for congestive heart failure.
3) Digestive problems, diverticulitis, ischemis colitis, on going abdominal pain and complications.
4) Spine- transitional vertebre causing problems and pain, a buldging disk laying on a nerve root. Forminal stenosis, arthrits and facet joint hypertrophy.

Life for me has become a living hell. PAIN, PAIN everyday.

I should also mention the fatigue factor, which I was told was in part due to heart conditon, but also my combination of med.s seem to only increase the fatigue factor.

To the first response: I actually got the application started when a rep. came to my room while I was in the hospital, so I do have someone helping me with the process.
To the 2nd response, I pray daily and often: in fact if it were not for my faith in God and the people he has surrounded me with I don't think I would have made it this far. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Dear Kippah,
Come down off your high horse. How dare you question my medical condition at my age, you think someone would want to live like this? Are you crazy? I have all the medical documents to back all of the above mentioned illiness, and for your information I am standing at my laptop at kitchen counter, due to spine problems I can't sit without numbness in buttocks and legs. It's people like you who know so much but really don't know a darn thing. I hope and pray you never have to suffer from illness that you have no control over or maybe someone in your family that you have to watch suffer first hand, please you are no better than anyone else. If all you have to offer is negative; just keep it to yourself.

Good luck Pepper, I hope your surgery goes well, let me know. I will keep you in my prayers.

Lisa R

Answer 1

90% of the ppl that apply are turned down at first. The BEST thing to do is contact you local represenative. Your local congressman or state rep....they are listed int he phone book. Make a call, ask the secty to forward your application. Trust me. This is the best and fastest method.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Basically ssd is based on a set of crtieria that the government has set in place they look at if you are working or not, what your previous work history is, if your disability fits into their listings (which it usually dosen't), your age, and a few other factors. There is usually an initial determination after about 4-6 months which most people are denied if you are appeal in some states your appeal will go back to the same place and may very well be denied again, in which case appeal again then you will go for a hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge. At this stage you will want to have a lawyer so during your second appeal if it goes that far for you and depending on your state or after your first denial the SS paperwork you get will let you know contact a lawyer they will work based upon the fact that they don't get paid unless you win your case. You can find out more information on SS website. Also make sure you continue to see your doctors.

Good luck

Answer 4

I am truly sorry that you are sooo young and sooo sick. I don't know what state you are in. If you are in Ks. or Mo. I have an excellent Attorney. You only pay if you win.And she does all the paperwork. You are sooooooooo right. The paper work alone is enough to make a person want to give up, but don't.One thing. If you have an ongoing paper trail with your doctor's, that is in your favor. Also an ongoing pharmacy list from the same pharmacy.Keep a diary of doctor visits.Sounds to me like you should go to Barne's Hospital in St. Louis and see if they can help. You are to young to be in this much pain.Been there. Three months beginning to end and my case was complete.Continue Praying.

Answer 5

So long as your medical records confirm these conditions and your doctor is cooperative when he fills out the form that Social Security sends him, you should have no problem getting benefits. If you haven't already, it's a good idea to let your primary care doctor know that you're applying so he can be on the lookout for the letter from SSA.

But unless your doctor thinks you're permanently disabled with no hope of getting better, you may have to go through it all over again every few years to confirm that your condition has not improved.

I hope you get the financial help you need, and that you get some relief from your pain soon. :-)

Answer 6

I am so very sorry that you are going through all of this. I can completely relate. I am 27 and suffer from Fibromyalgia, Endometriosis, RSD, seizures, Hypo/Hyperthyroidism, patellar femoral syndrome, and migraines. When I applied for SSD, I was denied the first time. So for the next application, I made sure to be even more thorough. I submitted everything even though they said they would get it from my doctors. I also made all of my doctors, my mother, my fiance, a former coworker, former boss/supervisor, and anyone else who had witnessed my medical problems write a letter stating their testimony. It helped, I truly believe. I also kept a pain diary which documented the level of pain each day, the physical limitations that day (like what I could/couldn't do b/c of the pain, illnesses, etc), and what I did in order to try to treat the pain that day. So these things help give a full spectrum to the officials who process the application in addition with the documentation they collect. With this I received my approval.
The statistics of SSD show that they deny 75% of first time applicants. So please do not get discouraged if this is what happens. I pray that it does not. There are some websites I discovered for the members of my online support group; that help those who are applying to SSD. I would like to share them with you if you are interested.
**Information on how to apply for SSD
http://www.pbcers.org/SSD-ALL.htm
**Terms/Definitions, Questions/Answers, Tips, etc.
http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/
I also want to make a personal note regarding a message that was posted here in this thread. Don't let this person discourage you and minimize what you are going through. This is something that is unfortunately very common in this world when you suffer from chronic illness(es). None of us chose this and we didn't do anything to 'deserve' this. We are just trying to do the best with what we have been given. The remarks made just show that the person who wrote them does not have an understanding or sympathetic heart and that is their loss in their lives. For god for bid something should happen to them, they would not know where to turn and would not have anyone there for them. I lost a BFF of 14 years because I got sick. You are not alone in this. I am here for you in any way I can. Hang in there because I have faith that everything will work out.
And finally, I would like to recommend you contact an online support group; perhaps in the field of chronic pain like one I belong to. This can help you find support from those who truly understand and who can help you when you go through a flare-up. It also gives you a safe place to vent...especially when those in our lives do not understand what we are going through and why we can't do certain things even though we want to.
I hope this helps. Remember, you are not alone.

Answer 7

I know how you are feeling right now ,Iam 39 as well and fighting for my SSD iam on my 2nd appeal ,just keep appealing . That is what iam doing I already have attorney . So pray and things will work out . i know my response was not much help . But i thought i would let you know that you are not the only person out there that is in pain every day . I hurt so bad sometimes that i think iam losing my mind . So you are not alone , as far as that goes iam having back surgery in the morning .so good luck and i will keep you in my prayers

Answer 8

SSA will test you to determine what percentage of careers you are unable to perform because of your combination of disabilities. For example, they will assume that, if you can't sit, that most driving and secretarial jobs are right out. As you were told by someone else, it is routine for them to deny someone on the first try. Just keep trying.

For Kippah's benefit: I am a nurse; although I work most commonly in drug addiction and other Psych settings, I've also worked Med Surg and Geri.
It is my experience, and that of physicians whom I have worked with, that most people who have severe conditions have multiple severe conditions. This is because the systemic problems caused by the first severe condition cause your body to be more susceptible to additional problems, and this becomes a self-perpetuating cycle. Once you start going downhill, you pick up speed as you go.

Answer 9

I am on disability, I wrote my own papers and they were accepted. When I wrote down all my ailments, I had the doctors all sign papers to the effect that these were real. Then, I took the exact phrasing that is used to DEFINE a disability in the 'book', pamphlet. I went something like this: Unable to set times when able to work, not able to go to work on a daily or weekly basis.......on schedule, as my symptoms cannot be regulated and come on unexpectedly. Cannot be relied upon to go to work at any particular time or date, as my symptoms make it impossible for me to know when I will become more symptomatic with syringomylemia.........what you call it when you have arachnoid cysts. The cysts on my brain cause my cerebral fluid to not reach my spine, causing multiple symptoms at any/all times. You may have Chiari, not syringomylemia. Go directly to ASAP.org........sign in for free, and then, read the info on exactly what the arachnoid cysts are. There, you will find others in your exact situation.

Answer 10

Have all of your functional deficits

documented by a physician.

Then, have your lawyer, take all of your papers to an

administrative law judge; for a hearing.

He will have the final say, as to the extent of your disability.