questions about getting disability benefits approved for RA And fibro

[Guest guest]

I have fibro and RA and also depression.I havent been able to work

now for a year and filed for disability in Dec last year.I was denied

twice and so I hired an attorney to help me and she requested a

hearing with a judge.I told her I had been keeping a symptom and

activity log on an excel spread sheet and that other people who had

been approved for benefits who have fibro and RA had told me that

keeping this type of records or journal or diary helped them win

their cases.She said that an ALJ would not accept a journal or

activity log or symptom log from me and that all documentation has to

come from my doctors and that it may help me with being able to give

consistent testimony at the hearing but that a judge wont take my

journals or my diary or anything I do as proof of my illness or how

it incapacitates me or keeps me from being able to work.I am in pain

all over my body now,from the top of my head,all the way down my back

to my tail bone,across my shoulders and my chest down my arms,and my

hands and wrists and feet and ankles and on the backs of my legs.My

joints in my fingers,my feet,my knees,my hips,my neck,my lower back

all hurt so bad I cant hardly stand up straight now to walk,and I had

to start using a cane to help me walk especially if I have to walk

more than ten or twenty feet now.I took some prednisone recently in a

dose pack for ten days and while I was taking the steroids I was able

to walk normally and was able to do more of the things that i had

been able to do in the past but that was a couple of weeks ago and

now I am starting to have problems with walking and standing up

straight cause the joints in my lower back are causing me problems

and are stiff and dont seem to move like they used to.I am really

frustated and the attorney also told me I had to ask my doctor for a

prescription for a cane so that it would be documented that my doctor

said this was necessary.I dont know what to do,and my doctor doesnt

seem to want to do more than absolutely necessary for me,he just

seems to want to talk to me for five or ten minutes and then give me

my scripts and run me out the door.I would be grateful for any

suggestions from anyone here.I cant afford all the medical care I

need now,I need to go to a rheumatologist but I can hardly afford the

pain management doctor and the medicine he is prescribing for me now

and cant afford another doctor or any new meds now.I am almost out of

money that I had saved and I am living with my father while I am

going through this process or I would be living in the street by

now.being here with him is stressing me out and making me sicker and

this is a really bad situation for me all the way around.any help I

would be most grateful for it.

[Guest guest]

When I was waiting and then denied for my SSDI I wrote to my local

Senators and Representatives about the " first denial " and how slow

the process was. Within a few weeks, I received a letter from SSI

that said they had reviewed my case and ruled 100% favorable in my

favor. I think they have so many claims that they don't do them

justice, but if you had a way to get them to " notice " your claim, you

stand a better chance. Good Luck. I know how you feel.

>

> I have fibro and RA and also depression.I havent been able to work

> now for a year and filed for disability in Dec last year.I was

denied

> twice and so I hired an attorney to help me and she requested a

> hearing with a judge.I told her I had been keeping a symptom and

> activity log on an excel spread sheet and that other people who had

> been approved for benefits who have fibro and RA had told me that

> keeping this type of records or journal or diary helped them win

> their cases.She said that an ALJ would not accept a journal or

> activity log or symptom log from me and that all documentation has

to

> come from my doctors and that it may help me with being able to

give

> consistent testimony at the hearing but that a judge wont take my

> journals or my diary or anything I do as proof of my illness or how

> it incapacitates me or keeps me from being able to work.I am in

pain

> all over my body now,from the top of my head,all the way down my

back

> to my tail bone,across my shoulders and my chest down my arms,and

my

> hands and wrists and feet and ankles and on the backs of my legs.My

> joints in my fingers,my feet,my knees,my hips,my neck,my lower back

> all hurt so bad I cant hardly stand up straight now to walk,and I

had

> to start using a cane to help me walk especially if I have to walk

> more than ten or twenty feet now.I took some prednisone recently in

a

> dose pack for ten days and while I was taking the steroids I was

able

> to walk normally and was able to do more of the things that i had

> been able to do in the past but that was a couple of weeks ago and

> now I am starting to have problems with walking and standing up

> straight cause the joints in my lower back are causing me problems

> and are stiff and dont seem to move like they used to.I am really

> frustated and the attorney also told me I had to ask my doctor for

a

> prescription for a cane so that it would be documented that my

doctor

> said this was necessary.I dont know what to do,and my doctor doesnt

> seem to want to do more than absolutely necessary for me,he just

> seems to want to talk to me for five or ten minutes and then give

me

> my scripts and run me out the door.I would be grateful for any

> suggestions from anyone here.I cant afford all the medical care I

> need now,I need to go to a rheumatologist but I can hardly afford

the

> pain management doctor and the medicine he is prescribing for me

now

> and cant afford another doctor or any new meds now.I am almost out

of

> money that I had saved and I am living with my father while I am

> going through this process or I would be living in the street by

> now.being here with him is stressing me out and making me sicker

and

> this is a really bad situation for me all the way around.any help I

> would be most grateful for it.

>

[Guest guest]

,

I wish that I had some good advice for you, but I have limited

experience with what you are trying to get accomplished.

I know it is difficult seeing the doctor that you are and not a

rheumatologist. We have a similar situation in my home. My daughter

lives with me, for the same reason that you live with your dad.

(fibro and not RA)

I can only afford the pain clinic, because it is $100 a month and I

can not afford another doctor and more meds. She was able to get on

medicade for a short period and that was a God send. Then they

decided that she wasn't eligible because of me supporting her. She

is on her third go around with disability. I pray that she will be

approved so that she can see the correct type of doctors for her

problems.

From what I understand it takes three times to get approved for the

majority of people. You are on your third time so I hope you hear

some positive news soon.

Shirley

>

> I have fibro and RA and also depression.I havent been able to work

> now for a year and filed for disability in Dec last year.I was

denied

> twice and so I hired an attorney to help me and she requested a

> hearing with a judge.I told her I had been keeping a symptom and

> activity log on an excel spread sheet and that other people who

had

> been approved for benefits who have fibro and RA had told me that

> keeping this type of records or journal or diary helped them win

> their cases.She said that an ALJ would not accept a journal or

> activity log or symptom log from me and that all documentation has

to

> come from my doctors and that it may help me with being able to

give

> consistent testimony at the hearing but that a judge wont take my

> journals or my diary or anything I do as proof of my illness or

how

> it incapacitates me or keeps me from being able to work.I am in

pain

> all over my body now,from the top of my head,all the way down my

back

> to my tail bone,across my shoulders and my chest down my arms,and

my

> hands and wrists and feet and ankles and on the backs of my

legs.My

> joints in my fingers,my feet,my knees,my hips,my neck,my lower

back

> all hurt so bad I cant hardly stand up straight now to walk,and I

had

> to start using a cane to help me walk especially if I have to walk

> more than ten or twenty feet now.I took some prednisone recently

in a

> dose pack for ten days and while I was taking the steroids I was

able

> to walk normally and was able to do more of the things that i had

> been able to do in the past but that was a couple of weeks ago and

> now I am starting to have problems with walking and standing up

> straight cause the joints in my lower back are causing me problems

> and are stiff and dont seem to move like they used to.I am really

> frustated and the attorney also told me I had to ask my doctor for

a

> prescription for a cane so that it would be documented that my

doctor

> said this was necessary.I dont know what to do,and my doctor

doesnt

> seem to want to do more than absolutely necessary for me,he just

> seems to want to talk to me for five or ten minutes and then give

me

> my scripts and run me out the door.I would be grateful for any

> suggestions from anyone here.I cant afford all the medical care I

> need now,I need to go to a rheumatologist but I can hardly afford

the

> pain management doctor and the medicine he is prescribing for me

now

> and cant afford another doctor or any new meds now.I am almost out

of

> money that I had saved and I am living with my father while I am

> going through this process or I would be living in the street by

> now.being here with him is stressing me out and making me sicker

and

> this is a really bad situation for me all the way around.any help

I

> would be most grateful for it.

>