Well, it took long enough to get this far, I knew I would be turned down the first two times - my lawyer said that was mostly automatic.
I was worried going into the Hearing - the Lawyer thought he would be asking the medical questions but realized the judge would.
This man knew my file inside and out (very thick file). I have many dx's that could qualify me, fibro, cfs, arthritis, and the judge asked what has been the worst problem over the last 5 years, I said 'Lyme'.
He asked what problems I had from lyme, for some reason - peripheral neuropathy was a big deal. I have documented nerve damage, guess that helped.
Then i got onto the brain issues - i said they weren't as bad until I first started rocephin and have not really gotten better, mostly worse.
Must have helped that i was very confused on the stand and my voice was bad - stuttering and slurred speech.
So, the judge did change my date of onset to when I started the meds (i lose 1 year backpay) but he told me right away I am approved.
I was very surprised that he went in depth into some lyme issues (symptoms) and really approved on that.
Just wanted to let anyone who is in the process know that there is hope.
One thing I believe I had going for me is my lawyer had ALL my doctor records and i have been to a million (slight exaggeration) - but I do go alot, and I also go for second opinions and that seemed to help.
I have no idea if that helped but he did bring it up a few times.
Good luck to anyone in the process!!
Posted by lymemomtooo (Member # 5396) on :
Cheers and hugs to you..I am so sorry that you are sick enough to need this but so happy that you have won..
And I hope you are doing better..Give those babies a hug for me..lymemomtoo..
Posted by lymesux (Member # 6248) on :
Thanks LM2 - I know I wasn't sure if i should be happy i was approved or sad that I need it!
Babies will be sufficiently hugged, same to you! take good care.
Posted by AZURE WISH (Member # 804) on :
Congradulations! (sorry I forget how to spell the word)
I got it awhile ago (with the help of a terrific lawyer) and I know how hard it is to get.
Best wishes Posted by perplexed (Member # 1913) on :
Congratulations to you. This will certainly take a burden off your shoulders.
I filed myself in 2002, and got it the first time on Lyme Disease and Affective Mood Disorders. It took only 90 days. I was very well documented and also had a lot of doctor records etc to help the claim.
I am sure you will be glad that you have received this. It is difficult to be in the working world..at least my case...where you are always sick or calling in sick....not very productive.
Hugs, Jean Perplexed Posted by lymesux (Member # 6248) on :
Thanks guys - wow you guys did great! I really didn't think I would get it, my records were great but unfortunately all my tests were negative!!
Thanks so much for the support - I am really glad - I haven't been able to work since 2000 so this is nice. Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
SUX, CONGRATS TO YOU! I know what you have been thru since it took me 2 SSDI claims!
How long was your 1st claim from starting till you were approved? My 1st took 2.5 years for ALJ to turn me down.
Thinking it took you 2 years; you are NOW eligible to receive MEDICARE promptly; so you should be hearing from them too!
Medicare will become your PRIMARY insurance carrier, and if you had another carrier, they become your 2nd.
To those of you who were APPROVED, was your lawyer from Phoenix, Scott Davis?
I'm tickled pink for you, and I'm going to have some chocolate to celebrate your victory!
Glad you posted since I've been helping 3 more on this board. Now they have someone else to talk to since you were JUST APPROVED...hot off the press. Posted by lymesux (Member # 6248) on :
Thanks Betty,
It took about 2 1/2 years i believe.
My lawyer said they would contact me about medicare - I do not want it as my primary though, anyway to make it my secondary? My llmd does not take medicare patients - not sure what the reason is but he takes my insurance.
I wish I could help people but all I did was leave it in the hands of the lawyer and hope. i personally did very little. Except be incredibly ill and see doctors constantly - guess that worked in my favor.
Good luck to all who are fighting - and no i didnt use scott davis, I had a lawyer i've used for other things from Ashcraft and Gerel - he represented me. he knew nothing about lyme.
I'm gonna have some chocolate too!
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
Congratulations, Lymesux!
Heck, I'm going to have some chocolate too. Posted by TheCrimeOfLyme (Member # 4019) on :
Didn't see this til now. Congrats!!! That will be much help to you and yours.
They denied my SSI first time around because "There is no proof you have lyme disease". They never pulled my LLMD Files and ONLy pulled files from my FORMER PCP- you know, BEFORE I got sick? LOL
Posted by lymesux (Member # 6248) on :
Thanks True!
COL, thanks - yeah how ridiculous, huh? They denied me the first few times saying 'they' saw no clear evidence of nerve damage - geez they didn't live in this body!!
Posted by EtherealGirl (Member # 4780) on :
Congratulations!!!!
I'm glad your hearing went well and that you were approved on the spot.
I've been denied twice as well, and am now waiting for my hearing date.
I took everyone's advice and decided to hire a lawyer for this stage. I hope it helps!
Great news for you!!!
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
Sux, I'm glad you enjoyed your chocolate as much as me! lol
Sux, I'm not 100% positive on this, but I don't think we have a choice when SSDI approves us, and we meet the 2 yr. waiting period for medicare.
Medicare comes first; then your other insurance company.
Please post how you DEFINITELY come out on this. Bettyg
Posted by lymesux (Member # 6248) on :
Betty when i looked it up - if our first insurance is from a company that has 100 people (where they get that number I don't know), then we can still use it as our primary and use medicare as our second.
I have no link but maybe can find it again.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
my state job had 3500 employees and perhaps that made a difference.
I hadn't heard of that; but there's LOTs OF STUFF I've never heard of.
I just wanted to caution you about that based upon my experience of last July 1, 05. Keep us posted.
Posted by kgg (Member # 5867) on :
This is such great news!! So glad that the process is over for you and you can concentrate on getting better.
hugs, Karen
Posted by lymesux (Member # 6248) on :
thanks kgg - been trying to do that but my luck still stinks - long story just say 1 step up 20 back!
thank you though!!!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Hey you guys quit eating all that chocolate!! OK, OK... so I did have some yesterday....but now that we're all celebrating, I'll have to have some more!!
Congratulations, lymesux!! I too, wish you weren't so ill...but now you have less to worry about! Posted by lymesux (Member # 6248) on :
thanks Gail.
Posted by lymednva (Member # 9098) on :
Congratulations! Mine was approved at the hearing also. The judge told me on the spot, after my attorney recommended we change the start date to better coincide with my doc's records.
As for the Medicare, it is my understanding that if you are employed then your primary insurance is from your employer, otherwise it's Medicare. I was in a a school system with over 10,000 employees and that's the way mine is.
As for your LLMD, many docs will not take NEW Medicare patients, but will keep those they are already treating. I hope that's the case for you. I know what you mean about them being your primary insurer. I quit seeing my chiro because they kept messing up the forms and I got reimbursed about once every six months. Posted by JeffM (Member # 8919) on :
Did it take 2.5 years for the AL judge? I am a little confused.
I have the interview with SSI for my daughter tomorrow. It's over the phone. I have all her medical records and IEPs from the last ten years, and her current doctor saying she has Lyme and Firbo.
Theye will be amazed at the number of meds she is on, and the strength of the opioids she has to take to function. As well as losing her last three jobs because of Lyme.
The local guy said this is a slam dunk == he said that about me, too, just for medicare (I have another pension that would offset SSI), but it's been almost six months with no word.
Posted by lymednva (Member # 9098) on :
Jeff,
SS is known for it's incredible slowness! It depends on your state as to how long it takes to get to the ALJ. I got to mine in 18 months, but I know others in other states who have had to wait longer.
At the time I didn't have a Lyme dx, went on CFS and FM. Got it for my cognitive problems which were effectively documented by a psychologist my attorney sent me to.
Hope you hear something soon. Good luck to you both!
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
Jeff, it was 2.5 years total for me for EACH of my 2 claims. That included 2-5 months for the ALJudge's answer too. They drag their feet as long as possible.
It isn't the amount of meds or the number of illnesses; it's these things alone:
length of time you can:
sit, stand, walk, climb, crawl, bend, work with your hands typing/etc., talk..phone; comprehend things, etc.
Did any of your MDs do a RFC, RESIDUAL FUNCTION CAPACITY form? That talks about the paragraph above and MD must complete this showing how your daughter is TODAY with all her illnesses , NOT WHEN SHE LAST WORKED.
Jeff, you are just STARTING THE INITIAL APP for your daughter then?
Go to TREEPATROL'S NEWBIE LINKS, find MINOUCAT'S DISABILITY LINKS ... I have posted info galore in there about my steps, etc.
Best thing you can do also is to join FREE DISINISSUES, disability issues, and read links/files there.
I'll copy/paste info below for you ok.
Let us hear how tomorrow goes. You could get your daughter approved 1st step, 1st app IF YOU HAVE ALL VITAL MD DOCUMENTS submitted completely & promptly! Welcome to this 24/7 LYME support group board!
Here's TREEPATROL's and Tincup's combination newbie links.
Print off the links then check them off as you read as you could spend several months reading all of this.
print & read Dr. Burrascono's 2005 info first; you will come back to this often.
Extensive info in Treepatrol''s newbie links about the meaning of WESTERN BLOT IGM/IGG test results from Igenex! Be sure to read or print this info IF Igenex tested you ok!
Also, see Cheryl''s extensive web sites on: LD DIAGNOSIS, SYMPTOMS, & TREATMENT ... wonderful! Read the area on CO-INFECTIONS! You could have from 1-10 other illnesses that tick is carrying...lyme, malaria, etc.
If you are showing symptoms of co-infections, I would like to suggest being tested for co-infections when you have LYME western blots done. It isn''t cheap!! But if you are positive, you can treat the co-infections first, and then work on LYME symptoms.
EYE SENSITIVIES & NOIR, no infrared sunglasses info., 2-28-06 updated YES, I have what you have! Are you on doxy too? That made my extreme eyes
200% MORE sensitive than they we were earlier. I learned a lot about eye sensitivity/lighting on www.marshallprotocol.com board.
Look for AUSSIE BARB'S EAST FINDER and then eyes/sunglasses, etc. Wealth of info there.
mention you have lyme and marshall protocol, they will give you 20% off! I'm NOT on MProtocol, but mention it anyway. I was on their new board almost 12 months!
Also they have been kind enough to replace the SCRATCHED LENSES & BROKEN BOWS! How's that for service?
I don't drive often at night, but I can wear NOIR's 901 lenses at night while driving; it creates soft candle lights coming at me...tolerable. NOT to wear in town with all the action of people crossing where they shouldn't be, etc.
from LOU to Betty on LONG web links and Thank You Lou!: "If you hit the return key in the middle of a link, I don't think it will be clickable anymore. An alternative that maybe Betty should be telling people about is the tiny url website. I have it on my tool bar at the top of the page and use it for those incredablylongwebsiteaddresses.
All you have to do is ask tiny url to produce a short version, which it will do with a unique address, which you then use instead in your post. Works just the same when clicked! Here is the website, spread the word! http://tinyurl.com/
3-1-06, fyi, I tried dragging tinyurl to my toolbar without success, so that''s why I currently have LONG addresses vs. short tiny ones! I''ll keep trying.
RASH ITCHES -- use ``rubbing alcohol`` on it especially the corners good. Hubby suggested; worked great for me; rash cleared up in 2 days vs. weeks/month
1. How many doctors did you have to see before being properly diagnosed? 112 responses Average number of doctors consulted before being diagnosed - 14 Answers ranged from 1- 120 different doctors
2. Have you had problems getting insurance to pay for doctors or treatment? 87 responses? Yes- 63 No- 24
3. Have you lost income because of Lyme disease? 106 responses Yes- 99 No- 7
4. How much does it cost you (average) per month for Lyme related expenses? 61 responded Average cost per month per patient- $4,472.49 Low- $500.00 High- $21,492.00
5. How many different medications do you take per day? 77 responded Average - 14 different medications per day Low- 3 High- 25
OOPS --- my detailed info on disabilities is in my word perfect software that I lost ALL last week; lost ALL my software & trying to install but problems with everything. So go to treepatrol's newbie links for MINOUCAT'S DISABILITY INFO.
Posted by lymesux (Member # 6248) on :
lymednva - my insurance is under my husbands' work - and i dont want medicare then. i saw something about being able to just take the hospital part - maybe i can do that.
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