I am a 45 year old male and make a great living. I have STD and LTD at work and I have been on pain medication due to a neck injury years ago. I go to a pain management doctor and some days the pain is so unbearable I hide out in my office for a couple of hours and just try to relax. A co-worker saw me taking some of my medication last week and made the comment that if HR found out I was taking pain medication they would send me home because it is against company policy and I could injure myself or someone else. I have thought at times to just go out on disability but have never done it. My doctor has asked me in the past if I wanted him to write a report and take me out of work due to my pain. Basically, my spinal cord is crimped between two vertebrates with no relief...even tried facets. I take an average of 6 Hyrocodone, 3 SOMA pd.

My questions are...can they make me quit work because I am on pain medication?

Would I get disability?

Hello and welcome Larbec7.

I was in a similar position when I was working. As far as being in an office with a desk job, I do not know that they can fire you for being medicated within reason. I was virtually stoned on oxycontin for years but my HR department knew about it and I kept it between HR and myself. I dont see how they would fire you unless it becomes an impairment to your performance and/ or a safety issue.. Go to the restroom and lock yourself in a stall if need be to take your meds in private. This will cut down on office hearsay and all that jazz.

I had spinal cord issues from hell and had surgery, was unable to return to work and am now on disability. It's really anyones guess as to if you will be approved or not. You do have to be out of work for 6 months before they will pay if you are approved. (If you have the mirable of being approved that quickly.) The best advice I can give you is to make sure you have savings or some sort of nest egg to get you thru the indefinate SSD process. And also fyi, you will NOT receive Medicare for 2 yrs after approval. If you've made good money for a while, you more than likely will receive too much in benefits to receive Medicaid. So look forward to having no insurance to cover meds, drs, or hospital for 2 years. (No, I am not bitter about Medicare.. LOL!)

Please post again if I can help in any way or if you would like to chat.

Hi Larbec...I've been on SSD for over four years now and I had a situation similar to yours. I tried working for some time while on medication for a Colitis type problem and then I had to have lung surgery. I tried to go back to work and I just couldn't do it, so my boss called me in and suggested I apply for disability.

Klondyke is right in telling you there is a waiting period. I was one of the lucky ones and was approved on my first application and received my first check six months after I first applied. I had gone on my wife's insurance at her work, so my insurance was covered and when I was notified I could get Medicare after two years, I turned it down except for the free Part A, which covers hospital stays.

I believe there are two things that do more than anything to get SSD. Your age is a factor. The older you are, the better. I was 57 when I applied. The second is you doctor(s) and how they write your report when SSA contacts them for a report on your condition and if they feel you can or cannot work.

Good luck, if you try for SSD. It really has made my life much easier, and in about a year and a half, my wife will be retiring at age 62.

If i am going to go out on disability is it smart to take out a separate health insurance policy now and pay on it a few months?

Can I also take out additional disability coverage?

How much does medicare cover and does it cover my family? I have 5 children all under the age of 18.

I am not sure about the insurance part, but I do beleive your children under 18 will also be able to receive benefits.

I mean, can you take out an additional policy to the one you have

When I went out on disability, my employer had disability insurance that employees could apply for. I did at the same time I applied for SSD. I actually got approved for the employers' LTD first and received a check from them a month before I was approved by Social Security. To make a long story short, I ended up having to send the money back to the company's LTD plan. What it came down to, you couldn't draw from both and the SSD was about $300 a month more.

That said, about twenty+ years or so ago, I worked for a different company and they had disability insurance, but in those days you could sign up for additional coverage. Although I never had to draw on it, I took out the coverage and would receive the additional money per month, if had become disabled. I am not sure if you can do that today or not. I do know if you're not working or unemployed and purchase your own medical insurance, it is extremely expensive. My wife is going to retire in about a year and a half and for us to keep her insurance that she now receives and I'm on too, it is going to cost us about $450 a month. That figure is with me switching over to Medicare as my primary coverage and her work insurance, Blue Cross, being my secondary. Buying your own insurance outside a group insurance is very expensive.

I want to make sure I understand what you are saying:

SSD - Social security disability

If so, I will not need to apply for this (i think) I have a policy at work STD and LTD plus I have an additional private disability insurance that pays me "X" per month until age 62.

I may apply for my social security if I become disabled BUT isn't this different than SSD or is it the same thing?

Larbec....Yes, SSD is Social Security Disability. Also yes, you do have to apply for it, if you become disabled and cannot work. I don't know about your LTD at work and your private policy, but SSD paid more per month than the LTD through my work. Obviously, I chose to take the Social Security Disability, which pays the equivalent to the maximum Social Security when you retire.

I thought that is you has a plan at work or private that you colleded that as well as your Social Security. I get 66% at work and some on my private insurance policy.

When my work LTD insurance company found out (they asked if I had applied for SSD) I had to return the check they had sent. Actually, I returned all the money, minus $100. Their policy is they will pay a minimum amount of $100 if you are receiving other benefits, including Social Security.

I was on Short Term Disability through out the waiting period after filing and I was receiving 80% of my pay. When approved for Long Term, it dropped to 66%, which is why I took SSD. It was more than the insurance from work.

I thought that is you has a plan at work or private that you colleded that as well as your Social Security. I get 66% at work and some on my private insurance policy.

Hey Larbec, I think you may be confused with all of the acronyms floating around. I was confused with it all when I started the disability game too. If not, I apologize and please disregard the post..SSD is Social Security Disability, the govt program which provides if you become disabled. LTD and STD are term disability plans provided thru your job that are not associated with SSD (Social Security Disability.)

You will need to apply for SSD benefits in order to get them.

The LTD (long/ short term disabilities) are provided at your job and normally the long term will pay a percentage of your normal pay. This usually ceases when you are awarded SSD as the previous poster mentioned.

It all comes down to who will pay more in the long run. The long term thru your job may get you thru until SSD gives you an answer.