Re: hello everyone

[Guest guest]

Janie Wrote:

it's been awhile since I've posted but I was wondering if anyone has some

information on about getting your disability started ...my dr told me to go

ahead and file for mine ...any information or links will be greatly appreciated

.....Janie.from Tenn.

Janie,

I posted this site a few moments ago for someone looking for info on Fibro, but

this site had some info on disability which gives invaluable information on

disability, how to apply, what not to do and so on.

It is directed toward people with Fibro and CFS but it applies to anyone who has

CP. I did not have access to this list when I filed but was awarded my

disability anyway because I used many of the same suggestions mentioned in the

articles on this site. It does recommend starting out with an attorney from the

start, but I had applied without one and 5 months later was approved with my

first application.

Using an attorney from the beginning is a personal choice. I think if I had

read this before I applies I would have gone ahead and retained one since you

can get legal help without having to pay. They get paid when you win your case

and get a percentage. I figured I would go the first round by myself and then

obtain an attorney if they denied me.

It is important to know that with all the research I did before I applied, I did

learn that it is your first application that can determine how long it takes you

to get approved so I spend weeks making list of symptoms and how my illness

effected me on a daily basis with my family, friends and my whole quality of

life. I didn't even try to fill out the application until I felt satisfied that

I had listed every way, physically and emotionally, how my CP effected my life

and made it impossible for me to work and earn a wage.

It sounds awful but you also have to give them the negative facts. We all try

to put the best face possible on our CP, smiling when we don't feel up to it,

trying to psych ourselves out that maybe things will be better tomorrow and

things like that, but I learned that even one hint of the possibility of that

there might be an upside almost automatically rules you out.

Also, the SS administration has a " list " that they go by and if you don't

address enough of the problems listed then that too will cause your case to be

denied. So it is very important that you cover every aspect of your illness.

Whether you can walk, bend, kneel, lift, walk up stairs, how long you can sit,

stand, walk, if you need assistance with walking, keeping your house clean,

taking care of your own needs, cooking...every facet of your life you need to

address. Keep a list and when you realize that " hey, I can't do that because I

hurt too much " you need to write it down so when your ready to complete that

application you can look back on your list and remember that day and the

difficulty you had and let them know about it. It makes a very big difference.

Another suggestion is get your medical records from every doctor possible that

you have seen in the last year or two or even longer if you can. I was able to

look up dates when things occurred and treatments I received. Reading over the

notes helped to remind me of things I had forgotten as well and gave me a time

line to follow in regards as to the progression of my CP.

I think the only things I didn't do that is on this site is keep it short.

Almost each question I answered was at least half a page long and some were

nearly two pages describing how my CP effected me.

I can't tell you how surprised and how happy I was to be awarded my disability

when the time came. I really didn't expect it, but it couldn't have been more

appreciated since I was nearly to the point of homelessness because it was

simply not possible to work and I had used all my savings trying to survive.

I hope this is of help to you, I know it might seem like " cheating " to do some

homework on how to apply, but they " cheat " too because they don't tell you what

info they need from you and your doctor so if you don't provide the correct

information your more or less going to be on the disability ride of your life,

possibly for years.

Good luck and be well,

Forgive your enemies. It messes with their heads. MuHaHa

[Guest guest]

You just have to go to the SS office and they help you fill out the forms to get

your claim started. If you are rejected, then seek a lawyer. donna

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[Guest guest]

Hi ,I'm so sorry to know you are going though this painful time.It sounds exactly like a disc problem. I'm getting more educated on disc. problems as the Hubby has a bulging disc and I've been doing research on it.I can't believe it will take 6 months or more for and MRI. The MRI only takes about 20 minutes to do. Do they only have one machine in your area? We were able to schedule Steve's MRI for the day after we called. Maybe the USA health care system isn't so bad after all.If you have a bulging or herniated disc, please don't try to walk around. Ice may help with pain: 20 minutes off and 20 minutes on. Don't let the ice touch directly on to the skin. Use a cloth so you don't freeze your skin. Maybe you already know all this, but it serves as a reminder. My Hubby has been getting Spinal Decompression treatments and using ice and resting most of the time. We don't know if it is helping yet, and he has been dealing with pain for about 8 months now, and only started the decompression 3 weeks ago. Decompression takes a few months.I am also looking into minimally invasive arthroscopic laser procedures Take care, and remember that many times disc problems do recover by themselves over time, so hopefully that will happen for you well before the MRI.Love,

[Guest guest]

Hello In the uk we are sent to a hospital in the area we live and the hospital only has one machine and a big waiting list which gets prioratized into three groups emergency which are for people who are in accidents then a list for severe cases which cant wait then a third which is for patients who are in pain but are able to wait but if the emergency and the other list get longer the ones on the bottom list wait longer it is a crazy system but not much we can do about it, just have to put up and deal with the pain. Re: hello everyone

Hi ,I'm so sorry to know you are going though this painful time.It sounds exactly like a disc problem. I'm getting more educated on disc. problems as the Hubby has a bulging disc and I've been doing research on it.I can't believe it will take 6 months or more for and MRI. The MRI only takes about 20 minutes to do. Do they only have one machine in your area? We were able to schedule Steve's MRI for the day after we called. Maybe the USA health care system isn't so bad after all.If you have a bulging or herniated disc, please don't try to walk around. Ice may help with pain: 20 minutes off and 20 minutes on. Don't let the ice touch directly on to the skin. Use a cloth so you don't freeze your skin. Maybe you already know all this, but it serves as a reminder. My Hubby has been getting Spinal Decompression treatments and using ice and resting most of the time. We don't know if it is helping

yet, and he has been dealing with pain for about 8 months now, and only started the decompression 3 weeks ago. Decompression takes a few months.I am also looking into minimally invasive arthroscopic laser procedures Take care, and remember that many times disc problems do recover by themselves over time, so hopefully that will happen for you well before the MRI.Love,

[Guest guest]

>Hello In the uk we are sent to a hospital in the area we live and

>the hospital only has one machine and a big waiting list which gets

>prioratized into three >groups emergency which are for people who are in

>accidents then a list for severe cases which cant wait then a third which

>is for patients who are in pain but are >able to wait but if the emergency

>and the other list get longer the ones on the bottom list wait longer it is

>a crazy system but not much we can do about it, just have >to put up and

>deal with the pain.

Hi

I was suffering with severe sciatica, which, I'm sure is nowhere near as bad

as the pain you are describing but it was bad enough for me! My mum has

sworn by her chiropractor for years but I have to admit that I was

frightened at the thought of going to see him after the descriptions of her

having her back and neck 'cracked and crunched'. I was worried that the

pain from that would be worse than the back pain in the first place.

However, once the sciatica got too bad I gave in and I have to say that he

has been absolutely brilliant. I do still get twinges but I have cut down

my appointments from at worst 3 times a week to now, just one visit a month.

The downside is the cost - £25 per x-ray before he'd do anything (3 taken),

£25 per visit for the first 6 treatments and now £20 per visit. I don't

know if your problem would benefit from that type of treatment or if you'd

need the MRI first before either hospital or chiropractic type treatment. I

do sympathise with you and I hope that you get seen sooner rather than

later. One of my neighbours has just had her second hip replacement op

carried out on the NHS at a private hospital because she was getting near to

the end of the six months waiting list and they shipped her off to save

their percentages looking bad, maybe if your waiting list gets longer

they'll do something similar for you - keep compaining to them about the

pain, eventually they'll deal with it to get some peace from you!!

Good luck