What documentation will help me win SSDI

[mich2604]

Hello,

I was denied the first time. I was told today, without a dr backing me up saying I cannot do any work at all due to my age i wont win.

Does anyone know what documentation from my doctor will be helpful? Do they need to write a letter..........is there a specific urology form for IC that the uro could fill out.


thanks for your help.

[ihurttoo]

My Drs wrote letters for me, plus my atty gave them forms to fill out. They also filled out something about Residual Functional Capacity, which is bascially a form that says what you are still capable of doing, despite IC. (Which was next to nothing!) It stated how often I would most likely have to miss work due to IC, fibro, Lupus, endometriosis and adhesion pain, and my other conditons, as well as that I would often have to go in late and leave early for heath reasons. They also said what my prognosis is and that there is no cure. If you have an atty, I am sure they all pretty much use the same forms for Drs to fill out. That is why it is so important to have Drs that will back you up! I am not saying that it cant be gotten without supportive Drs, but I do think it would be alot harder!

I hope that yours are supportive of your decision to apply and have agreed to help you. It will go alot better that way, especially if you are very young. Whoever told you that the younger you are, the harder it is to get, is right. Also, the more education you have, the harder it is to get, since they can think of lots more jobs you could do.

I wish you luck and hope that the tide turns for you soon! Hugs, Amy

[mich2604]

Thanks amy,

I went to my uro office today, and the NP told me that it is very hard to get and that the office will not fill out the forms until the patient has gone thru all possible treatments...........such as physical therapy for a very very loooong time. It seems insane to me.

Im going to call my attorney on Monday and see if we can proceed without the uro........since I have lyme and that alone is enough to dibilitate me.

[ihurttoo]

Although it isnt necessary to have your Drs on your side, it certainly helps alot. Since you still havent heard from your Dr, I would talk to him/her, to be certain that is his/her feelings, not just the NP's.

Although I had several Drs behind me, I have no idea if mine would have supported me if I had applied early on. I just dont know. I had IC and was off from work for several years (4), before I applied. (Yup, I was in some serious denial that I wasnt getting better and wouldnt be able to return to work!) So, I had tried everything at that point, and had been on the meds and diet for quite some time too, and nothing worked. I think that is probobly why my Gyn (who treats my IC) and Rhematologist were so supportive. Although my (former) GP STILL wouldnt support me!

Incidently, my atty called my Rhem's office and asked her to write a letter, (even though I told her not to ask her yet, since I had only been to that Dr. twice at that point! GRR!!), and of course she declined then. Then, months later, (on the night before my hearing in front of the judge!), I coincidentally had an appt with that same Rhem. By that point, I had seen her about 10 more times (once a month), and she knew me alot better, and we had a good relationship by then, and SHE brought it up, and asked why I hadnt applied!! I was freaked! I told her I had, and my atty even asked her to write a letter! She said she knew nothing about that, but they probobly declined since I wasnt very far into treatment then. But, she filled out paperwork on the spot and wrote me a fantastic letter to take with me to the judge the next day! So, you never know if they could change their minds later!

Anyway, the point is, when you cant work anymore, I would go ahead and apply without their support, if you cant get it now. After all, most cases take a while, and who knows, they may come thru for you later on, after you have tried more things (or you may find something that helps enough you can work after all!) If you dont get better, and your Dr. still doesnt come around, you could get a different Dr, and see if they will back you, (who knows, a different Dr, might also have a new perspective on your case and find treatments to help you that your current Dr. hasnt looked into!)

Hope you are able to convince your Dr. to help you! Hugs, Amy

[mich2604]

Thanks Amy,

The office I go to does the team approach, so i have never seen the Uro herself, except at my cysto/hydro and in the hospital after the procedure. Ive heard it is difficult to get into see her.

It is very frustrating to say the least.........im in my appeal stage right now and do have one dr that will back me up for my lyme issues which also keep me from working.

The uro did fill out forms for my long term disability so I am a bit confused, I will ask about this at my next appt with the NP. I remember that letter said that i had to go thru PT, but never said that had to be done before filing for SSDI.

I mean how do they expect patients to survive when they cant get better.

I may look into another dr in the area, and see if I could get in to see them.

[dancemomof2]

http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/rulings/di/01/SSR2002-02-di-01.html

I had everything Amy had above and also included this ruling from SSD fo IC
http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/rulings/di/01/SSR2002-02-di-01.html

[ihurttoo]

I went back and read some of your past posts, to see why your Drs. office might not be backing you up, and there were a couple of things that I think could be the reason. The first possibility is (like we discussed), since you were only d/xed in May 2006 and applied almost immediately after d/x. Even though you suffered forever before getting d/xed, they dont start you on the IC meds and treatments until you have been d/xed, so you havent had time to go thru all of them yet to see if you will be disabled on a long term basis. The reason they would have oked long term disabliity (thru your work), but not something more permenent, (like SSD), is b/c while they believed you and knew you were hurting, most treatments take a while to work. So, they were giving you time off to get better while you were being treated, but they apparently still have hope that they can help you regain some of your lost work capacity.

One other possibility that I saw from your past posts is that when you had the Cysto/hydro in May, you were d/xed with a mild case IC. Even though you are in alot of pain, (which again, she realizes or she wouldnt have approved you for long term disability thru your work), most of the time disablity is only approved for severe cases. Plus, milder cases are the ones that usually respond to treatment. (Which is the reason your Drs office told you that you will have to go thru everything possible with no response before they would help you with disability.)

I hope that might shed some light into why they are seemingly unhelpful. In your case, all though it wont help you with SSD, it is good in that they still think they can help you get to feeling better, which is really what we all want anyway!

Hope this helps! Hugs, Amy

[ihurttoo]

One more thing...when you applied for SSD, did you apply on Lyme Diseases in addition to IC? I know you have been d/xed with Lyme for a year, so that is probobly why that Dr. is willing to help, if your Lyme disease hasnt improved despite treatments. So, even if no one will support your filing for IC, you may win on the Lyme alone, if it is severe enough, or the combo of the Lyme, VV, and IC may be deemed debiliating enough to win, even if the IC alone wouldnt. So, dont think it is all over yet, just b/c your Uro wont help.

I noticed you see Dr. W. She is well respected and world renouned for treating VV, yeast, vulvadynia etc. But, she is a big beliver in pelvic floor therapy. That is probobly the other reason that they want you to do that for a while before giving up and saying you are disabled.

I hope this helps you undestand their rationale a bit better.

Hugs,
Amy

[mich2604]

Thanks so much Amy. Its like a light bulb went off in my head as I read your replies to me. It is all very clear to me now.......and I really do appreciate you reading thru all of my past posts , that was very nice of you to do that :-)

I didnt know Dr W believed in pelvic floor therapy..........I know that they do offer it. They also tried me on some treatments prior to even doing the hydro/cysto, I assume in hope that I would improve with those treatments, but i didnt.

I would so luv if they could cure me, or make things more manageable for me.

Urelle really helps me a lot, but I dont think I can take that long term....i will have to ask.

The thing is im so sore to even get an exam, internal one, ive just reached the stage of being able to get some yeast swabs with no pain.....I do think eventually i will be able to get an internal evaluation for pelvic floor done soon.

I do think my Lyme along with the IC is diabling enough......as I have many of the chronic fatigue symptoms with my lyme. Of course my main goal is to be able to go back to work.

Thanks again for all of your help, I really appreciate it. :smile tee

[ihurttoo]

You are very welcome, and thank you for the "thank you"! I hope that things your Drs find something to help you soon, but that if they dont, that SSD will hurry up and approve you for SSD. Hug, Amy

[MakinIT]

You know, you have the right to get your records. You need an attorney who specializes in this and they will help you but you can use your records...they don't control them. Most attorneys only get payment if you win and take it from the lump sum. And you list EVERYTHING. That is what won it for me. I was so focused on the IC. But the lawyer listed my migraines, chronic fatigue, allergic anaphalxis, Diabetes, PFD, endometriosis, joint pain, Gerd ....when the judge read all that I sorta dropped jaw (the lawyer reached over and picked it up for me...ha, ha...) I thought I should be dead with all that.

Also, if you have a GP, gyno, ect...get their support as well..that all helps...