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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006 General Board Posts >> disablity
        
(Message started by: chicanohek on Jan 20^th, 2006, 7:29am)

Title: disablity
Post by chicanohek on Jan 20^th, 2006, 7:29am

Hello Everybody,

I am curious if anybody out there has gotten there CH classified as a disablity.

Chicanohek

Title: Re: disablity
Post by JenniferD on Jan 20^th, 2006, 7:35am

Good morning chicanohek,

I've never tried to get it classified as such, and I did take a hard look at my situation (episodic here) to try and figure it out. My conclusion for myself: not disabled.
I think, if anyone could even consider it, they would be the chronics (and my heart breaks for y'all!!). Mine ends after 3-4 months, theirs doesn't :(

Title: Re: disablity
Post by Carl_D on Jan 20^th, 2006, 7:56am

I've had clusters since 1987 and went through job after job while being episodic. However in '98 I went chronic and wound up losing everything! I've gone through periods where I would get hit so frequent that I couldn't even leave the house. No abortives worked for me at that time (and didn't until 2003) and I was forced to just ride them out. As a consequence I was forced onto disability and have hated it ever since. It is pretty much a last resort. But if it becomes impossible to hold a job, it may be the only option.
After being on disability for nearly 6 years now, I have finally been blessed enough to have found a job I can do which the CH's won't interfere with (crossing fingers tight) and start next week.
Also, if you are episodic you may want to ride the storm out so to speak. If chronic, then it may be an option, but I would reserve it as an 'if all else fails' resolution.

Peace,
Carl

Title: Re: disablity
Post by gore2424 on Jan 20^th, 2006, 8:11am

I am currently getting SS disability for my chronic cluster headaches. I was spring and fall for 17 years til Nov. 1999 when I got h/a and it just wouldnt go away. After 67 different meds many in combos and ER visits 1-4 times a month. Even had to go to 4 different neuro's 3 of them moved out of town. Of course been seeing Dr for depression. Plus I have been in hospital 7 times for DHE treatment which gave me 1 week to 3 months relief. And in May 2002 at Mayo Clinic in Minn I had a operation called trigeminal rhizotomy where they went inside skull and cut the trigeminal nerve on right side and I feel nothing on right side of face for rest of my life and only got almost 4 months relief then clusters back full force. In Jan 2003 I got layed off due to staff reduction (yeah right been selling auto parts and equipment for 20 years) I got unemployment and filled for SS Disability. I was turned down for SSD on first try and on my 1st appeal it went thur 3 days after my unemployment ran out. I had been keeping track of my h/a's since 1996. I have every ER, DR, Hospital record and have been keeping an almost daily thoughts, activities, food, pain charts plus when I appealed I wrote a 17 page front and back letter about how these clusters have affected my life and everyone around me even how it affected my working. Right now I am keeping the clusters kinda in check with my current meds. I wear a fentynal pain patch 75 ug/h and have 10 mg morphine shots for the really bad times. I get 12 per month. Plus also have 30mg morphine pills if I need sleep. I get 14 per month of those. I take 2 antidepression meds and also have a med for my panic attacks. I also have a med to help me sleep at nite too. I helped my best friend get SSD after he had a stroke and two brain veins bleed. It took him 4 tries before he got his SSD. I thought he would of gotten his on first try as bad as the stroke affected him BUT he didnt keep all the records like I did and it took us awhile to locate them and get them turned in. If anyone needs any help I will assist you if I can. Terry

Title: Re: disablity
Post by Karla on Jan 20^th, 2006, 4:48pm

I have been chronic since 2/98. in 2000 I applied for ssdi because i just couldn't function at work any longer as a computer programer / systerms analyst. I couldn't focus, no concentration, couldn't remember how to do things, get lost trying to go places, couldn't add or subtract. To mental case. I had severe depression, a mental breakdown due to ch, suicidal, getting hit 8x/day during working hours into the night was a killer. I applied for ssdi based on ch and depression. I had charts of all my attacks plus I get migraines. However it was my depression that they ruled in favor of and granted me ssdi on the first try within 4 months! I have been blessed. However, I wanted to reenter the work force. I took classes and got A's in classes like cobol, cics, oracle, vb.net, java, etc but when interviewed I just was not able to retain anything that I had learned. I also suffer from extreme anxiety. Thing is to make sure they understand how it effects and ruins every part of your life! That is key. Good luck in your decision to apply and good luck in getting it.

Title: Re: disablity
Post by cootie on Jan 20^th, 2006, 8:17pm

A friend of mine is on full disability cuz of a car wreck years ago and he broke his neck......he gets around pretty good now days and stays home and cleans the house and cooks and stuff. He was playin in a band for a few years tho and got paranoid they'd find out and he'd loose his disability. He played in bars and party's and even private gigs on weekends and was afraid they'd find out sumhow. He has to go and preform some sort of tests every couple or years to prove he is still disabled. So if you find a part time job or sumthin do you just hope they don't find out or tell them ? Brad wanted me to apply for at least partial disability cuz of my back and neck and joint crap but I jus dunno bout that. I heard you have to of had a job within the last 10 years also....which I have. I have the small dog kennel business out of the house now. Curious Pam :-/

Title: Re: disablity
Post by stevegeebe on Jan 20^th, 2006, 8:27pm

Never tried. Episodic here.

If I were chronic, I would be in a continuous fist fight to get it.

What are they going to do...?..hurt me?

Steve G

Title: Re: disablity
Post by BarbaraD on Jan 20^th, 2006, 8:49pm

I'm on SS anyhow and have applied for disability to get on Medicare. We'll see what happens..... Paperwork. Paperwork, and more paperwork.

Hugs BD

Title: Re: disablity
Post by Karla on Jan 20^th, 2006, 9:27pm

with ssdi the amount of the check you get every month is based on a percentage of your income over the last 10 years that you worked. My check from ssdi is about 1/4 of what I made when I was working. Hope that helps clarify a few things.

Title: Re: disablity
Post by cootie on Jan 20^th, 2006, 10:41pm

minimum wage......part time.......forget that idea Pam :P

Title: Re: disablity
Post by forgetfulnot on Jan 20^th, 2006, 11:08pm

HI, chronic here, also have another incurable bug that is annoying. Anyway get in line. From my first attempt to final judgment took 4 years. But I gained 20 lbs. ;;D Every state is different in the way they handle this matter even though it's a federal insurance plan, not welfare or any sort of handout. If you think you would pass the tests, and there are many start by filling then get ready for the big wait. The Administrative Law judge is the key so be prepared with all your medical records, prescription drugs etc... I hired a legal firm that specializes in these matters, most wont take the case until you have been turned down twice.

Good Luck, Lee

Title: Re: disablity
Post by BobG on Jan 21^st, 2006, 12:29am

Here’s some stuff that might help get you started, click’em.

SS disability benefits site.
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10029.html#Part%202

Carl D (2-2-01, advice on disability benefits)
http://clusterheadaches.com./wwwboard/messages/80406.html

Trip 6-30-01 document on current disability laws (from Migraine Awarness Network)
http://www.migraines.org/disability/disabcdl.htm

Bob Johnson 9-4-01 ADA: job interviews and chronic illness. Your rights.
http://66.154.42.184/wwwboard/messages2/109659.html

discussion string about disability and using a lawyer
http://www.clusterheadaches.com/wwwboard/messages2/102349.html

Title: Re: disablity
Post by Karla on Jan 21^st, 2006, 5:45am

There is always SSI to apply for if you are disabled and low income, haven't worked 10 years etc. I would check into that PAM. If you contact them they can tell you the income guidelines right away as to if you make to much or two little money.

Title: Re: disablity
Post by forgetfulnot on Jan 21^st, 2006, 8:48pm

"Bob G. link. Your chances of winning are significantly reduced if you wait to get a lawyer for the appeal. The way to win a claim is to win it with the initial filing. If that is denied, you are still basing your entire appeal upon the initial claim. It should be filed with the appeal in mind".

This would be good advice if the twerps that do this would take your case without two rejections, Catch 22 all over again. They get paid a flat fee, no 125.00 to write letter or make a phone call. All they really do is organize your medical records, question you to make sure your not full of shit and set with you in the court room, if they think you answered a question wrong they will help you correct the answer. $5200.00 was my tab which was 10% of the settlement. I don't think I would have recieved a dime without the attorney.

Lee

Title: Re: disablity
Post by BarbaraD on Jan 21^st, 2006, 9:01pm

When I filed the initial paperwork on Bill after his stroke, I sent a copy to my Congressman and told him to "get it thru" and 6 months later (from the date of his stroke and the first day of elgibility) he got his first check. No exam, just a lot more paperwork (which I sent copies of to my Congressman and asked for a progress report). It's amazing what a member of Congress can do to speed up the process if you stay on their rears.

Unfortunately, I'm not elgible until April of next year (screwed up and got paid till April of last year - bad move) for medicare so I'm not in a big hurry with mine. I'm already getting SS and it won't change the payments - all I'm trying to do is get on Medicare.

If you apply, try the Congressman route before you pay a lawyer. It might just work. Get on the net and find out WHICH aide in his/her office handles SS and send the stuff directly to that person: Congressman XYZ ATTN: Mary Smith That way you'll have a contact and it will get read. Martha in my Congressman's office knows me WELL. She's handled several of my client's claims and has to deal with me on those too.

Good luck

Hugs BD

Title: Re: disablity
Post by _Lee_ on Mar 20^th, 2006, 1:25am

on 01/20/06 at 20:17:40, cootie wrote:

Cootie is right, if you don't have a chronic / no cure type condition. If you can still play the fiddle, well I haven't seen the disability police yet.