Social Security Input

[MAMASITA4]

I just applied for SSDI. They told me it would take 3-5 months for an answer. I was diagnosed with IC in 2000. Just had my second hydro and urethral dilation. Have been on all the pertinent meds. Just started Elavil. Uro has put me on perm. disability. To add insult to injury, I have many other health issues. Hashimoto Hypothyroidism, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, High Blood Pressure. In addition I have been put to sleep three times in a 90 day period. Had precancerous polyp removed from my colon end of Dec., gall bladder removed in Feb, and Hydro/Urethral dilation in March.

I love my uro. First introduced to him in 1990 with my first adventure of kidney stones. Have had hematuria (microscopic blood in the urine) for MANY years prior to IC diagnosis. I am hoping that people that have had to deal with SSDI will respond as to their success (or non-success) with SSDI. I am married w/4 children and have worked a full-time (high stress) job and have been a full time employee somewhere for 22 out of the last 25 years. With all of my health issues, I have tried to be superwoman for many years and I believe it has all caught up w/me. I have always been a top-notch employee but because of all my various health issues, my time away from work due to these illnesses have caused additional undue stress from my employers. Which I understand from an employer standpoint, however what is a person to do?!

Sorry post was so long but wanted to get additional input from people regarding SSDI because at this time it is my only saving grace for me and my family. Needed to vent a little also!:help:

[Katrina]

My advise is to use all of that and any thing that slows your life down to help u get dissability. Also the more doctors that support you the better.

The more you can explain the side affects of your meds hurting you the better as well.

Let me know if I can help you anymore.

http://www.ichelp.com/Disability/EligibilityForSSAndSSIBenefits.html

This link is usually helpful...seems to be down atm....but hopefully will be back up real soon.

take care,

[ICNDonna]

One thing to remember as you are going through this process is that many, if not most, people are turned down on their first application. Sometimes it takes two or three tries before approval --- I'm convinced that this is a step taken to discourage people from applying.

Donna

[blueblondie1121]

HI MAMASITA4, I ALSO JUST APPLYED FOR SSDI. IT'S BEEN 4 MONTHS NOW.I LIVE IN SC. WE ARE NEIGHBORS. I PRAY EVERY DAY ABOUT THIS. I TOO HAVE A LOT OF OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS. I THINK THAT ALL THE IC PAIN JUST DISTORYS OUR BODYS. AND CAUSES OTHER THINGS TO GO WRONG TOO. HEY HAVE YOU BEEN TO A SSI DOC YET? I HAVE .I WAS SO SCARED I WOULD TURNED DOWN. BUT A WEEK LATER I GOT A LETTER TO GO FOR A BREATHING TEST. DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DOCS WE GOT TO GO TOO. THIS IS GETING ON MY NERVES.I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF THEM LEFT. I WONDER IF YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO GO TO THEIR DOCS? DO YOU KNOW? HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU FIELED? I WISH ALL OF US LUCK. WE NEED IT .:thumbsup: BLUEBLONDIE1121

[MAMASITA4]

Thanks for your input BlueBlondie. I am 41 years old and have had many, many health issues and the last decade has been unbelievable (and embarrassing I might add). My uro alone told me not too long ago that if he did not know who I was, he would think by looking at my chart that he would be treating an 80 year old man. Nice compliment, huh? I know he was not being mean, just stating the truth. I wanted to say "You think my file is thick here...you should see the file at my family doctor!".

I am sure it will take SSDI forever to just review the info in the files from my various doctors once they receive the records from each of them. I have heard that SSDI requests the whole file and not just some of the records. Sooooo....I know this is going to be a long process.

Prayers to you and all...thank God for this board! As I final note, I have lived in NC for the past 14 years but moved to NC from Florence, SC.

[MamaKay]

Hey MamaSita4! Where in NC do you live? I live in Henderson and go to UNC-Chapel Hill to Dr.Carson!

[blueblondie1121]

HI AGAIN MAMASITA4, I TOO HAVE MOSTLY BAD DAYS LATELY. I DO THINK THAT STRESS FLARES UP EVERYTHING.MY DOC ALSO TOLD ME THAT HE HAS'T SEEN AS CASE AS BAD AS MINE SINCE A PATIENT OF HIS @70. MIND HAS GOTTEND A LITTLE BETTER SINCE I LEFT MY JOB. I LIKE TO WORK. BUT NOT HURTING BECAUSE OF IT. IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO DECIDED TO LEAVE IT. NOW BROKE, CAN'T PAY MY BILLS.CREDIT SHOT. BUT YOU KNOW WE CAN'T TAKE IT WITH US. IT WAS EITHER MY JOB OR MY LIFE. SO I PICKED TO TRY AND LIVE WITH LESS PAIN,LESS MONEY.SO NOW I WAIT WAIT WAIT. GOOD LUCK TO YOU IN YOUR CLAIM.:thumbsup:

[Teri]

Mamasita4~You really need to get all of the hospital and dr records and send them to SS yourself because so much gets lost in the shuffle. And, what ever you do, the slightes piece of paper you have to send to them, Make copies of EVERYTHING cuz things seem to get lost pretty easily with them. Took me 2 solid weeks and lots of arguing with the hospital to get those records but I told the girl I was going to be back every frigging day until I had them and once she saw how big the file was and how many problems I had she changed her judgemental attitude.
Have all of your dr's write you letters telling SS what you use to be like and what you are like now.
When I applied I was turned down at the 90 day deadline (I live in MICH) When I won my appeal, without a lawyer, I got that decision in the following 90 period. I wasn't going to share my money with a lawyer. I had a strong work record. I'd been working since a young teenager.....only was unemployed while married the firs time and was working as soon as my youngest son was able to day care. I really think that since I did have such a stong work record they didn't look at me as someone just trying to get money......hell, they don't pay me near enough to feel this bad and I would do anything to beable to get back out there in the world with real people:locco:

Wishing you the very best outcome....what ever happens, DON'T give up. That's exactly what they want you to do!

[MAMASITA4]

Teri, your reply is most appreciated. Although the URO was the dr. that put me on perm disability, I have 3 other doctors w/contributing conditions for SSDI to review. I called my family doctor to get copies of my records and they told me it would be 50 cents per page for me to get them. If you only knew how much $$$$ that was going to be....and I could not afford to pay that kind of money. It consists of 14 years of health issues dealt by them alone not counting all the testing/results/referral, etc to all the other docs that are now involved. So I have really had no choice but to let SS take care of obtaining the records themselves.

I provided SS all other requested information along with a letter from my uro identifying the perm. disability. I also sent them their very own SS ruling about IC. I also sent copies of a couple of different reports from an ENDO at Duke, readings from the most recent MRI of my head, and the lovely photos of my insides from the Gastro. The pictures weren't the most recent ones but I provided what I had in my possession! That should really gross them out! It actually grosses me out to look at them! Thanks again for your input....will advise of any updates as I get them!!:dizzy: