Re: Crazy question(literally, hehe)and hello...

[Guest guest]

Hi Mandy,

If you are going for SSDI based on any disabling condition (ie unable to carry

out

substancialy gainful employment for no more than 6 consecutive months out of

past 12

months-- sorry hon, that is almost veratim the regs.) If you are going based

on

depression - either clinical or bi-polar, than you will need those records from

the docs

who made those statements. You will also have to put all that down on your

application,

and when/if the application is denied you will have to do the same thing again.

Also you

will definately need to sign releases, probobly both from SSDI and from each Dr.

If you

have been " substatially gainfully employed " for even one week more than the six

month

period you will be deferred for one year, even if you are found to be

legitimately disbaled.

Sorry. Unless the regs have chaged significantly since ten years ago.

This is what happened to me: I was let go from my job after 7 months(totaly not

able

towork due to psych symptoms); was Psych-hospitalised; applied for SSDI giving

psych

history back to childhood;was denied; was denied two more times; was

Psych-hospitalised

again; got a lawyer; my case was sent to an administrative judicial review (that

means I

didn't have to go to court, just a lawyer on the review board looked over all my

paperwork)

;I got a " Judgment fully favorable " , meaning I was found eligible for SSDI; I

still had to wait

the remainder of the year from my date of application to get any money (because

I had

worked over 6 months.)

So the questions bubbling in your head may be...1) Do I have enough

documentation?, 2)

How many months,consecutively, have I worked out of the past 12?, 3)Do I need a

lawyer?

Do I have to go inpatient Psych to get a compellingly documented diagnosis?,

4)How the

hell did she stay alive for the remaining time before she got her huge

back-check and

went shopping?

Sorry Mandy, I'm not an expert and that was ten years ago. I hear it is even

harder to get

the compelling evidence of disability for Fibro that the Social Security

Administration (SSA)

requires.

You are smart to want to stay away from " their " Drs- mostly they are paid to

disqualify

you.

If you want you can e-mail me, just click the little envelope.

Peace

Cassandra

>

> Hello all I have been lurking for about two months. I have been

> suffering with fibro for years but was just diagnosed officially a few

> months ago. Well...last month I applied for social security disibilty

> and ssi and got a phone call yesterday. The lady concentrated mainly

> on the depression part of it and said that since I have only been

> seeing docs for fibro that they would need to send me to one of " thier "

> people...Oh Yeah!!!Not!!! So anyway any advice on how to deal with the

> stress and emotion of this would be greatful. I have been told in the

> past that I am moderately depressed, clinicly depressed, and one step

> away from bi-polar....but heres the kicker...these are three different

> forms of depression so who knows what this one will say...kinda of

> funny. Anyway, I just wanted to say hi since I have been reading

> everyones post and say that this is a great group of people and it

> really helps me when I have my flairs to know that there are others out

> there that understand...

>

[Guest guest]

Just me again Dear,

Totaly missed that you were asking for help in dealing with stress and emotion.

I have a

large Teddy-Bear, a tinkerbell nightlight in my bedroom and white nightlights in

bathroom

and kitchen. I have a 'white noise machine'- looks like a UFO, you may have seen

them

outside office doors (used to mask conversation) I ordered one off an internet

medical

supply site. I write alot, even if I feel/think it is crap and I NEVER throw

anything away-who

knows when I might need it. Same goes for use of art materials. I experiment

alot and

KEEP everything. I have a very soft blanket. I invest in massage, as part of my

fibro

teatment, by a fibro qualified massage therapist who uses light touch

myofascial

technique, every 6 weeks. I walk a lot, who can afford a car on SSDI. But when

it's raining I

usually stay home. I listen patiently to everyone who has advise about

EXERCISE, DIET And

other ways to manage fibro symptoms or any other symptoms- then I IGNORE THEM.

I throw rocks at the dumpster.

Peace

Cassandr

>

So anyway any advice on how to deal with the

> stress and emotion of this would be greatful.

[Guest guest]

I was told that if you see a psychologist or psychiatrist and really play up

on that part of the fibro, then you stand a better chance of winning your

case.

Love and gentle hugs,

Debi/55-CA

**************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family

favorites at AOL Food.

(http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)

[Guest guest]

I have to say that my counselor wrote a very powerful letter to my attorney

regarding my mental state from the fibro. I also had a near death

experience which sent me reeling into a major depression. So, yes, the

mental health field can be a help in getting SSDI.

Tigger (Ruth) in Rhode Island

_____

From: Fibromyalgia_Support_Group

[mailto:Fibromyalgia_Support_Group ] On Behalf Of

DebiAC012553@...

Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2008 3:53 AM

To: Fibromyalgia_Support_Group

Subject: Re: Crazy question(literally, hehe)and hello...

I was told that if you see a psychologist or psychiatrist and really play up

on that part of the fibro, then you stand a better chance of winning your

case.

Love and gentle hugs,

Debi/55-CA

[Guest guest]

Hi Mandy - Welcome. Glad you came out of lurking to tell us about yourself. In

my experience, you have to have more than FM alone to qualify for SSDI. I got

it 9 years ago, but they included FM, morbid obesity, depression, anxiety, and

DDD.

You do have to see their docs even if you have all kinds of records from your

own docs. I saw someone about the physical symptoms and they x-rayed my low

back and hip to prove the DDD. I also saw their psychiatrist. He was fine, not

scary or abusive in any way. I do believe as Tigger mentioned in a post that

statements/letters from my mental health providers helped greatly in getting

approval.

It's a hassle for sure, but you just gotta keep jumping through their hoops. I

know it's a lot more difficult today than it was 9-10 years ago. I never got

any back pay because they determined my disability started on a day that the

doctor referred me to a dietician listing the morbid obesity for diagnosis. I

was just glad to finally be approved. HTH.

Jeanne in WI

>

> Hello all I have been lurking for about two months. I have been > suffering

with fibro for years but was just diagnosed officially a few months ago.

Well...last month I applied for social security disibilty and ssi and got a

phone call yesterday. The lady concentrated mainly on the depression part of it

and said that since I have only been seeing docs for fibro that they would need

to send me to one of " thier " people...Oh Yeah!!!Not!!! So anyway any advice on

how to deal with the

stress and emotion of this would be greatful. I have been told in the past

that I am moderately depressed, clinicly depressed, and one step away from

bi-polar....but heres the kicker...these are three different

> forms of depression so who knows what this one will say...kinda of funny.

Anyway, I just wanted to say hi since I have been reading everyones post and say

that this is a great group of people and it really helps me when I have my

flairs to know that there are others out

> there that understand...

[Guest guest]

Mandy, Welcome! I applied for disability in 2006 and as I have

chronic, recurring depression (depending on which doc, it's minor or

it's major, guess if I were to go in and cry, etc., it would be

major, but that's beside the point). Anyway, I had been told by a

psychologist who is a member of the same group as my NOW former

psychiatrist is in that, because of HER diagnosis of mild depression

and anxiety (that was based on the fact I take valium -- that was BS

as it is to help me relax when I am tense with a fibro flare).

Anyway, I saw their MD -- boy, was that an interesting doctor visit!

I had instructions to arrive 15 minutes early, did that, they were

not open, an hour later I called the office number and someone

finally showed up! But the MD did add a few other problems to my

many symptoms, go figure? Then the following week, I had an

appointment with one of the psychologists they use in this area and

some of his questions were so typical of an intake meeting, that I

eventually got really pissed and answered some questions in a very

sarcastic manner --- especially his questions about Presidents --

President Lincoln, did actually stay with my great, great grandmother

in the days when he was riding the " circuit " in the area west of

Springfield, IL. Oh, and I know most of you, if you have belonged

for any length of time to this group, have read this before; but,

what riding the circuit actually means is that he would visit various

towns and either serve as a defense attorney or perhaps was the

judge -- that was back in in the 1850's/'40's when court cases were

heard about once a month or so when the circuit rider made it to

town. Then another question related to Harry Truman, and because my

father was a native of Missouri as were most of his maternal and

paternal family; one of my great uncle's was a beekeeper and would

drive into Independence, MO where he would sell jugs of honey on the

courthouse square. Harry saw him one day from his judicial office in

the courthouse and sent someone down to see what he was selling.

That was in the 1930's and for years, Uncle Fred sold him honey.

Also, I was born on Harry Truman's first birthday after becoming

President, May 8, 1945 and there is the other tidbit, I worked for

the largest law firm in KC not long after Harry died and at some

point some one told me that Harry used to come into the office to

visit the head of the firm as well as many others. Everyone in the

office apparently just called the former President of the United

States, " Uncle Harry. "

So when any doctor or in take person, is asking me to name presidents

or make comments on historical facts, I smart off and repeat the

above info (much more than they want to hear and I know it!) And

then one of the so-called " tests " was to count back from 100 by

subtracting 7 from each previous number -- easy if you break 7 into 3

and 4 -- especially after the first answer of 93, so I rattle off

number after number which I know has to make them really happy to

hear (I do it as far back and as fast as I can so that I get to

somewhere in the 50's).

So, I just found those visits as rather silly -- and the doctors who

do it probably are pretty lazy, in my opinion! Don't know what the

states pay them, but it just pads their income and the those exams

are probably the easiest money they make! I do realize that I

probably should not have this attitude, but they always make me so

mad! after spending time on psych wards twice, moving and having to

go through intake interviews so many time, I just get tired of the

type of questions you get asked! (Which is why I am so HAPPY TO be

once again seeing a psychiatrist that I saw for several years in the

late 1980's through the early 1990's. He knew me well and his office

manager recognizes my voice all these years later, so it will be just

a catch up for the first visit and where have you been, how are you

doing, are the meds working for you? And then we will talk about

what is going on in our home towns as we grew up not far from each

other!)

So, Mandy, you can have my attitude that those exams are just two

parts of the process and don't worry about the questions, be

yourself, answer every question, you could even do what I did last

week when I had to see a new eye doctor and knew they needed a list

of my meds. I simply typed a list and it is now stored on the

computer so that anytime in the future, I can pull it up, update it

and then print when I know I will be seeing a new doctor and they

need a list of my meds! I don't know how the shrinks really react to

my attitude, but I have answered those questions SO MANY TIMES! I

know they do have to ask them and it is a way to evaluate, but when

you have moved as many times as I have, it becomes a major pain!

But also, I was one of the fortunate people in that Social Security

decided I was totally disabled as of the last day I worked in 2004 --

I think perhaps all of the medical records tests, etc. that I had had

for my back may have helped with their decision.

-

-- In Fibromyalgia_Support_Group , " Jeanne and Dave "

wrote:

>

> Hi Mandy - Welcome. Glad you came out of lurking to tell us about

yourself. In my experience, you have to have more than FM alone to

qualify for SSDI. I got it 9 years ago, but they included FM, morbid

obesity, depression, anxiety, and DDD.

>

> You do have to see their docs even if you have all kinds of records

from your own docs. I saw someone about the physical symptoms and

they x-rayed my low back and hip to prove the DDD. I also saw their

psychiatrist. He was fine, not scary or abusive in any way. I do

believe as Tigger mentioned in a post that statements/letters from my

mental health providers helped greatly in getting approval.

>

> It's a hassle for sure, but you just gotta keep jumping through

their hoops. I know it's a lot more difficult today than it was 9-10

years ago. I never got any back pay because they determined my

disability started on a day that the doctor referred me to a

dietician listing the morbid obesity for diagnosis. I was just glad

to finally be approved. HTH.

> Jeanne in WI

>

>

> >

> > Hello all I have been lurking for about two months. I have

been > suffering with fibro for years but was just diagnosed

officially a few months ago. Well...last month I applied for social

security disibilty and ssi and got a phone call yesterday. The lady

concentrated mainly on the depression part of it and said that since

I have only been seeing docs for fibro that they would need to send

me to one of " thier " people...Oh Yeah!!!Not!!! So anyway any advice

on how to deal with the

> stress and emotion of this would be greatful. I have been told

in the past that I am moderately depressed, clinicly depressed, and

one step away from bi-polar....but heres the kicker...these are three

different

> > forms of depression so who knows what this one will say...kinda

of funny. Anyway, I just wanted to say hi since I have been reading

everyones post and say that this is a great group of people and it

really helps me when I have my flairs to know that there are others

out

> > there that understand...

>

>

[Guest guest]

Well, you little no name girl..Mandy??? I am glad you are no longer lurking. You

must join in with the fun,

/MI

Crazy question(literally, hehe)and hello...

Hello all I have been lurking for about two months. I have been

suffering with fibro for years but was just diagnosed officially a few

months ago. Well...last month I applied for social security disibilty

and ssi and got a phone call yesterday. The lady concentrated mainly

on the depression part of it and said that since I have only been

seeing docs for fibro that they would need to send me to one of " thier "

people...Oh Yeah!!!Not!!! So anyway any advice on how to deal with the

stress and emotion of this would be greatful. I have been told in the

past that I am moderately depressed, clinicly depressed, and one step

away from bi-polar....but heres the kicker...these are three different

forms of depression so who knows what this one will say...kinda of

funny. Anyway, I just wanted to say hi since I have been reading

everyones post and say that this is a great group of people and it

really helps me when I have my flairs to know that there are others out

there that understand...