Need help getting disability approved!

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

I need some help in getting my long-term disability (LTD) approved. The Doctors

won't let me work and Social Security (SS) and CIGNA say I can. I am currently

filing my first appeal for my LTD claim. I realize that it is almost standard

procedure for SS and CIGNA to deny LTD on the first claim, but I want my first

appeal to be successful. The stress of this process is not helping my condition.

I have very good letters from my primary care physician and from my pain

management Doctor who is an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at UCSF and is

the Director of the Pain Management Center. She is also considered an expert in

treating Chiarians for their pain. Her letter is very good.

I would also like to include some persuading documents from the net that are

from reputable sources. If any one knows of any please share the web addresses

with me.

Additionally, if anyone has any other recommendations for filing for disability,

please share them with me.

My NSG reports are not that great. It seems that in the Bay Area there are no

" real " Chiari NSGs. They don't deny the Chiari, they see the 8mm on the MRI, but

they don't " see " the symptoms. You know the routine. The almost complete list of

symptoms that the NSGs can't see (sorry if this is long) is:

I almost always have a headache with pressure in the back of my neck

I have neuropathy (pain) in my arms, legs and feet

I have weakness in arms, legs and hands

I have partial numbness and tingling in my arms and hands

I get sore after sitting or lying down for extended periods of time

I get sore and fatigued after walking for extended periods of time

I have trouble with my voice getting hoarse and dry

I wake up with very dry eyes

I choke easily, usually in the evenings and not while eating or drinking.

I have very poor short-term memory. It is frightening at times.

I have general fatigue

My jaw always pops on the right side of my jaw (same side as occasional ear

problem)

I get trouble in the evenings focusing my eyes or I get double vision (may be

medications)

If not medicated, I have hand tremors and involuntary muscle spasms (jerks)

I get over heated and sweat a lot, sometimes sweat even when not over heated

Before I was medicated I had more trouble getting the right words out of my

mouth.

I still have trouble thinking of words.

I get sinus swelling and wheezing.

I have trouble using fine motor skills in my hands

Trouble distinguishing hot from cold when first touching something

Have trouble focusing when reading for long periods of time

Occasionally I can't feel were my arms or legs/feet are without looking

There is more… I just can't remember right now!

Any ideas or shared experiences would be helpful. Thanks!

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