I need help and opinion for SSI

[snowwoman]

Hello Everyone!!!

My question is will I qualify for SSI or SSDI since I have IC, IBS, RA, LUPUS, and Fibromylgia?

How will I get help I am having a hard time working due to the pain, fatigue and having to go the bathroom every 10-30 minutes is becoming a pain. Also my bladder lets loose without notice. That is also frustrating.

Thank you for listening I can use any assistance.

April

[mlzippy7]

If you can't work for any reason it doesn't matter what disease you have you MAY be able to get some sort of assistance pending your situation.
You can apply for social security online. There may be local programs that can help you pending what your state has available.
Feel free to ask any questions and we can try and help you.
Good luck

[Berkshire Road]

The first thing you ought to do is go to Social Security's website, www.ssa.gov, which is surprisingly well-organized and informative. The first thing you need to find out is whether you have enough work credits to qualify for SSD. Your annual SS statement will tell you, and if you don't have that, you can order a new one online. Their website outlines the basics so well that I honestly think it's the simplest, best place to learn about the fundamentals of SSD and SSI.

If you don't have enough credits, you'll find that you are not eligible no matter how sick you are. If that's the case, come back to us and we'll share whatever knowledge and/or ideas we (as individuals) may have regarding alternatives. If you do have the credits, then your medical conditions may or may not qualify you for benefits depending on whether you can make a convincing case that, individually or corporally, they render you unable to participate substantially in any job in the national economy. I suggest you read SS's own ruling on IC; a link to the ruling is on this forum as the first thread.

SSI requires pretty much the same level of disability, but you don't need to have any work credits to qualify. It is only for the very poor. Last time I looked, your total assets could not exceed something like $2,000. I don't know what the limits are right now, but SSA's website will tell you.

A lot of people here have been able to get benefits from Social Security; some have been denied. None of your conditions qualify you automatically. But if you have the necessary work credits and if you can put together a convincing argument (you'll need medical records and, ideally, the backing of one or more of your doctors), then you have a reasonable shot.

So, go spend some time over at ssa.gov, talk to your doctor(s), and feel free to post any questions, concerns, frustrations, etc, you have as they come to mind.

Good luck!

[GriffsMommy]

Carolyn really seems to have the most info about this, more than anyone else on the boards.

I have just started the process myself of applying for SSD. The SSA website does have a lot of info and I know that you can apply from the website. I went out on short term disability through my job in Dec when I was no longer able to work due to the IC and the other health problems I had. I was almost missing more work than I was there and it had a huge impact on my families finacial well being. With me going on the short term disability we knew that I was going to get the same amount of money each week and then my husband went out and got a job because he had been a stay at home job. If you can get short term disability through your employer or through your state then that would def be helpful while you are applying for disability because the process can take a long time. I think the percentages very somewhat from state to state but here in PA my lawyer told me that 80% of all SSD applications are denied the first time.

I decided to get a lawyer to do all of the filing and handle my application for me. Luckily I found a wonderful lawyer who has handled SSD apps for people with IC before and actually has a family member with IC so he has personal and direct experiences of how IC can effect a person. I know alot of people don't get a lawyer or don't get one until their first application is denied. I am such a high strung and high stress personality that I knew that it was worth it to pay him part of my back pay in order to have much less stress in regards to handling everything with SSA. It could take me almost 2 years until I actually start getting benefits but obviously he thinks he can win my case because he doesn't get paid unless I am awarded benefits.

If you look on the website and still have questions then please do come back and ask them here and we'll be willing to try to answer them the best we can. If you still need more help you might want to search for a disability lawyer and see if you can find one who does free phone consultations. At least that way you will know once you tell him/her about all of your problems if they think you would have a good chance of winning and if you were to want to go the lawyer route if they would be willing to take you on as a client.

I know Carolyn as I said earlier has a lot of info about SSD and is always willing to help anybody with anything she can. For me, getting a lawyer from day one was the least stressful way for me to do it and I already have more stress in my life than I can handle most days.

Good luck to you whatever you decide to do.