What hell will that be. Trying to explain to some doctor I have already been to I am sure that I have vertigo 24/7 and am house and bed bound most of the time.

All the doctors here already totally misdiagnosed me eight different times and made my life a misery for a year, putting me on meds that me sick and delaying treatment. Disease progressed so rapidly during that year.

What is going on? What do I have to do this. Doesn't J. Clinic which treats me suffice in this circumstance?

My husband has his done by a psychologist because his neuro sx were so prononounced. This is what got him his SSDI approval.

Go to this link and you'll find a lot of help in getting SSDI. http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/030280.html

Take several days and read through these -- what you do now will make a big difference.

Take a deep breath. This is very stressful and frightening -- believe me, I really do know. But you can get through this.

The psychiatrist evaluated me for 10 minutes. His report claimed that I was depressed, but that 8 months of antidepressants would be sufficient therapy, and I could work full time currently.

However, my three other doctors wrote detailed reports on exactly why I was unable to work. I supplied many of the details to the doctors in a long (20 page letter), and they incorporated the information in their reports.

A ten minute interview didn't hold up against several years of treatment by my main doctors. I received my disability approval after my first application.

These resources were very helpful. They mention CFS, but are equally valid for Lyme patients.

Disability Info & Resources
Completing Disability Forms
Five Crucial Steps to Winning your CFS Disability Case
Trying to Look Good When You Feel Like Crap: Don't
Daily Activities Worksheet (PDF)
SF-36 Functional Capacity (PDF)

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Sonoma County Lyme Support
[email protected]

Neither one of them found anything wrong with me but I fell asleep at both appts and got my disability approved in 6 months.

I had a very nice sleep doc who went to bat for me. At that time they were thinking Narcolepsy/idiopathic hypersomnia. I tried all the drugs and was labled drug resistent, which was a blessing cuz Im sure thats why I got my award.

I also talked to my case worker several times and we got along very well and I know whe believed that I was really sick and not a slacker who just didnt want to work.

The case worker is the one who makes the decision so dont be antagonistic. When she told me I had to go see the docs I said great, maybe they will have something to help me. I would go anywhere and see anyone, just on the off chance they might have part of the answer.

Im sure that attitude helped my case. It was not planned, just who I am naturally.

The were VERY detailed in how the illnesses affected my ability to function (which at the time was completely non-existant) relative to my baseline.

They covered medical implications, psychological issues, and cognitive impairments all.

Did you do a search on "disability?" There are some superb posts with excellent links here. I'm sure you'll find them very useful

Do you have Unum for your LTD?

All the best with your process.

You sure are a cranky one lately.

Do you have help with your claim? Like an attorney or a disability advocate? If not, consider getting someone to represent you and talk you through the process. It will be worth your while.

Likewise, it is standard operating procedure for a LTD carrier to require you to apply. They want their $$$ back, and they will get all your pack pay if you are awarded SSDI benefits. Typically, if you get help with your SSDI claim, the LTD carrier cannot take the amount of $$$ a SS representative is paid for their assistance. I cannot stress this enough - get a copy of your summary plan description from your LTD carrier and read the fine print. They are not your friends. Don't trust anything they say. The adjuster's job is cost containment. They could care less about you or your situation, or even if you starve to death. Seriously. Read your summary plan description and make sure they play by the rules.

Check your LTD policy to determine what the rules are when it comes to SSDI and reinbursement, and assistance with this process. If you are awarded benefits, do not pay them back in one lump sum. Let them take it out of future benefits. As soon as they get their reinbursement of SSDI back pay, they find a reason to terminate benefits.

I am just starting a practice as a SS disability advocate, and in training. I can give you a contact person in your area if you would like. Try www.disability-advocate.com.

One good site to visit is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Disinissues/
There is much info on there about both LTD and SSDI.

I would highly recommend that you join the Yahoo Disinissues (DISability INsurance ISSUES) group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Disinissues/

The moderator is extremely well-versed in disability issues, including SSDI, and there are a few disability attorneys who participate in the group.

Read the information on the home page carefully. All posts must stay on topic and those which don't will be edited.

I would also recommend these two books:

- Nolo's Guide to Social Security Disability (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0873379144/qid=1107031419/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-3543565-9763963?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)

- Disability Workbook (and other publications) by Douglas Smith (who either is or was a disability attorney) (http://www.disabilityfacts.com/)

I would also encourage you to hire a disability attorney (someone who does only disability cases). Scott Davis in Phoenix has helped a lot of people (http://www.scottdavispc.com/bio.html) and will travel anywhere in the country to represent you should your case go to hearing. He cannot try cases in federal court, but if your case gets that far, he will help you find representation.

The aspect of Scott's practice that impressed me was his willingness to take your case BEFORE you had been rejected. Many lawyers will not accept a case until you have been rejected at least once, some twice. IMO, from ignorance of the process, you can do a lot of harm to your case, some of which may be irreversible, or at least very difficult to overcome, even by the best attorneys. This is Scott's perspective, as well. They will work with you as you prepare your application from the beginning to make sure you provide the right information in the right way.

Scott also has an impressive 90 percent success rate (per his web site) even though most of his cases are for the so-called invisible illnesses which can be so very difficult to win.

Good luck,
Ticked

[This message has been edited by tickedntx (edited 29 January 2005).]

For example, you can get artemisinin at a vitamin store or over the Internet. If you happen to have acne, you'll be pleased to know that minocycline is one of the safest, most commonly prescribed acne medications.

At least here in Calif., once you see the doc SS wants you to see (an "independent" doc that gets paid by SS for his time) and once that doc gets info in your records that you're fine, it is just one more hurdle to get over in the whole SS obstacle course.

Are there any SS attorneys that will work on contingency? That was the only way my SS case got taken seriously. By my hiring an attorney that specialized in Fibromyalgia/CFS. That together with my LLMDs info, and lab tests proving my vertigo, and a personal phone interview between SS and my pain doc.

At least in California, a history of frequent major migraine/cluster headaches can be enough to qualify for SS. That's where my pain doc really made a difference in getting my case approved.

Oh, Lymelady, I should add that the tests SS took seriously to prove my vertigo: Tilt Table Test (showed how my blood pressure plummetted to practically nothing when I was standing), Rotary Chair test, and Caloric test (involving checking brain waves response to temperature and positional change in relation to the inner ear).

My situation (lymewise) is too far gone for me to do the proper research and prep that I need to do. You all made me see how important this is.

Robi yours is a great idea but I think they pick the doc.

And Tincup, cranky does not even scratch the service as to what I am in terms of the medical community with a few exceptions. So it appears that I will have to add "actor" to my resume.

Lyme disease has brought out every bit of "bitchy" I possess and, honey, it's a lot.

My pharmacy which normally has good pharmacists, recently brought in a new one. The dumbest woman I ever met. Could not understand anything about my meds, J. Clinic called there to give her a prescription and was so concerned about how stupid she was, they called me to make sure I understood the dosage etc. And of course, she got my med wrong with wrong dosage on the bottle

She talks incessantly about her family, her commute, her headache, her hairdo, her whatever, the whole time she is working. A nitwit of the first order. Once she told a customer to wait while she went outside for a "breath of fresh air"!!

Soooo, "la bitchy" called the manager of the drug store and told him that they had better watch out that a bigo old lawsuit could be coming their way, when this woman actually kills somebody. I call now before going up there to make sure she is not on duty.

I don't trust em anymore; they are like the enemy to me.

yea, cranky is an understatement

Ive had chronic vertigo for quite some time now and it sucks.

I can function and work a little but I feel disabled by it myself.

All these people keep telling me that my ears are not damaged and I need to detox.

My ears also hurt every day.

I wish we could get some help. Ive been trying accupuncture again at the University for the bargin price of $25.

Tickedntx,
How long ago did Scott help you to win?

I had a very BAD experience w/Scott Davis. He was my SSDI lawyer for about 4 yrs. when in 8-04 he quit/WITHDREW from my 2 claims.

He never told me he couldn't represent me in federal court until he quit me in Aug.!

Scott also recently screwed me. When he appealed ALJudge's decision and sent the request to review form to Appeals Council, he sent also a certified letter requesting copies of my ALJ hearing tapes. "When he got them, he would then write a detailed BRIEF".

Well, AC never sent him those per his certified letter. So he did NOT write that brief!

Also, they didn't send ME per my 12-3-04 fax to their Virginia office & specific area who requested I fax a letter saying my lawyer, Scott Davis, had quit/withdrew me, and I was requesting a copy of my ALJ tapes. I also faxed a copy of Scott's letter to AC showing he withdrew & fee agreement was void. If I won, he didn't get any money.

I just found out earlier in the week that since Scott never submitted any BRIEF that AC did NOT have to look at my thick 3" file. They just read over what the ALJ wrote and accepted it as is. Also they got by without providing the ALJ tapes to me.

There is something written in my AC denial letter saying only under there are a few exceptions to reopening it, and I had my Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin's Des Moines office look into it. He's worked very hard for me since May 04!

So now DM is waiting for my 1st file to come back from Virginia in 2-3 months! Then they will work up my 2nd case & have a 2nd ALJ hearing. They have sat on this 14 months already waiting appeals council decision!

May I make a suggestion; forget the SSDI lawyer, and hire someone like Connie Mc, who works for Mick Mickler, a retired SSD/DDS..disability examiner from Texas.
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Mick knows all the ins/outs of why disability examiners can DENY our claims.

If I'd known about people like him from the beginning, that's the route I would have chosen.

"Lyme disease has brought out every bit of "bitchy" I possess and, honey, it's a lot."

REALLY? I hadn't noticed.