I was just wondering how many of us here were on disability. I am new and of course worry about my career. Right now nursing is OK (I am just in school and know that right now I can handle it)-but I worry for down the road. No standing for long times, no sitting for long times, no lifting no bending-mostly bc of my back surgeries and cervical herniation, then throw in the fibro and I am really really concerned!

Hi There,

I'm on SSD. I had to fight for it but once I won they gave it to me retroactively. I'm supposed to have a review this November I think but that rarely happens from what I've heard. It's important to have your doctor's support but not crucial.

More and more folks are getting approved without having to get a lawyer. Don't worry the lawyer doesn't cost anything, they take a cut of the lump payment. And you can write that off your taxes.

What I would suggest if you are concerned about being disabled at some point is to buy supplemental disability insurance, especially if your state does not have disability like Colorado. I wish I had had supplemental insurance because it took over two years to get the money and we wound up declaring BK and struggled much. The insurance is usually not expensive and I would get it for at least six months to a year coverage. Then you can keep getting a paycheck while your fighting with Social Security.

Thanks to the retro pay, I've been able to afford chiro, accupuncture, supplements, healthier food and physical therapy. I really believe the day will come when I can make more than $800 a month and don't qualify for disability anymore. That's my hope anyway. Although it is my money I put in there, I really miss earning a living.

Good luck with school and I can't think of a better nurse than one who understands pain.

Pain Free Day to You

2tots

Hi, I have been on SSDI for 1 1/2 years. I got it within 6 months of filing. I had 8 years of psych notes along with the fibromyalgia and chronic myofascial pain. Also ADD. My review is in 1 1/2 years.

I tried to use my disability benefits through UNUM or UNIM insurance and was denied because i had been to a psychiatrist so they said my fms was pre-existing. ???

I am planning on starting school in the summer and then full time in the fall to get an Associate degree in Health Information Technology - certified coder. I am trying to get into as good of shape as i can so that i can tolerate sitting in a task chair. I'm seeing a pain doctor now and it's getting better. I hope i am able to memorize. I have to take anatomy and physiology I and II.

Take care,

Donna

Hi mel, :wave:

I have been on disability since 2002.

I was lucky and did not have that much of a problem getting it. I came fully prepared to wage battle with the Social Security but to my relief I had no problem. I also got retro-pay which does help for all the work missed. I have never been told I will need to be reviewed but you never know with our government, especially Social Security since they have changed so many laws.

I do agree with 2tot that it is a good idea to get supplemental insurance while you are still working. I had not been working for a while and could not get it.

The reason I had to stop work is that I worked in Law and could not afford to make one mistake. My mind was always tired along with my body and I just didn't want to take the risk. It was a relief to get disability and know that some money was coming in, albiet not much. I would love to go back to work and hope that someday I will. The only catch is that I would hate to loose my medicare since it is my primary and I also have secondary through my husbands work. This gives me such good coverage.

THere are lawyers that all they do is disability insurance and if you do not get it they get nothing.

If and when you do decide to go on disability make sure you have a good and complete diagnosis. Fibro is recognized however most of the time they want a second diagnosis to go along with it which it sounds like you have. Hopefully your doctor will be well informed on what to diagnose you with.

Take care of yourself.

Peace and love, Hangin

thank you so much for your words of wisdom. I am a full believer in disability coverage as I have used it three times now. Once when I had a broken leg, again after my first back surgery and lastly after my fusion-and I was on disability for nine months total, including the time before surgery. I tell everyone I meet, if your job offers it, TAKE IT. I never call in sick, but when you have something that knocks you out of work for three months, that sick time goes out the window very quickly and then all you have is the disability. I am hoping will all my might that I will not need to bother anyone any time soon to go on disability. I see a chiro next week who not only specializes in fibro, but she has it herself. I am getting a consult and then accup. and massages. My mil is paying for it-she has fibro too and understands. I don't know what I would do without her. I feel like i have been getting better since walking, but there is still stuff that has to be worked on. I have a long road ahead of me. I am 28 and we haven't even gotten to the point yet of even discussing kids. We don't know if we will have any, but my health in the end may determin that, and it hurts me to think what if he decides he wants kids, but I can't have them? A worry I don't need right now. We are looking at around seven years before that comes around. we are trying to get to AZ for the warm steady weather too, MO is killing me!
Have any of you taken the supplements many chiros want us to take? I wrote on my paperwork that I wasn't interested, my mil said it was a waste of money for her-except for one-can't remember which.
Anyway, sorry I got a little wordy here.
Thank you again for writing back.

I have been on disability since June,2004. I have applied for social security,have a lawyer from my insurance company(Unum) representing me. I have already been turned down once. I was a full time working registered nurse when this nightmare began. Very healthy,except for occaisional bouts of back pain,relieved by going to a chiropractor,and never having to miss work. In June 2004,the back pain started severely and would not let up with chiropractic care and I was unable to work. After nine months of going to a multitude of different doctors,going to physical therapy and on multiple medications,I was given a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and herniated L5-S1 with nerve involvement. A fusion was done March 1,2005. I am no better,I think worse,than what I was. I am on narcotics and a handful of other meds,and still in severe pain daily. I do not drive as I don't feel safe due to the amount of medications I'm on. I feel so isolated and miss the human interaction at work terribly! I remain hopeful that something will get better to change things!

I am so sorry. It is hard when reading someone didn't have good results with a fusion. i am out a year and three months from my two level and feel pretty darn good, aside from my upper back issues. My sacrum is actiing out right now, and might get some steroid inj for that. I didn't have bad nerve involvement yet which was one reason I pushed the surgery bc Ididn't want to wait so long that the nerve damage got more permanent no matter what happens. You do know that it can take 18 months to feel good results from a fusion. Again, though, depends on how much damage was done. I am very sorry. Have you thought about taking Neurontin? Some people don't like it, but some say it is great for nerve pain, if you still have that. I hope you do get some relief from that. I'll send out good back feeling vibes to ya!

Mel, before you rush out to the steriodal injection, do yourself a favor and research the Burton Report.
For those with nerve pain I've had great sucess with the Loderm patch (lidocaine). While it doesn't work for everyone it is worth a try. I also take 80mgs Bacolfen total per day (but don't have MS) which also helps.
I had a cervical fusion and then was in a car accident a year later, while my fusion is just fine I do have a broken screw and very severe neck pain (muscles?) and so these seem to help take off the edge

Hugs
Barbie

I shall do that-I am not fond of those injections. Seems though, since I started working out again and doing ab work that the pain of the sacrum is deminishing. I am so hoping I can curb a lot of this just by losing 5-10 lbs and getting in better health. I already find myself feeling a little bit better. Am I supposed to feel better with the fibro where exercising comes into play????