So I posted before about getting started on getting ssd/ssi because of the effect sle has got on my life right now. My doctor received an evaluation sheet and I had an appointment today to fill out the papers with him. He stated how I was unable to work and that my condition is for life… I was wondering if this is really good for the ssd/ssi approval process. I am so anxious and nervous I need this assistance so bad… feel free to leave any opinions or experiences!
I have fought off this same process for a year. I did not want to admit to myself that I needed this. Then I could not get past the stress of filing for it. Now, I am at the point that I have decided that I am in need of a lawyer to help me. They need to deal with the stress. I can’t do it. That stress shuts me down. I siously tried to fill out the forms and I could not do it. I shut down. I get so stressed just thinking about it that I have a flare! So now, calling in to work over and over again, not Abe to work more than 21 hours a week, I admit I need help. This is not an omission of Defeat. This is an omission that we need help.
Here is something to think about; I seriously have come to the conclusion that the effects of GMOs and the environment as well as the Fluridated water has caused/helped bring about our conditions. The government, which I have been paying since I was 14 (yes, I have sadly been working that long), is there to help those of us who are in need. Actual needs, medical needs, are things they should be paying to assist. We are not able to work like normal people, and therefore are the ones the tax dollars should be assisting. I payed my money in, and now I am getting money out. Not because I feel it is owed, but because that is what it is there for.
Less stress of these issues, less work, less everything might mean my illness will get better. All I ask is to be able to take care of myself each day. I hate days I can not even feed myself. Days when I hate that it hurts to drag myself to go to the bathroom. Days when making food seems an impossible task. I need help. I need medical, physical, and sometimes emotional help. We all do, at times, but those of us who need it more should be allowed to say so. It’s okay we do. We did not ask for this. We did not want this. We would never even ask for this to be wished upon our worst enemy.
So, all I can say is that I am glad you are getting help from your doctor. Mine is mad that she has not seen me in a long time. I can not afford to see her. But after I get my tax refund I will pay the bill and go see her so we can do this journey. I want to hear more about your appointment and what happened because I need to know what to think ahead about. We will support each other, okay?
Meanwhile, all the rest of you, please, Please, give us advise. Share with us how to do this. It’s so hard to go through, to even think about. Please help.
Love to each of you.
Mindy
Get an attorney. The doctors will write you are able to work, but, if you have an attorney, the doctor might "review" your condition again. Good news, if you are on SSD/SSI disability, you are able to work part time and still receive benefits, not sure how it works but, that is a great compromise, I think.
The government is looking to hire more "disabled" individuals and so are corporations, so if you want to work, you can do so. The person processing my SSD/SSI claim, told me she is disabled and works for 4 hours a day and is able to keep her benefits. She also said she is happy and feels good. I personally, need to work for a sense of purpose, I have worked since age of 8, doing odd jobs in the neighborhood and been a professional in my career for 15 years, before Lupus. I need to work, I can't take staying home, it drives me crazy and I am too educated not to be a productive member of society.
Well in california you can still get ssd ssi benefits has long has you are working 20 hrs or less
Good luck with your ssi/ssd process. My doctor never involved me in the paperwork which I was approved in 4 month’s.
That is great!! I wish my state offers that. I need to work, for a sense of purpose.
delia quintanilla said:
Well in california you can still get ssd ssi benefits has long has you are working 20 hrs or less
Ssi and ssad are overseen by the United states government and working 20 hours is allowed in all states you can earn 1040 dollars a month sometimes a bit more if you can prove prescription costs check with ss. S’s is also different from ssi. Ssi is for people who don’t have enough work credits. Sometimes a person is blessed to collect both. Good luck and god bless in your endeavors
Thanks for the information, fearful. I didn't know there was a limit to how much you can earn while working with SSI. What do you mean work credits? Can you please explain?
fearful said:
Ssi and ssad are overseen by the United states government and working 20 hours is allowed in all states you can earn 1040 dollars a month sometimes a bit more if you can prove prescription costs check with ss. S's is also different from ssi. Ssi is for people who don't have enough work credits. Sometimes a person is blessed to collect both. Good luck and god bless in your endeavors
Good luck to the both of you! I tried staying in home and not working, but I couldn't do it. I have been working all my life too and I thought I was going crazy, I had done everything that needed to be done in the house and there was nothing else to do. After the doctor released me to go back to work he seen how important it was for me to be working. At this time I will continue to work I pray I can go for a long time...................Blessings to you!
Carol
Thanks Carol.
You can call social security and find out how many work credits you have. The lawyer working on my claim told me to call and ask. They told me I needed to earn at least 8 credits by the age of 30 ( I am in NY and age 25) I was told I had 7 credits. I too would like to work in the future once I find a treatment plan that works for me and stabilize me. I am on medical leave with my college until then. I would like to finish earning my degree in interior design and do freelance work to be able to have control over my schedule because I know lupus and fibromyalgia will forever be apart of my life. My doctor filled out a paper basically asking what I am not able to do. He is pretty much on my side and agrees I am unable to work full time. I have an appt with social security March 24th. I hope having my doctor on my side will help. I am struggling financially and I am in the low income level so I might have a good chance with ssi but I really need both.
yes it's good that you have a doctor who is willing to support you and say those things on paper. Some folks who have things worded just right get approved the firs time, without having to appeal with a lawyer. you may be one of those! If for some reason, you are denied, don't be discouraged. Lots of qualified people are denied on the first attempt. Just get a lawyer and let them handle it. But for now- expect the best. You may just get approval on try #1! After my stroke in 2002, I applied and was denied, and had to get a lawyer and it took a while to get approved. but i have friends who have been approved right away simply by having great paperwork.
Great plan! I've been self-employed since I got fired for being sick in 1993.
And yes it lets me set my own schedule, and cancel/ reschedule things if I need to, without worrying about getting fired.
When I feel good, I can work more. I write books, write songs, perform. If I've got something big coming up, I can rest up before and after. The most stressful part for me about being self-employed is the money is not steady- I get lots, then nothing, then lots, then nothing. So I started back to teaching guitar one day a week, which provides a steady flow of income while leaving me enough energy and time to do my other stuff (writing and performing).
BTW if you are sick and broke enough adn don't have insurance you can get medicaid. I had that in 2002-2004. It was wonderful. Yes there were very few doctors who would take it, but the drugs were all FREE and that was a huge expense.
off my shoulders.
Crystal Torres said:
I too would like to work in the future once I find a treatment plan that works for me and stabilize me. I am on medical leave with my college until then. I would like to finish earning my degree in interior design and do freelance work to be able to have control over my schedule because I know lupus and fibromyalgia will forever be apart of my life. I am in the low income level so I might have a good chance with ssi but I really need both.
i believe work credits are how long you worked before claiming disability.
And regarding income limits, once you're ON disability, you cannot earn more than... I think something like $700-800 a month, or they consider you not disabled anymore.
Unshoreandscared said:
Thanks for the information, fearful. I didn't know there was a limit to how much you can earn while working with SSI. What do you mean work credits? Can you please explain?
fearful said:Ssi and ssad are overseen by the United states government and working 20 hours is allowed in all states you can earn 1040 dollars a month sometimes a bit more if you can prove prescription costs check with ss. S's is also different from ssi. Ssi is for people who don't have enough work credits. Sometimes a person is blessed to collect both. Good luck and god bless in your endeavors
pretty sure SSD is federal and SSI is state, so they are decided at that level.
delia quintanilla said:
Well in california you can still get ssd ssi benefits has long has you are working 20 hrs or less
Thanks so much for your feedback. I am actually writing a book! Every time lupus puts everything on hold I write....So I decided this time to just spend the time I actually feel good mentally to write a novel. I am piecing everything I ever wrote and connecting it with my book. It gives me a sense of purpose! I am trying to look at Lupus like a blessing in disguise....
Carla Ulbrich said:
Great plan! I've been self-employed since I got fired for being sick in 1993.
And yes it lets me set my own schedule, and cancel/ reschedule things if I need to, without worrying about getting fired.
When I feel good, I can work more. I write books, write songs, perform. If I've got something big coming up, I can rest up before and after. The most stressful part for me about being self-employed is the money is not steady- I get lots, then nothing, then lots, then nothing. So I started back to teaching guitar one day a week, which provides a steady flow of income while leaving me enough energy and time to do my other stuff (writing and performing).
BTW if you are sick and broke enough adn don't have insurance you can get medicaid. I had that in 2002-2004. It was wonderful. Yes there were very few doctors who would take it, but the drugs were all FREE and that was a huge expense.
off my shoulders.
Crystal Torres said:I too would like to work in the future once I find a treatment plan that works for me and stabilize me. I am on medical leave with my college until then. I would like to finish earning my degree in interior design and do freelance work to be able to have control over my schedule because I know lupus and fibromyalgia will forever be apart of my life. I am in the low income level so I might have a good chance with ssi but I really need both.
I found www.owntv.com life lab online journal is helping alot with putting things in perspective for me and assisting with accepting this process.
Congrads!! YES Yes, This total ley what you need , everything show le something sailing now!! My doctor filled mine out early in my visit starting time and the juegue also sope to him over the phone because he was out of town when my hearing date Came . But it worked out for my Favor! This Is a PLUSE…Beverly L.
I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis 5 years before I applied for SSD. I first consulted with SSD Attorney. It was no cost to me. My Dr had put me on disability after a blood test indicated Lupus and also was having episodes of not recalling episodes. The attorney asked for me to try since I was disagnosed with Lupus. I did receive my benefit payments on the first try. The bad part is that you do not get Medicare until 18 months after you receive your first benefit.
Good Luck
1st about California...that has to be about our state disability because Federal Law is same in all States. Many people get confused about State disability and Federal on their pay stubs. If you are ask to have it explained to you by your HR dept.
Anyone can win SSDI, you do not need to have had to work....think about people who got disabling disease either from birth or as a child. Not their fault they cannot work so they go on SSDI though amount will be much lower. The person who worked with me had young woman who was like 18 or 19 and she could not work due to her autoimmune disease. So he was working on her case and did win it. He even asked me to try and think of job with her limitations...only thing i came close was same as someone blind but they can type she could not..so be speaking, reading audio books, doing voice overs was about it. Very limited.
Okay...I will say this that if you are extremely stressed or know off the bat you are not the best writer than hiring someone most likely would be best for you. If you can write decently and understand about explaining how your disease chronologically became worse to where you can no longer work then i say go ahead and try and do it yourself. I do know of people who filed and won it themselves. So i say try, sure cannot hurt..if you lose you can hire someone for the appeal.
But if you get stressed, SSDI will give you a list of all the people who can represent you in your area. I ask for that list and look for non attorney person. If there is one, call and find out their background...i hired a guy who was not attorney but had worked for SSDI and got angry at all the number of people being denied who truly needed to win. So he understands how they work, how to write it in such a way that will get your case accepted. I had got most of my doctors before i hired him. I been sick since before 20 and was in my 50's when i applied so i had many doctors working on my case over those years. Plus i had moved so that made amount high. Even still you have to supply their names since your representative does not know only you do...and SSDI so be honest as they have ways of finding your doctors. Well i won in 3.5 to 4 months at the most with the guy i hired...who had worked for SSDI. He explained some of their logic to me which i try to share with you and others.
Otherwise, I hire someone that knows about lupus...and i make sure they really know not just say, ask how many cases they have one...are any similar to how you have it so sure you can win? Try to find honest and decent person who you connect with and does know something about lupus. But important about how many cases they have won with it. How many of their cases go to court? why? What about precedent cases? If they say those do not matter run the other way that is one way you will win and fast!! They have at least one clerk to check all cases for one like yours? I am starting to think that many either hire more cases than they can handle(ask how many they now have?) and then they do not have anyone to go back and research back cases so you win quickly and easily. Do they have enough employees to do this..look at old cases that have won in SSDI with SLE that are similar to your case. I am sure most if not all would like to win without having state doctor exam you plus go to court. So finding that matching case is your ticket!
First all your doctors must be on same page that you cannot work even PT so you need SSDI. If even one does not agree and states you can work...good chance you can lose. How old you are(which is BS!!) helps so once you hit 50 it gets easier ..was like another 4 or 5 yrs and then each year you get closer to 62 it is very easy to win as long as your doctors agree...still magic key. But point is at 62 you can get SSI so who cares at that point!
Do not hire people who do not live in your area....just smart period. But TV attorneys they been known to not show up or call day of your court date and say they are not representing you since they do not want to fly for a case they feel they will lose anyways. Internet has some that are so called non profit and offer reduced flat rate..they are law students or just graduated who have not passed bar...One woman did say they did win her case...after many i say over 50 of people asking for help....they told me i would not win since i did not apply immediately...so i almost did not apply due to their advice, seriously!! Do not believe what I say or anyone says...call SSDI or chat online and find out from horse's mouth what is true or not. I still might even go to manager if answer felt off.
Document from the moment you start speaking to SSDI or someone to represent you. Their first/last name or some way to identify them within their office..some carry id numbers...what was discussed, date and time plus roughly length of time. I keep just one notebook for this alone plus to put any correspondence. I also do this with your representative.
Once you hire them though they should tell you to not speak directly with anyone from SSDI since that is their job. You do not want to say anything that might hurt your case by accident. So if you hire someone and they do not tell you to do this...well might set off warning bells but i ask and see what they say. Could be they honestly forgot.
I found SSDI person here in my county very nice. Like i said I was ashamed for applying and felt humiliated that I could not support myself, despite all my friends stating that i put in all those years i should not feel bad plus they say you can have my money i contributed so look at it like that lol!! So she was very nice BUT people on phone were cunning, it felt like not all but one supervisor, this was before i hired my guy and was just getting doctors names/addresses etc. He liked to keep reminding me that filing illegally was federal case...duh and i am fully aware how they send out investigators to take photos at random too...and people really do end in prison if they lie or file illegally. He just irked me so i was very careful at writing down immediately what transpired between us.
Well once i hired my guy..was good thing i had those notes..that guy he is there to intimidate those applying and try to get them to back off...by documenting what he said he addressed it and never got another call from that guy. He really was nerve wracking and just tricky in how he said things. Like he knew where exactly the legal line how far he could go was and went right up to it. So it can be good to not talk to them just say call my representative or attorney.
But it is there for us and others who get too sick to work. Sadly many of our federal representatives tend to look at us as leeches of society. That we do not deserve to keep living since we are not adding to society but just pulling off of it. The fact they vote increases in their medical or pay is just fine since they are 'working' lol!. Some have actually been quoted stating this...that we do not deserve it or even medical treatment once we no adding to it but taking from it. Medscape is pretty good about getting this jerks to say it in interviews or they pick up the article but some they just ask questions and idiots say most incredulous things like almost we should just be put down once we can no longer work!!
I am sure most of us would love to have the money where even if not working we could pay for our medical and all our treatment along with it. If our companies either invested poorly in our pensions or worse let people go 3 months before they get their full pensions, shame on them!! that is not our fault it is greedy companies again!!
So if you have only worked 1 year or worked 50 plus years, you still have the right to SSDI if you honestly cannot work. It does not mean you cannot ever work again but if you do, please tell SSDI so you are not breaking laws by receiving income from them plus your job. I believe you can work so many hours but it depends on your settlement numbers. So always check do not assume. But point is you can go back if you feel better.
I would urge younger people to go on their State Disability for that first year...it might have you change your mind since you go rest....or you can break it up in the year few weeks here and there....just find out what minimum is before it steps in your state. Like here it was 6 weeks...so up until those 6 weeks money was tight and i had to plan my surgeries if my sick leave was run out.
I also go speak to counselor first before going on SSDI to make sure it is going to be emotionally okay for you. IF you are stressing so much you go in flare, well something emotional is going on and you need to deal with that before you apply. Or like me, you might end up down the road a few years after i stopped working feeling extremely horrible about myself for not being able to support myself. Just really tore me apart inside. Even though it was the best thing for me, i still really resented or was angry at my body for betraying me....and i did when i had to apply as i felt if i could work, i would be able to pay off what needed to be and i could say than adios to you!! Instead of eating at me how can i pay that bill off etc.
So just really make sure...i ask your doctors to be honest about it to your face ...truthful. IT could be you hate your job and if you found one you loved it make all difference! just be cautious....not working is not as great you might think.
I love that i can rest now....but i miss the feeling of self pride i felt for having a very decent job i loved plus i loved most of the people i worked with as well. I missed them greatly too. If i could, i go back today.
I hope i helped you....and others...find out what you really want first...speak to your doctors as they might have solution to what is bothering you most about why you feel you cannot keep working. Such as now, if i had agreed to take more pain killers i could have worked another few years at least. In other ways, it was good to not use them so young. But speak, speak to counselor too first. Just make sure this is what you want.
Ask all your doctors how they feel about it for you...hopefully they have been bringing it up on their own that they think it might be getting near that time. Call SSDI , document, find someone to represent you if that is what you want or try and do it on your own. honestly, the paperwork is not that hard if you are feeling okay.
GOOD LUCK...either way you decide. Also if you get rejected immediately even with attorney they reject something like 97% of all the women who first apply and 90% of men. So you are not alone if rejected do not take it personally!!