posted
have been out of work on short term disability since september.....got the lyme diagnosis in oct.....was treated by PCP.....then saw an LLMD in January.....
she changed all my meds, wrote me a absence note for work stating neurological lyme, to be out until April 31st....
At this point I have overwhelming fatigue, leg pain, cognitive problems(word finding, spelling, memory, even thought the full moon was a stop light a few days ago !!), insomnia, nystagmus, tinnitus etc etc....
All along I have battled with them to prove my case, at this point they paid me until Feb 14th....and were reviewing the LLMDs paperwork.
So I called them this morning at 6.45 to leave a message and the case manager answered the phone, she said the clinicians cant make a determination on wether I have a continuation of impairment so it has been sent to the company Dr to review on wether I have appropriate impairment to be off work !!!!! and I bet he/she wont be an ILADS trained Dr.......so what determination are they going to make..that this condition doesnt even exist....
I am an RN.....cant even get my kids names right and they wonder wether my impairment is significant enough to not be able to perform my job.....
I am so upset, feel really down today....they could force me into returning to work when I know I cannot do my job right now....I dont know what to do.....I'm really getting to the end of my rope with this......
-------------------- Oct 09 Positive CDC Western Blot Jan 10 Positive Babesia Duncani Jan 10 Cd57 28 Mar 10 EBV, IgM, IgG HHV-6 IgG Posts: 739 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
Florence I feel your pain. I was in your place back in early '02. Dec 26th 01 my sick sick body could not continue to work 50+ hrs and take care of me.
A higher power pushed me back into the bed one morning and let me know I wasn't going to work. I knew it was time to take care of me.
Short term disablity was no problem. I was harassed by powers that be on submitting paperwork every month. Corp America let me know that I was of no use to them anymore.
Long term disablity was a fight. I even ended up with a lawyer to fight it. I lost but only because I tried to do the paperwork myself and I did something so stupid that in the end the "Big Insurance" company successfully used against me.
LTD is a business to deny claims. They lie cheat, etc to do it.
I started the paperwork with SS after being off 5 mths. When I realized this was going to be a much longer process of healing than I thought. I hired a disablity lawyer for SS after my first denial from them.
Don't give up. Fight! But please have someone helping you with all the paperwork and fighting through the process with you.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6478 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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posted
thank you so much....I know its a long fight physically, mentally, emotionally and financially.....my husband said about getting a lawyer just to get some advice at the moment....I cant believe what a mess this whole process is........I'm tired of it.....tired of the whole thing........
-------------------- Oct 09 Positive CDC Western Blot Jan 10 Positive Babesia Duncani Jan 10 Cd57 28 Mar 10 EBV, IgM, IgG HHV-6 IgG Posts: 739 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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posted
i was just written out of work too. i have lyme and fibro. my pain docs said that i need a month off to see if that can help me get to a better place. i work 60+ hours a week, i manage 120 associates. i have never fallen behind and goetten into trouble but now that i have all this, i am struggling. i am very concerned about my short term disability. i have went ahead and made an appointment with a lawyer so that i will know what to do to prepare myself for long term. my boss is giving me a very hard time and he himself suggested that i take a leave. worried about what to do. attemot to keep going and who knows what will happen, or see what to do with disability. i feel guilty either way. right now, i take so many pain meds to keep going, my family has lost their mom and wife. any suggestions from others who are in the same boat???
-------------------- broncomom Posts: 25 | From virginia beach va | Registered: Feb 2010
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cantgiveupyet
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8165
posted
hang in there- I was in your position years ago..it is tough...and I was forced back to work by short term disability- because my Dr didnt send the form to them in time and I was just diagnosed with Lyme.
I went back...could barely function ...my Dr wrote a note at request of HR for me to work from home- 2 weeks later I was put back out by my company on Short term disability.
In general Short term disability isnt that difficult as long as your Dr has a treatment plan... and is filling out the paperwork on time.
Long term disability is a disaster.. I would suggest getting a lawyer on board when you apply for Long term disability... You will have to fight for your life basically with LTD. They dont take your Doctor's word for you being ill..
Hang in there- hopefully the STD Dr will determine that you are too ill to work..based on your Doctors info.
Make sure at each appt your LLMD writes in your office notes what prevents you from working (that is the key) not the diagnosis, but why you cant work.
-------------------- "Say it straight simple and with a smile."
"Thus the task is, not so much to see what no one has seen yet, But to think what nobody has thought yet, About what everybody sees."
-Schopenhauer
pos babs, bart, igenex WB igm/igg Posts: 3156 | From Lyme limbo | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
well actually because I have been out of work since sept...my short term is coming to the end and then LTD is applicable from March 8th...so they are reviewing right now so the company DR review will be for LTD also.....I think i need to see a lawyer to be prepared......thanks all
-------------------- Oct 09 Positive CDC Western Blot Jan 10 Positive Babesia Duncani Jan 10 Cd57 28 Mar 10 EBV, IgM, IgG HHV-6 IgG Posts: 739 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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joalo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12752
posted
This disease takes so much from us.
-------------------- Sick since January 1985. Misdiagnosed for 20 years. Tested CDC positive October 2005. Treating since April 2006. Posts: 3228 | From Somewhere west of the Mississippi | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
I know...I am tired of my kids seeing me crying.....my 2 yr old asking me if I'm ok, why you crying...and my 8 yr old asking me "your worried aren't you mom"?.......its awful...I hate this.......
-------------------- Oct 09 Positive CDC Western Blot Jan 10 Positive Babesia Duncani Jan 10 Cd57 28 Mar 10 EBV, IgM, IgG HHV-6 IgG Posts: 739 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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posted
i hope things get better for u, i do understand about ur kids looking at u and wondering what is going on. my kids to want there mom back, lyme has taken there mom. i was told back in november i had lyme. my doc ordered a month of antibiotics and steriod shot and now tells me i am fine, just take more pain meds. i cry alot cause i have no support, my husband thinks i am crazy. i hope things get better for u
Posts: 34 | From goldsboro, nc | Registered: Jan 2010
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posted
i wondered how you were Jody....so you stopped your IV's...no more meds???.......
-------------------- Oct 09 Positive CDC Western Blot Jan 10 Positive Babesia Duncani Jan 10 Cd57 28 Mar 10 EBV, IgM, IgG HHV-6 IgG Posts: 739 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
Florence, I'll be thinking of you and praying for you.
I'm an RN too. Lost my job in December. Still not well enough to look for a new job. Fatigue, neuro, and cognitive issues are huge.
I put my shoes and coat on today, was getting ready to walk out of the house when I realized that my legs were cold. I forgot to put my pants on! I do crazy stuff like that all the time. It's so scary.
Hang in there Florence. You are not alone. Keep treating, love on your kids and hang on to hope. We will get well again!
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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