Disability approved anyone??????

but I don't have any experience with that.  I do know that I'm am starting to try and document changes and problems I am having in case I have to apply for disability at some point in the future.  Last week I told my GP that sometimes it gets overwhelming going to several different doctors, no one sees the whole picture, and gave him a list of most (forgot a few oddities) of the things bothering me, ranging from rashes to liver function tests to meds I can no longer use due to stomach pain.... He did understand.  I said please put this in my file in case I drop on the street so at least someone will have the info!  I'm  not quite in that state of mind now, and find it hard to "share" that with someone (except my hubbie, who has had more than his share of listening!) while it's happening, but I did feel it was necessary to make that statement!

    Some people need a lawyer's assistance - if your first try doesn't go through, don't give up!  Possibly someone else can give you more specific guidance.

Yes, it is a valid disability. Ive been told as long as you have a paper trail and a doctors statement saying you can no longer work  due to RA and it's complications this helps alot. Ive also been told that your personal statement is the one they really look at. Hope this helps and good luck to you. Im sure I will be in the same boat in the future.

Sincerely,

Jane

Did your rheumy tell you that you can no longer work? I have already tried once, was denied of course. Now I am into the 4th month of my appeal. From what I hear you are always turned down the first time. Usually how it goes is the doc tells you that you can not work. Then you collect TDI for 6 months. Then you apply for SSDI. Not sure if you can apply for SSDI while you are collecting TDI or not.

Hello,

I applied for disability and received it the first time I applied and without a lawyer.  I think there are some key points that they look at.  How close are you to being 50 years old.  I was 49 when I applied.  I do believe that your level of education plays into the approval process also.  If you are a high school grad who has always had blue collar type jobs I believe you are more likely to be approved.  I happen to have a college degree, so this may not be as much of an issue.  When you do file I am convinced that you need to focus on the things that you can no longer do for yourself and need to hire help or a family member has to do things for you.  Examples:   wash your own hair, put your bra on.  Lift heavy pans while cooking, peeling vegetables for cooking.  lifting wet clothes out of the washer and putting them in the dryer.  vaccuuming, cleaning windows, maybe driving because your meds make you unsafe to drive yourself.  cleaning your house, mowing your yard.  What hobbies can you no longer do?  gardening, handwork, needlework, fishing,hunting, etc.  How has the disease changed your life beyond what the doctor is going to diagnose it is doing to your body and limiting you.  Lastly, are you depressed.  How has this disease affected your relationships with loved ones.  Do you feel islolated?  If you want to talk about the process I would be happy to email you back  you can feel free to contact me.  If you have insurance MAKE SURE YOU DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO KEEP IT!  you will not qualify for medicare for 2 years.  Good Luck and hang on to working as long as you can.  Even if you can only work part-time.  It is isolating and restless staying home and not working anymore.  I miss the relationships with my co-workers.  It is yet another thing that the disease took from me.

Cindy

 It's very possible to get SSD Friday, but getting approved can be a battle - I wrote a post this year about getting SSD when you have RA and it has a number of links to resources that may be helpful to you.

Yes you can get disability, in fact arthritis is the number one cause of disability. I have had RA since 1994, i owned a very busy barbershop and was able to keep working until 2001. My RA was so aggresive due to the repitious work that i finally had to apply for disability. It took me until 2003 to swollow my pride and realize my working days were over. Being a single, very independent mom that was a very hard thing to do.

I applied in July 2003, it took me until 3 years to get approved. They turned me down twice and then i had to go before a judge who made the final decision to approve me. It is a very long, stressful process but you can't give up. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders when i finally got approved. I live in GA, when you get approved for disability, you also get approved for medicaid, which i tell you, all these people are doubting government run health care, i had the best health insurance money could buy until i couldn't afford it anymore, i personally wouldn't trade my medicaid to have my personal health insurance back, no way. Medicaid really takes care of all your health needs, from yearly test, all test needed for health problems you may be having, ER visits, medications, never received a bill from docs, hospitals, etc.

You also are prequalified for food stamps, which this is another swollow your pride issue, but when you are living on a fixed disability income, they sure help.

Good luck to you, go ahead and get the ball rolling, and don't give up as frustrating, and stressful it gets.

If you mean SSDI which is administered by the federal government, it is really not that easy to get.  I was turned down and now need to appeal.  I was told by friends and a lawyer that 2/3 or more get turned down the first time around and to appeal.  One thing I recently found out is if you keep working with your RA they will tell you that you worked with it so why can't you now.  Be careful to tell the truth and the same story on all of the forms and if it's gotten worse, document through tests and doctor appointments.  Good luck.