Good Day,
I have had migraines my entire life but recently within the last 10 years they have gotten really bad. I will get anywhere between 1-2 a week and they normally last 2-3 days. I have tried a good many of the Imitrex type meds and none have worked for me. So far the only medications I am taking is Staydal and an Antidepressent. I had a very good well paying job that fired me after 8 years of service because of the time I missed due to my Disability. I went to the hospital for a migraine attack and the next day when I returned they fired me. I had already used up all of my FMLA that was the excuse for firing me. I am currently working part time due to the fact I get these migraines so often it is impossible for me to work full time. Has anyone been able to receive Social Security Disability for this Desease? My first Doctor told me that the would NOT Fill out Disablity paperwork for a "Headache" After this conversation with him it dawned on me that he as a Heath perfesonal did not understand exactly what a Migraine was {this I found to be really sad} and that he thought of it as just a Headache. This really discouraged me. I have a new doctor but he seems to be just as out of touch as my old one thinking I am depressed and this is causing my migraines, I try to tell him that I am depressed BECAUSE of my Migraines not my Depression is CAUSING my Migraines. The Big Problem I am currently having is I have NO HEALTH Insurance So I can not afford any "tests" or very expensive drugs anymore.. My family is urging me to try to get my Social Security Disabiliy but I have no clue how to even try. Any Thoughts? KR
I know, you already know that.
I know that some people do get disability for migraines, but I think it is not easy. You will see some people posting about their experiences with disability applications in the Advocacy folder of the discussion forum:
Advocacy folder
While you are over on the discussion forum, I hope you will register there (it's separate from registration from this page) and become one of our forum members for additional information and support. We would love to have you. You can also get to the forums by clicking on Migraine Forums under the orange Manage bar.
As far as disability applications go, contact your Social Security Administration office to get started.
We keep a list of migraine/headache specialists on this site. It's a good idea to find a doctor who really understands your disease.
Are you on preventive medications ? If not, discuss the matter with your doctor. Click on the link I just gave for a list of the options. I think you will be surprised how many of them there are. Some of our forum members print the list and take it with them to the doctor.
You've probably already realized that you've come to a site with a lot of great information. I really hope you will join us on the discussion forum as well. If there are other questions, let us know, here or on the forum. Medical decisions are between you and your doctor, but we will give you as much information and support as we can.
Take care of yourself.
Hello,
Thank you for your comments. As to your question on preventive medications the only med I am on is the antidepressant. I was taking Topomax but when I lost my job I could no longer afford the $300 a month bill and I was having some really weird side affects with it so I am kind of glad I cant afford it. I also Cant afford the imatrex type meds the only drug I can afford right now is the Staydal and I take that only when I can no longer take the pain.
I will check out the other forum. Its good to find other people that are going though what I am going though and be able to get support from them. Thanks Again Kim
Topamax is far from the only preventive option. There are other, and cheaper, alternatives, even in the same class of medications. Do take a look at the list on this website. If cost is a consideration, check with your pharmacist as to which meds might cost less.
You can check out this web site:
www.needymeds.com
for a list of programs to assist people who can't afford certain meds. If you are otherwise able to take triptans, you could look for programs for those meds, as well.
I hope to see you on the forum soon. Take care.
Speaking of the subject, I am a 32 year old male and I have suffered from a migraine all day. I felt it coming on this Monday morning 11/29/2010 while I was at work. I had to ask the boss, once again, if I could be excused from work. I've only had this job for about 6 months and have missed around 7 days of work due to migraines, for which seem to be more frequent. I got the job when I moved here to Mn from Mt to live with a friend and his girlfriend that I haven't seen in years. Anyhow, I love the job. It involves fabrication of steel and welding type work. But when I get a migraine, it's more like a battlefield going off in my head. I've been a life long sufferer from very severe, painful migraines. Often I refer a bullet in the brain being a relief compared to the pain of a migraine. And no, I don't mean in a suicidal sense. Anyways, today I also got laid off. It's been a discussion brought up in weekly meetings that it could happen due to the main owner passing on and some failures happening within the busyness. But come to my attention, I was the only one laid off. I like to thank my migraine for this. I've never lost a job because of a migraine. I lived in a small town in Mt where people were very understanding and humble. Plus I had a flexible job as well. But migraines never had good timing. So I guess I am a victim to migraines and may lose more jobs because of their pain, but I will always stay optimistic that we who suffer from these severe type migraines will one day claim disability.