Think You Are Disabled??

Discussion in 'Meniere's Disease "Database"' started by dizzjo, Sep 27, 2006.

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  1. dizzjo

    dizzjo One day at a time & baby steps!

    Do you think you are disabled or have you been told by your Dr. that you are?? Wonder what you should do??

    Don’t quit your job, if you think there is a good possibility that taking a break from the job will help - go on STD (short term disability). Discuss it with your Dr. (first) but don't quit. Use up your sick time first, if you need to. Discuss the disability process and what your insurance is all about at the place where you work, in the Benefits division of your Personnel office.

    I kept working as long as I could, missing many days and having to go home many times after getting there. Just don’t up and quit or you will be left with nothing.

    Speaking for myself, it just got to a point where I had no choice. My Dr. told me I was disabled and needed to go on disability.

    If you haven’t already done so - talk to your own Dr. first and have him/her write a letter if he determines you are disabled by the disease. (Again, speaking from experience, it took 7 months for my Dr. to convince me that I was no longer able to work. I hung in there as long as I could, requested reasonable accommodations, reductions of hours and all things I could thing of to remove the obstacles that were in my way.)

    I finally realized that I could really no longer work and on the advice of letters from my Dr. telling me so. I was having the same problems many had and also needed frequent assistance getting home because I was too dizzy and sick to drive.

    Where I worked had Short Term Disability (STD) and Long Term Disability (LTD). I went on STD first, which I needed to be on 6 months prior to any consideration from SSD (Social Security Disability. I filed the paperwork early so that it was out of the way when the time came for a determination. During the time I was on STD I had enough accrued hours of vacation time and sick time that it paid me through the 6 months of STD. Most companies will pay a percentage of your usual income for the time you are on disability

    Most insurance companies that provide both STD and LTD require the applicant to file for SSD as part of allowing you to use the LTD. Some people are not disabled permanently and will use both before returning to work.

    See if taking a STD helps first but get a letter from your Dr.

    Not everyone who has Meniere's Disease becomes disabled from it, but many of us do. I endured working for quite a long time before having to toss in the towel and I was pretty rabid about it.

    Some people only need a short while away before they can move forward. Good luck. Look at all the options you have before doing anything.

    See the page header called Disability questions impossible to answer. - It will be posted shortly.

    dizzjo :)
     
  2. dizzjo

    dizzjo One day at a time & baby steps!

    I am posting a question and response that I had with another member about disability issues.

    Carol asked me way back in September of this year:

    Joyce,
    Please forgive the intrusion but I had to ask if you know if you can submit your answers to SS on a different page or on additional pages. They give so little room on these forms.

    I am filling out paperwork from Dept. of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services. One is a Daily Activity Questionnaire - you know describe how physical problems limit, what brings on problem, how often does it occur (yeah right!), what do you do on avg. day? That junk. And then a Work History Report. Like you say, I've already done this and they ask again!


    My response was:

    Carol - Yes to both of your first two questions. What I did was say: See attached response to this question on page 1 (2,3,4, etc.)
    Then I was able to be more specific in the responses and if necessary copy and paste parts of certain responses.

    (The paperwork was so stressful that I thought it was triggering more attacks than I would have had if I had stayed working. It took me days to finalize the initial paperwork.) I would forget little things that triggered the attacks. (So make lots of notes as the days go by as you recall them.)

    Be sure you stress how unpredictable the disease can be. It is difficult, if not impossible, to be specific about what you can do when as you have no idea when you will have an attack. You could feel good one minute and a few minutes later be on the floor.

    I would go to work and think things were just great and then two hours into the work day I was being driven home. Don't be shy about having a coworker drive you home from work if you need to. Make sure the SS people know this happened frequently, if it does.

    I think we need to impress upon them that daily tasks were harder to complete when your mind was being taken up trying to filter information through your overworked brain that was trying to hear, trying to stay balanced and trying to block out the noises in the ears.

    Whatever you do - don't say anything positive - like I am learning to accept this big fat dumb disease and muddle through the best you can. They will look at this as you are coping quite well and don't need to quit working. If you are currently on STD or LTD talk to the insurance people there. I found mine were more than happy to help me. I had an advocate who gave me advice. He called from California to tell me what not to say and where to put emphasis. That is what they are there for. After all when you have been fully compensated by SSD - they will be repaid every cent that SS pays you and they are out nothing, so it is in their best interest to help you get SSD. I hope that made sense.

    Let them know that it is holding you down and preventing you from doing something that you passionately enjoy doing that you need to work to have and income and would rather do than be sick all the time and feel like a ticking time bomb ready to explode.

    Just be as honest and forthright as you can be and hold nothing back.

    I hope your Dr. is already encouraging you to proceed on the disability route. My Dr. wrote a letter and told them why i could no longer work and why he was insistent that I be out from under the stress.

    Interestingly enough, I had a bigger battle to retire with disability than I had getting SSD. I needed to have both. Both battles meant more money for retirement.

    I hope that helped.


    I have added these communications because she felt it helped her with her won battle. I hope that others who are going through the disability phase will find this information helpful. :D :D Please excuse the typos - - we are only human.
     
  3. cdedie

    cdedie Designed by DizzyNBlue

    DizzJo's response was a tremendous help. I just want to say that I think the best info she gave me was to not say anything positive. Many of us want to put down that we are trying and learning to live with this or something like that. DON'T! State EVERY problem that this disease causes you. I even told them that vacations are extremely difficult due to car ride and inability to handle crowds.

    If you are seeking Disability you need to tell them like it is!

    Thanks again to Dizzjo!
     
  4. Tana

    Tana New Member

    I just received notice today that I have been approved for SSDI! I applied in August of 2006, I lost my job in November of 2001 due to the inability to do the work. At that time I had no diagnosis. I did not receive a diagnosis until June of 2003. Had I waited 3 more months to apply, I would not have been able to qualify for benefits, as I would have passed the 5 year mark. This is something I did not realize, and hopefully others will see this and apply for benefits as soon as they can.
    I spent several years just hoping it would improve so I could work, and also trying to avoid the humiliation of actually going to the SS office to fill out the papers. To those of us who have enjoyed working, it is very difficult to accept the fact that we can no longer be productive in the work place. I was fortunate to receive a favorable decision at the second phase,the reconsideration of benefits process.
    Much of the information I have read on this site, plus several e mails from members helped me through this process.

    A special "Thank You" to those who helped me wade through this. :-*
     
  5. feelbizarre

    feelbizarre New Member

    To add to this thread....
    I had to go all the way up to the hearing stage in order to get my disability. A very long drawn out process.

    The SSA looks only at whether you are capable of doing jobs, not whether you would be hired or not. So you must prove that you are unable to do jobs that you would never even be hired for. In the majority of cases you have to prove two things,
    1) Your medical impairments prevent you from performing any job you have had in the past 15 years
    2) Prove that there aren't very many other jobs you are capable of doing based on your age, education or work experience.

    Age does play a factor in determining whether you are eligible.
    Under age 50 You have to prove that you can't do a desk job even though you may never be hired for a desk job.
    Age 50-54 You have to prove that you can't do light work. Light work is work that involves being on your feet most of the day and lifting up to 20 lbs. Even if you are capable of doing a desk job you may still be found to be disabled
    55 or older You have to prove that you are incapable of doing medium work. Medium work is defined as a job where you are on your feet most of the day and lifting between 25-50 lbs. Even if you are capable of doing light work you may still be found to be disabled.
     
  6. cdedie

    cdedie Designed by DizzyNBlue

    Congatulations to both of you!

    Joanne that is a great addition!
     
  7. mrs_kamm

    mrs_kamm Sorry.. is the Noise in my head bothering you!

    I struggle with this question everyday and my dh wants me to just file since I have had to quite working but I dont want to be labled as disabled some think ohh just file paper work no biggie but to me it is and I wish dh could see that emotional struggle that meieres has constantly even when there is no attacks.
     
  8. johnny pinwheel

    johnny pinwheel New Member

    had my final hearing 2/9, they had some vocational expert testify over the phone. the guy said i could be a dishwasher,ticket taker or office cleaner. give me a break ! those jobs are almost as hard as what i did. i waited an extra 6 months for this so called supplemental hearing and it was a joke. to say the least my lawyer shot down each one. washing dishes in a hot kitchen with a wet floor, every doctor has stated i am a fall risk. i fall for no good reason sometimes. office cleaner, walking around bending over all day thats just great for someone in my condition. then the ticket taker, its 8:45 for A 9:00 show and i'm puking on customers shoes, that will go over real well with management and my general well being. i will get the decision within 30 days,finally, my first hearing was in august and i waited 16 months for that! instead of making a fair decision they waste time and money hoping you will go away! that so-called expert didn't have a clue as to what menieres was, niether does the judge for that matter ! i had three attacks in the last week with dizziness in between. they just make it worse. i'm 44 years old with menieres and i have it bad ! do any of you think i could hold a job as a dishwasher in my condition, what a cruel joke. i paid into this system since i was 16, served in the navy and now they put me through this.
     
  9. Linda1002

    Linda1002 New Member

    Johnny - The more interesting question is not whether you could hold those jobs, but whether the employer would keep you if you missed a lot of sick days.
     
  10. twinklenani

    twinklenani Guest

    GOOD ADVICE...HOWEVER, I WAS FIRED DUE TO DOWNSIZING AND THE COMPANY WENT BANKRUPT AND I HAVE APPLIED FOR DISABILITY 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 10 YEARS...AND BEEN DENIED. THEY WANT ME TO GO TO VOCATIONAL THERAPY AND I WROTE A LETTER BACK TELLING THEM THEY MUST BE JOKING!!!
    I DON'T KNOW WHO REVIEWS THESE CLAIMS, BUT I INVITED THEM TO COME TO MY HOUSE...CALL MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, ETC. AND THEY WOULD FIND OUT THAT I CAN'T WORK, NO MATTER HOW MUCH VOCATIONAL THERAPY I RECEIVE! HECK, I COULDN'T GET TO THIS THERAPY, SINCE I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING.
    THE ACUPUNCTURE ALONG WITH THE CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS TO MY NECK IS HELPING. I DON'T HAVE TO USE A WALKER AS LONG AS I AM WITH SOMEONE. I DON'T GO SHOPPING, OUT TO EAT, ETC. WITHOUT SOMEONE WITH ME AND PUSHING A WHEELCHAIR IN CASE I SPIN AND HAVE TO SET DOWN AND THESE PEOPLE WANT ME TO GO THROUGH VOCATIONAL THERAPY...GIVE ME A BREAK!
    I WOULD ADVISE ANYONE WHO IS DENIED ONCE TO GET A LAWYER WHO WILL GO TO BAT FOR THEM.
    BLESSINGS TO ALL...TWINKLE
     
  11. cdedie

    cdedie Designed by DizzyNBlue

    Did you stress all the things you just said? Hearing loss will not win disability. I stressed everything bad about this disease - including the loss of social life. How I never knew when an attack would hit and then described an attack... in detail. How sick being in a car was and that I hadn't driven in a year. I NEVER gave them anything positive.

    It is sad to me that ya'll have had to go thru such a horrible experience and I wish you all the best!
     
  12. johnny pinwheel

    johnny pinwheel New Member

    exactly right, my lawyer asked the "vocational expert". if they would make exceptions for me to lay down in the middle of work for hours at a time knowing that i could become ill at ANY time. of coarse there was along pause before he could say anything. plus the fact i might miss days or weeks at a time. if you are really sick, the whole thing is a travesty. i feel for anyone going through this. if my case works out i want to become an advocate for all disabled. i was well up until about 3 years ago and like many i took it for granted. there is NO excuse for the way our elderly and disabled are treated. this "system" has chewed me up almost as bad as the disease that put me in this situation .
     
  13. LOADERMAN

    LOADERMAN New Member

    HI. WAS WONDERING, I HAVE HAD MENIERS FOR @1 YR AND AM BARELY STARTING TOUNDERSTAND THAT IT ISNT REALLY GOING TO GO AWAY LIKE SOME FLU OR SOMETHING. I WAS PUT ON TEMP DISABILITY ONLY TO NOT WANT IT AND FIGHT IT TO GO BACK TO WORK NOT UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE REALLY OF IT. I FINALLY GOT MY WISH VIA THE EDD DOCTOR ONLY TO GO BACK TO WORK AND BE TOLD THAT WORK HAD GOTTEN SLOW AND THERE WAS NO WORK FOR ME ! I CALLED THE UNION AND THEY PUT ME ON UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS. I QUICKLY REALIZED I WAS STILL SICK AND ONLY LYEING TO MYSELF ABOUT NOT BEING SICK AND IT WOULD SLOWLY GO AWAY. NEEDLESS TO SAY NOW I AM FIGHTING TO GET DISABLITY BENEFITS AGAIN AND HAVE HAD NO INCOME FOE @3 MONTHS WITH THE BILLS PILEING ON. MY APPEAL HEARING IS TOMORROW THURSDAY AND AM A BIT SCARED !!!!HELP IS THERE ANY THING ANYONE CAN SUGGEST? :-\ :'(
     
  14. johnny pinwheel

    johnny pinwheel New Member

    yeah i went through the same thing, i was a sheetmetal worker local 83. if you lose your appeal get a lawyer if you don't have one. i kept going back to work and getting sick. i don't know what you do but excertion and stress will increase the attacks. i landed in the er and they didn't want me back . because it kept happening at work. this went on for months then i was ko'ed that last time. call a lawyer if you don't have one . john.ps. good luck it can be a real bitch. you should still be eligible for short term disability .
     
  15. Larry

    Larry New Member

    My Husband has Menieres and after many episodes and attacks with this disease several years ago he had surgery and a shunt was placed behind his ear to drain off excess fluid and we were told it would possibly last 5 years .
    Before the 5 years was up he has a couple of episodes and then got better for some time.
    6 months ago it started all over again and in December the doctor ran all the same test again making sure he didnt have a tumor and those test turned out good, so once again he's back on the valium, fluid retention pills , and antivert for the dizziness and a low sodium diet.
    He tells me these attacks do not begin like the others , but the outcome is the same .
    He works in a offices and on several occasions found his self throwing up in his trash can which was very embarrassing for him because the attacks come on so quickly.
    He gets so dizzy he cannot walk or drive so i must go pick him up and bring him home and usually it's days before he can return to work.
    I know my husband is worried about his job which makes his condition worse and I stay on pins and needles never knowing when he will go from better to worse.
    Its difficult to plan anything because you never know if he will be ok at the time....
    I love him so much and hate to see him go through this.....
     
  16. Linda1002

    Linda1002 New Member

    Hello wife of Larry and welcome -

    You might want to start a topic of your own so others will get a chance to meet you.

    I know it's not easy, but he has you and he must feel very lucky about that!

    I was extremely sick in the beginning, but it did get better. I had to sustain a regimen of taking care of myself -- diet, exercise, lifestyle, stress management, adequate rest, take breaks, take lunch, don't work overtime -- and eventually the attack frequency lessened.

    Please, start a new topic and others will give you advice on what works for them.
     
  17. scarflady

    scarflady Member since 2001 Princess And The Pea Dumbass

    :eek:  Quick note to everyone thinking about applying for SSDI......

    1.  They almost always say no to the original application.
    2.  I had my husband fill out the application for me as I was too ill at the time to do it.  I think that made a difference that I wasn't even able to fill out my own application.  He made mention of how he forbid me to cook alone since I had burned stuff on the stove and oven many times due to attacks.  He also mentioned how my condition affected our whole family.
    3.  He filled out the appeal paperwork.
    4.  He never said anything positive about my condition.
    5.  He brought me to "their specialists" which were required.  When one of them would not turn off a white noise maker outside her door so others couldn't hear what was going on inside, he made a huge stink.  Tried to explain to her that I couldn't hear with that thing going.  She refused to test me.  Since he was my witness he contacted the Regional SS office (along with our local) and explained that this behavior did not follow ADA guidelines and that the examination should be thrown out.  Also how her behavior and the stress she gave me brought on another attack!
    6.  I guess that they didn't want a federal law suit on their hands.....I received my acceptance letter within two weeks without another hearing.  Three weeks later the retro check followed.

    Moral of the story - have an advocate and don't give up.  It can be a emotionally strong family member or an attorney.  It is well worth it.  You cannot sit back and let someone else who has absolutely no clue as to what we go through dictate our financial and medical help. 

    The hardest part for me was admitting to myself that it was disabiling.  I was the super mom who always handled everything who now felt like the wet washcloth on the floor.  It took many years and many good friends to get my self-esteem back.  And even with all of the help.........I still have my bad days and need a pity party.

    Hang in there and hope that all goes well for you and the hubby.

    Scarflady (Janice)
    OMG - going on 52 now and not a true redhead (LOL)
    married mother of 4
    Loving northern New Hampshire

    "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!"
     
  18. cdedie

    cdedie Designed by DizzyNBlue

    Janice I was one of the lucky ones to get approved on the first try. I was able to fill out my own forms, which I agree helped. I'm still waiting for the back pay about 2 months now.

    Good information you added!

    Carol - going on 53 and a TRUE redhead (LOL)
     
  19. bnblessed123

    bnblessed123 New Member

    I was recently diagnosed with meniere's. I work but work as a sub teacher. Usually I go in maybe at least 2 a week. I have no insurance. Had a assignment today but was not able to go because I was really dizzy. So is this consider a disablity or short term. Would really like to know more information about the meniere's
     
  20. feelbizarre

    feelbizarre New Member

    Hi bnblessed,
    Meniere's is listed in the social security blue book as a possible diagnosis that qualifies for social security disability. It really depends on how badly you are affected by it. Some people have occassional attacks while others have frequent attacks. Sometimes, if you have short term disability where you work, your doctor might sign you out if you are constantly having attacks. To get social security disability, you have to be unable or to be expected to be unable to work for at least a year. Medicare does not kick in until almost 2 1/2 years from your determined date of disabilty Social security is determined more based on your ability to work than on your actual diagnosis. You need to have a really supportive doctor who will fill out paperwork to attest to your inability to work, many don't want to get involved.

    here is a link to the SSDI website that explains the rules for federal disability:

    http://www.ssa.gov/disability/
     

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