ssd

[Guest guest]

Dear Marina,

I quit a job I loved in October of 2003. It was the most difficult decision

I ever made, but it was the right one! I, like you, have LTD and I applied

for SSD and got it on the first go round. It took exactly 6 months from the

time I had been off work! I am 56 now, so my age helped me, I think. Please

take care of yourself and remember how much stress really accentuates the

pain.

Take care,

Carol M. in CA

[Guest guest]

Marina, I'm so sorry that you have to face such a decision about your

career at such a young age, but, if you're too ill to work, you're too

ill to work.

That is also a HUGE amount of prednisone to have been taking daily for

RA, and that makes me worry about you. I'm also having trouble

understanding how you went from that much to 0 mg in that short of a

time span safely.

Since your RA does not seem to be under control, have you considered

getting a second opinion from another rheumatologist?

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

[ ] SSD

> hey everyone!! I was wondering if someone(s) could offer some

> advice for me. My rheumy had offered to put me on full disability.

> I told him that I would think about it but I didn't think I would

> want to go that route but I told him that I would think about it.

> Well, opportunity is knocking right now. With my long term

> disability plan, I have to be off work for 4 months straight. That

> has happened for other reasons, but as long as I was off that time

> frame it doesn't matter to them. Anywhoo, I know that if I go back

> to work that I will be in a world of hurt. I love my job and the

> people I work with, unfortunately, when I am working, the stress

> just triggers my RA terribly to the point that I have to take a few

> days off because I am bed-ridden. For the past 2 years I have been

> on 80-100mg of predinisone daily to keep the RA in check. This is

> ontop of Remicade, Methotrexate, & plaquinel. Since I have been off

> work these last 4 months, I have been able to stop the steriods and

> only take them when needed. I still have a lot of pain at times and

> just moderate pain the rest of the time. I have been bed-ridden a

> few times in this 4 month period but for a much shorter time frame

> and the intensity doesn't last as long as it used to. I knew the

> steroids were doing a lot for me, but on the flip side, they can do

> a lot of bad things to me too (risk for osteoporosis, ect..).I just

> don't know what to do. I am only 34. I hate to go on full disability

> at my age. What to do what to do. I am guessing I would have to go

> onto medicare eventually. And I will need to apply for SSD (sure

> that will be a joy ride to get!!). Please, any suggestions, advice,

> or something would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Marina

[Guest guest]

Carol, Thank you for your insight. It is a difficult decision. I

love what I do so much, but I am not very happy at the place I do my

job. I just need to make sure I am not basing my decision on that.

With the LTD, I will be bringing home pretty much the same amount I

was taking home when I worked without any overtime. That helps my

decision making. I just worked so hard to get my degree. I have

come so far and I am damn good at what I do. So that makes things

more difficult for me. I suppose I could always go back to work

once I get this RA under control. I appreciate your response,

Carol. Thanks again.

Marina

> Dear Marina,

> I quit a job I loved in October of 2003. It was the most

difficult decision

> I ever made, but it was the right one! I, like you, have LTD and

I applied

> for SSD and got it on the first go round. It took exactly 6

months from the

> time I had been off work! I am 56 now, so my age helped me, I

think. Please

> take care of yourself and remember how much stress really

accentuates the

> pain.

> Take care,

> Carol M. in CA

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean that, at the same time apply

for SS disability as their is a waiting period and lots of hassles getting it.

Be sure to do your research so the doctor can word everything just right the

first time so it might cut out some of the time.

Becky

[ ] SSD

hey everyone!! I was wondering if someone(s) could offer some

advice for me. My rheumy had offered to put me on full disability.

I told him that I would think about it but I didn't think I would

want to go that route but I told him that I would think about it.

Well, opportunity is knocking right now. With my long term

disability plan, I have to be off work for 4 months straight. That

has happened for other reasons, but as long as I was off that time

frame it doesn't matter to them. Anywhoo, I know that if I go back

to work that I will be in a world of hurt. I love my job and the

people I work with, unfortunately, when I am working, the stress

just triggers my RA terribly to the point that I have to take a few

days off because I am bed-ridden. For the past 2 years I have been

on 80-100mg of predinisone daily to keep the RA in check. This is

ontop of Remicade, Methotrexate, & plaquinel. Since I have been off

work these last 4 months, I have been able to stop the steriods and

only take them when needed. I still have a lot of pain at times and

just moderate pain the rest of the time. I have been bed-ridden a

few times in this 4 month period but for a much shorter time frame

and the intensity doesn't last as long as it used to. I knew the

steroids were doing a lot for me, but on the flip side, they can do

a lot of bad things to me too (risk for osteoporosis, ect..).I just

don't know what to do. I am only 34. I hate to go on full disability

at my age. What to do what to do. I am guessing I would have to go

onto medicare eventually. And I will need to apply for SSD (sure

that will be a joy ride to get!!). Please, any suggestions, advice,

or something would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Marina

[Guest guest]

Marina,

My mom is on SSD. I realize you might get the same amount from your

company's LTD plan, but I believe your income could be drastically

reduced once you are off that and only on SSD. It's something you

might want to look into. I recently got a SS statement and I think

it showed the amount I would get in retirement and I think also the

amount I would get on SSD if I never worked another day. Their

website might have something similar, or others who have done this

may have had a way of estimating the amount.

Another thing to consider is that if you get SSD and then get your RA

under control and think you might want to go back to work, that's an

equally tough decision to make. If you are on SSD and go back to

work and then a few years down the road find yourself unable to work

again, it could be a lot tougher to get SSD again or maybe

impossible - but ask your doctor or an attorney about this.

Also, I know my mom's medication is affected by being on SSD. Her

medicare kicks in the end of this year. She is on my step-dad's

insurance but he is about to retire. She will now have to pay out of

pocket for many drugs and she has to switch from Enbrel to Remicade.

Medicare considers Remicade a treatment and not a prescription, so

it's covered.

Just some things to think about. But overall if you can't work you

can't work.

I saw how much prednisone you said you had been on. Is your rheumy

monitoring your bone density? I was on 5.0-7.5 mgs daily for about a

year and have osteopenia from it. I know it's the prednisone because

I had a bone density scan shortly before going on that. I now take

1500 mgs of calcium daily and do weight bearing exercises to

counteract the bone loss and hopefully avoid osteoporosis. I'm only

33 so I have a long time to try and stay it off.

Jennie

> > Dear Marina,

> > I quit a job I loved in October of 2003. It was the most

> difficult decision

> > I ever made, but it was the right one! I, like you, have LTD

and

> I applied

> > for SSD and got it on the first go round. It took exactly 6

> months from the

> > time I had been off work! I am 56 now, so my age helped me, I

> think. Please

> > take care of yourself and remember how much stress really

> accentuates the

> > pain.

> > Take care,

> > Carol M. in CA

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Thank you for the information Jennie. I am trying to collect as

much info as I can so I can make an informed choice. As far as I

know, I will collect from LTD. The amount I would collect from SSD

is then subtracted from LTD. They just pay the difference. I have

also talked with my health insurance carrier as well about

supplemental coverage.

Thanks again to all for your input!!....Marina

> > > Dear Marina,

> > > I quit a job I loved in October of 2003. It was the most

> > difficult decision

> > > I ever made, but it was the right one! I, like you, have LTD

> and

> > I applied

> > > for SSD and got it on the first go round. It took exactly 6

> > months from the

> > > time I had been off work! I am 56 now, so my age helped me,

I

> > think. Please

> > > take care of yourself and remember how much stress really

> > accentuates the

> > > pain.

> > > Take care,

> > > Carol M. in CA

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Wow - that is one heck of a list and they all apply to me. I am on Social

Security so I don't have the worry of SSD but I am amazed to read my symptoms

like that. Sometimes we think of things but not the whole picture like that.

Like going down steps - I always tell the Dr. I have to pull myself up steps,

but yes, I forget to tell him that I must hold on for dear life when descending

them. I rely on my good neighbors to open those jars and I find that piece of

foil under the cap of the OJ decanter impossible to pull off (I cut it out with

a knife). I use a knife for a lot of things it wasn't meant for.

One thing I've notice that isn't mentioned is my fingers going numb when I am

driving the car (only one hand at a time thank goodness). And my left foot is

number than the right, so I am still OK with the gas pedal and brake but I see

what is coming down the road.

And.....I too love my New Balance shoes. They have made me a more stable and

comfortable than any others I ever tried.

June in PA

[Guest guest]

about my SSD . I have been fighting with them for about 2 yrs. but now

I have a hospital fighting for me . thay are taking care of all my ssd

needs. so I dont have to do it, its the best way to go. so I hope this

helps.

[Guest guest]

Dennis.

I think they look at whether or not Betty could do some other type of work

in order to remain employed. I am not an expert but at the SS web site there

are a lot of guides and explanations.

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

Look on the right side and read the steps that are used to determine

eligibility. It would seem that the letter was good news. I wish you luck .

" il faut d'abord durer " Hemingway

[ ] SSD

> Betty got a leter from SS declaring her to be medically approved for

> disability, but another part needs to be decided before she will recieve

> SSD. I don't understand that, what are they talking about?

>

> Dennis in Eastexas

> " It's not Rocket Surgery "

>

>

>

>

>