migraine disability

Hi all, I am new to this forum. I am a Canadian living in Ontario. I am currenlty on short term disability due to migraines. I can suffer up to 20 per month. I have had them since 2004 and they continue to get worse. They are hormonal and my docs say they can get worse before they get better. I was denied my benefits and have had to hire a lawyer. I have gotten partial benefits, 4 months out of the 6.5 I am entitled too. I have been off work for 5 months now. I t still continue to fight my employer and Manulife Insurance. I have tried many meds, treatments like botox, acupunture etc. but nothing has worked. I have been on Gambapentin for 3 weeks, so far no improvement, had 7 headache days this month so far. I feel like I am between a rock and a hard place as I am struggling now financially but don't know how I can return to work given how I feel. As well work was not being supportive and gave me a letter to file for excessive absenteeism. I can only imagine the fight I will have if I try for long term disability. Just wondering if anyone has had the same experience and if you have an suggestions? My doctor situation is not ideal as I have multiple and no real advocate. thanks in advance for any advice. K

I don't have experience in this myself but my mother was denied long term disability and had to go to court to even get short term disability. She has Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, a terrible and progressive nerve condition where you experience constant pain as your nerves misfire.

I can't imagine how they make the decision of who gets disability and who doesn't and it's ridiculous that my mom could never get long term. She hasn't been able to work for a decade now and will never be able to return to work.

Hi Seaine, that is terrible . I do know about RSD I was told I had that in 1999 after I broke my wrist, I had a cast for 4 months and therapy for 1 year. I don't believe I had it as bad as a lot of people suffer but I do feel that it makes me feel more pain for even minor injuries than I once did. I think RSD and migraines and probably other ailments are those type of disabilities that because you cannot see them they are dismissed. I have been at my job 28 years with an excellent record but at the end of the day they simply do not care. Its unfortunate the court also did not approve it, insurance denies, denies, denies but its sad the court would be so ignorant about these issues. thanks for your reply.

I'm very glad you went into remission with the RSD! My mother was undiagnosed for an entire year and basically had doctors telling her it was in her head. During that time, untreated, the disease progressed and is now more serious than it could have been.

I agree that people with invisible disabilities are dismissed, both by the general public and government.

Hi there, I think hiring the lawyer was a very smart thing to do. It's very hard to navigate around all of the regulations (and I'm sure they are just as annoying in Canada as they are here in the States). I don't have any advice, just really hope that you can get your benefits so you can relax and focus on a treatment plan.

I have a friend in Toronto who hasa progressively worsening nerve condition that causes constant back pain. She cannot sit at all, just either lie down flat, or stand and move/walk. It is incredibly debilitating. She needs a risky surgery that Canadian doctors are not willing to do, so finally after 3 years of this, she is going to India to get the surgery. Can you believe that! And she has to get special accomodations on the plane so that she doesn't have to be in a seated position.

I have been suffering from chronic migraines since high school (I am now 32). Was able to take care of them with over the counter med for several years. Then in 2009 I was referred to a neurologist by my PCP. I was put on Topamax for the migraines. This medication worked for the next years or so (after I got u to a 200mg dose). Late last year I began experiencing severe migraines again. Then in the beginning of this year I went back to the neurologist and he changed my medication to Effexor (an anti-depressant). I experienced no relief from this med, and experienced some of the sexual side effects. So I had another appointment with the neurologist, and my medication was again changed. This time to gabapentin (100mg 3x a day). This medicine has helped only a little bit, and it makes me very dizzy, with the inability to concentrate throughout the day. I have only been able to work (I work in law enforcement as a Corrections Officer for seven years) approximately seven days out of this month so far. I have had to use the majority of my sick time (15 days this month so far). There is no way that I can ensure the safety of the inmates, myself or my coworkers with these migraines. I am in the process of getting FML and I know that after a time it (FML) will only be securing a return to very stressful work environment that can go from 0-100 at the blink of an eye. The thought of going through the disability process is enough to trigger a severe migraine. Any advice on what to do next would be a tremendous help.

Should read the next four years.

I'm sure the reason it is hard to get disability is because of the abusers in the past. There are so many people on disability that
could be working that they have finally cracked down (to the expense of people that should get it). If anyone should get it, it is the migraine suffers that get them weekly.

If you think there is a hormonal component I recommend trying natural hormone supplements. Not the artificial ones, which can make things worse. See my post on " new adventures in hormone therapy". I'm pretty much migraine free and headache free at this point. Nothing else worked at all.