GOT DISABILITY!!!

I have been fighting disability for almost 2 1/2 years. Filed three times and got turned down all three times. Finally got an attorney. I never thought this day would come. I am still in my thirtys and even with that I won my case.

DO NOT GIVE UP! I never did and it payed off. I knew that for now working was not going to happen and I needed help.

Here are some things I did that helped my case.

1. I started a daily log of my migraines. Keeping a diary of what it was like living with migraine disease. I would write things like when I got an attack, what meds I took, now much I took, if it worked or not, what I had to give up or stop doing because of the attack, how long was I down because of the pain.

2. I also made it a point to really stress to my doctors that I was forced to quit working because of the chronic pain and that I was applying for disability. I talked to all my doctors, not just my neuro. I also went to a new doctor, this was to show that I was really trying to get better and not just give up.

3. I also tryed new meds. I wanted people to see that I was really wanting to stop the pain and that ment trying anything.

Hope this helps. Remember do not give up.

Congratulations! I am sure this is a great help to you!

Mary Anne

I'm happy for you. It had to be very tempting to just give up.

What a shame you had to get an attorney involved.

But, cheers :cheers:for you. I hope this makes your life happier and less stressful.

How nice for you. This may help you feel a little better. Nice suggestions for others to follow. Congradulations.

chrissy,

i just saw your post. what great news! i have tried for disability also. but can't get it. the answer has changed over the years.

last time it was that i did not work long enough. after i got over being sore, and my mental fog lifted i realized that something is wrong. i am 53, i worked since before i was in college, then on and off as a temp and full time and for 5 years after the onset of the M.
i have been off work since '93.

again, i am so glad that you prevailed. a win for you is a win for all of us. glad you had the strength to forge your fight.

congrats!!!


rose

Very Good! It took me a long time to get it and I had to have an attorney myself. Do you have any kids by chance? If you do you need to let social security know because they are also entitled to benefits under you and you need to take advantage of that. I know for me it lifted a big weight (stress) off my shoulders knowing I had some amount (however small) of money coming in. Congrats! I know it is a long rough road to get this far!

Congrats on your approval. I too was approved for SSDI. Having suffered for nearly 33 years with debilitating migraines, they progressigly got worse about 5 - 6 years ago. Even then, I continued to trudge on and work as best I could. It finally culminated with me missing nearly 50% of my job every year for about 2 years. Realizing that I was only making it worse by trying to work, my neuro pulled me out and I went on STD. Then LTD and one of their requirements was I apply for SSDI. I completed everything on my own, did not use an attorney or advocate and based upon my very thick medical file was actually approved on first application. That even surprised me, as I have heard so many horror stories. I even went through a period of feeling very guilty. The SSDI does not think I will have enough improvement for gainful employement and have me on a 5 - 7 year review. I suffer chronic migraine along with deblilitating depression that many of us migraine suffers have and even with so many medications, still have between 16 - 19 migraine days per month. Funny thing is, I received letters from my LTD carrier that my case is now in review and saw a letter from them when I saw my neuro yesterday. Some quack in TN - a board certified neuro no less- apparently reviewed my file and feels I am able to work full time. Why - beacuse my MRI was unremarkable. Hello.....if they found something on the MRI - I would not be diagnosed with migraine! So now I have SSDI and will probably have to battle MetLife to continue the LTD. Trust me....I miss working, I want to be productive and if I was even able to work a part time job at this point knowing I would never have to deal with the idiots at LTD - I would be pounding on doors! They even called me at home today at 8:05am to boot. It is raining in NY and that is a major trigger for me. My physical and mental health are a mess due to chronic migraine. My weight has dropped to 96 pounds from 111 pounds due to the constant vomitting - even the meds for that don't help. My only hope right now financially is the fact that I do have the SSDI and am so grateful I did not have a long, drawn out process to obtain it. I even told the LTD girl today, SSDI - she said we take that into considerations. Yeah right. Lets see how this rolls!

Congrats again and sorry for my rambling...just so pissed and frustrated today with the other disability place.

Cath

what is LTD?

LTD is long term disability. I had coverage through my former empolyer before I had to stop working.

I thought so but was not sure.

So happy to hear that you have finally won your battle with SS disability! I, too, am in my thirties and have been suffering from migraines for about 18 years! They progressively got worse and worse as I got older until they became utterly debilitating. I get a migraine almost every single day! : ( I had to stop working in 2008 because of the migraines...I was a high school English teacher. I really miss it! I applied for disability a little over a year ago. I was denied twice, then, I got an attorney. We appealed and requested a hearing back in April, and I am still awaiting a hearing date.. ugh! I have a feeling this is going to be a really long wait and a hard fight! Hearing your success does give me a glimmer of hope, however....

I say don't give up. If we can deal with chronic pain like we all do then we can fight throught the mess of the system.

Steph & Chris & everyone else who has been there...., what is the disability hearing w/ the judge like? What additional evidence should I bring? thanks

Congrats!!! Took me a couple years also. My judge started my hearing by saying there had to be a malpractice suit with a settlement tell me about it... after I did he said, I apologize to you that the legal system in Ohio failed you so miserably!!!! And the state board still backs up the attorney! My case was migraine and a botched laparoscopy that has left me disabled and a gastric cripple for life.

And you are just in time for our 3.6% raise. Mine comes to about $6 month. I do thank God for the Medicare, even though it went up $3, everyday. We would be bankrupt by now.


I don't know about you but I was relieved with the decision and then about 10 minutes later I was crying because it meant I now have it in black and white from a Federal Judge that I AM disabled. It was a relief and a punch in the gut to get that reality check. It is very hard to get disability in Ohio.
Congrats!!!
kathy