I have applied for Social Security Disability benefits for my migraines. I was rejected initially. The denial letter did confirm I had migraines, but was getting better. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

I have filed for a reconsideration & changed dr. The old doc was not cooperating w/SSD.

Has anyone had any success in obtaining SSD because of migraines?
I do not have an atty (yet).

Yes I get ssdi due to cluster headaches and migraines and depression. I got it the first time I applied with no attrny.

Thanks Karla for responding. Your response has given me hope. Although, I do not think I'm suffering from depression, I am taking antidepressents to stop the insomia.
Well, I do feel encouraged w/the new Neuro dr I am seeing.

Your screen name indicates you are female? Rare for females to get cluster migraines. My father suffered from those for years.

i just applied fri~ called on tues they had the package to me by wendsday and had my appt fri , he even told me how much i would get if i was approved so hopefully it goes thru , its for migrianes and depression, he said to check online to see if it says pending in 10 days and if it doesn't to give him a call so he could get things started
also i was reading and they have a list of basicly automatic qualifications for ssd but it doesn't say what they were ,, was wondering if any of you knew????

The listings can be found here: http://208.56.213.87/listings.html Be warned that nothing in the listing pertains to migraines. Therefore, I do not know what they make their determination on.

Good luck in applying for SSD. I initially applied last December & in 6 months received my denial letter. Prior to receiving the denial I had switched drs. My previous dr was not cooperating in sending in my medical info which I suspect was the reason for the denial. The good news was that SSD did acknowledge that am suffering from migraines.
I have filed for reconsideration. Hopefully, I will be accepted this time. I do not have an atty (yet).

TIP: Make sure your doctor complies with ALL of SSD request for information. If necessary, YOU get the reports (typed) of your dr, hosp and/or tests & YOU mail them along w/a headache calender to SSD followed by a phone call to them.

i'm currently on work disability and SSD. believe it or not, it was a lot harder to get the work LTD. i got approved for social security disability on the first try and they said they're not even going to review my case for three years. i'm not sure the severity of your medical problems, but i'd definitely re-apply and you may have to get a lawyer. in my case, i applied with chronic migraines (20+ days per month), daily tension headaches, depression, and brain dysfunction/EEG slowing...

My hopes are really up now!
Zavey,
My Reconcideration is still pending. Again, my 1st doctor was not cooperating in sending SSD my medical reports. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/mad.gif
The Reconcideration process reviews all the old records (which I obtained myself) and all the new medical records which they will obtain from my new Neurologist. The review is done by all new reviewers for a "fresh" new outlook on things.
Since SSD has already determined I have migraines, they now need to confirm that I am NOT GETTING BETTER! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

The above is how the Reconsideration process works in the State of New Jersey. I won't need a lawyer unless I have to go to trial (Reconsideration denied).

i know what you mean about doctors. for my work disability, my neurologist refused to fill out some of the paperwork. needless to say, i found a new neurologist out of state.

my recommendation for reapplying for SSD would be to you yourself contact all of your treating physicians and request complete medical records that include any information related to your headaches. when reapplying, i'd give SS all the doctors notes, i'd start a headache log and give it to them (i do mine on an excel spreadsheet and include which days i have migraines, tension headaches, medications used each day, etc.), and i'd also write them a letter telling them how bad your migraines are and letting them know all of your health problems and how it affects you. also include a spreadsheet which lists ALL medications you take. this is what i did, the person from SS called me and said "thanks for giving me all of this info and that i wouldn't need to do anything from there." a few weeks later, i got a call saying it was approved.

GOOD LUCK! it can be done!

i'd give SS all the doctors notes, i'd start a headache log and give it to them (i do mine on an excel spreadsheet and include which days i have migraines, tension headaches, medications used each day, etc.), and i'd also write them a letter telling them how bad your migraines are and letting them know all of your health problems and how it affects you. also include a spreadsheet which lists ALL medications you take.

Zavey,
You & I are on the same wave length! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/biggrin.gif I have done the same thing. The Reconsideration claims rep has a 2 year headache calander that is as thick as the War & Peace novel. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/biggrin.gif. However, it is color labled & very easy reading. The claims rep called & thanked me profusly.
When SSD told me my old Nurologist wasn't cooperating, I marched right up to that office migraine & all, medicated to the hilt........got ALL my records. By the time I was through w/that office the whole staff had cluster migraines! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/blob_fire.gif http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/bouncing.gif

Mz Migraine:

I wish you luck with your reconsideration of disability. I know it's rough. My fiance and I went through a really rough time the first six months without my salary coming in. We had just bought a house and had to live on 1/3 of what we were living on before.

I, too, have been keeping headache logs for several years. My old neurologist wrote me letters to apply for disability stating that I had 6-7 migraines per month, when I had over TWENTY every month!!! I called his office and at my next visit he refused to write a new letter AND his office also refused to send my office notes. I went up and told them I wanted a copy of my complete medical record, I signed the release form, and you know what I got in the mail from them? It wasn't my complete record, it was only the letters he had written. No mention of my treatments or medications or his notes from my visits, etc.

I keep my headache logs in an excel spreadsheet. Just for him, since it seemed he couldn't add, I changed the format of my logs. I added formulas to add up the total of migraines and tension headaches for the month. I took the new logs, along with a summary sheet stating the totals for each month over the past year. He STILL refused to write a new letter to the disability company. But about a week later, he DID write a new letter stating that when he reviewed my records, he was wrong, that I have migraines "more than half the month" he stated. I figured that was close enough. Boy was I ticked that he argued with me about it at my appointment, refused to do it, then did it anyway. *laff*