deciding factor in disability

[Greenacres]

I am tired of having to chose between holding down a job and having enough strength and energy to give my family and kids the Mom they deserve. I am on Plaquinel, Cellcept, Methotrexate, Furocemide, Folic Acid, promethazine (for naseau), prednisone and hydrocodone. I have private disability insurance through work and was wondering how hard it is to get disabled. Can your Doctor make or break your chances? He knows I am tired and sore all the time and that working three days a week takes the next four days just to recooperate for the next week. Does anyone even think I have a chance or do I have to be on a death bed someplace before anyone will help?

[raggedyann1]

Greenacres,

Private Disability often uses the same criteria as Social Security, at least in the long run. Often there are 2 components short term and long term. Short term tends to be a little looser and will accept your doctors statement along with copies of all of your medical records.

You don't need to be on a death bed but you need to be physically unable to work. If you don't have a new symptom or problem they may ask why you could work before and not now.

You could use your FMLA rights and collect the short term disability this will protect your job. You must state that you are using your FMLA rights, the HR department will know exactly what that is. This could give you time to assess how things are.

When you get to the long term disability they will require you to apply for SSDI. They will usually stick with you thru several appeals and denials as long as they also agree that you are disabled and not able to do any kind of work. Private disability may want you to do some rehab and get trained for another kind of work. This is sometimes a blessing for people. The dis company pays for your retraiining and you can start a new career. If for example your current job requires you to be on your feet a lot being trained for a new desk job might make it possible for you to continue working. This may allow for you to add more money to your soc security account.

According to the latest edition of The Lupus Book by doctor wallace only 20% of lupus patients that don't have organ threatening disease end up on disability ( in the USA) and only 50% of patients with organ involvement end up on disability, again in the USA.

I can tell you that for me working became impossible. Even today 2.5 years later I can't hold down anytype of job. It is not just the fatigue but the horrendous pain I go thru at times. And with some of the meds I take for pain no employer would hire me either. For me disability was not an "option" it was necessary.

Hope this helps,
Karen

[Greenacres]

Thank you for the information. I have no "new symptoms" just all of the old ones extreme fatigue, joint pain, mental fog, etc. It has just been that I have been pushing myself to continue to work and have been missing days, making mistakes and now have to spent several days in bed just to catch up from work. I just feel like something has got to give or I just don't know how much longer I can go on.

[LivingWLupus720]

Hi Karen
that was some good information you stated in here. iam in the process of getting mt SD, i have a sit at a desk job and just can't do it right now with the pain, fogginess, and the extremem fatigue, so we will see what happens with me~!

[Bluangel]

I am on Social Security Disability, not for the same reasons, but I don't think that matters.
I worked up until I collapsed at work (I had collasped on one job, my boss had to get me home. ) I then sold my home and moved home to my moms, In a few months I got on my feet again, had a brand new home built and was back working and collapsed again. I went to work the next day, it did it again. This went on for a month, but I was determined so every day, I got up and I went again, then they put me on half days, couldn't do it, then 3 half days a week, couldn't do it, until they said no more you can't do it. I then sold my new home, moved to my sons, applied for Social Security Disability, never had to appeal. It was approved the first time as my struggle to continue working was well documented.
To get SSDI, you truely can have no abiltiy to work, rather it means eating or not.
It is not a choice, you simply cannot. That is just my opinion and experience of how it works and worked for me. That was 3 years ago, I have my own place again, but I rent now, and I am still not able to work. But if I could, I would be out there working again. I loved my job. :(

[bananawear]

Hi Greenacres- You asked about your dr.s support. You do need to have your dr. to support the idea that you are no longer able to work and that your diagnosis supports the need for you to take time off for disability reasons. Also for longer term planning you will need to have a diagnosis that supports that you are no longer able to work at all. So in that case your dr. can make or break your case depending on what they report in your medical records about what you are able to do.

Your personal short term and long term disability will ask for a lot of paperwork about your job duties, your medical history, your financial information and your work experience and education to see what other work you may be qualified to do - that is another reason its important to have your docs working on your side to support that you need some time off.

As Karen said the Short Term or FMLA is usually not a problem at all and its very common for people to take short periods of sick leave for various reasons. In some states Short Term disability is considered up to 6 mos or even in some cases, 26 weeks so check with your dr. and also your HR department to see what you have available to you.

Good luck and take good care- Chris

[peonyprincess]

I was on short term disablility and FMLA from the end of December till the of March. Certain things to know and remember is that 1) you have to be off two weeks befoew STD will kick in. If you have two weeks of sick time you should be able to use that to cover that two week period while your paper work is being processed. The paperwork is essentially a letter from your doctor stating why you need to be off and that you are under his care. During you STD do not be surprised if the HR dept calls and checks up on you. Mine was very good to deal with, they kept me posted on how many weeks I had left of FMLA before my job was considered "not safe". Meaning, I worked as an RN on a 7a-7p shift. If I stayed out longer than my alloted time, I would still have a job, however, I may not have my day shift and would be bumped back to a night position. In my case, I was running out of what I considered secure time and finally went back to work fulltime in April, much against my doctors advise. This was not due to HR, but my department director who unfortunatly was not willing to work with me. I was back one week full time and was back down sick again. Doc said make a decision...I transferred to a job that is 8-430 still in nursing. The hours are not as long and while I am still tired when I come home. The work is more steady and not so fast paced. I still deal with the mental fog, etc and whenit becomes too much, I take the afternoon off.

While you cannot risk your health and work yourself literally to death, you have to be careful and not lose your job because of the much needed health insurance. Talk with your HR dept. Most are VERY willing to help you out. They would much rather have a good employee with good productivity than an employee that is out sick alot. That will show in your employee record and make you less desirable for employment later down the line. While many companies do not look out for the "little people", the federal governament makes sure there are guidelines and that those companies follow them. If you run into problems, you can always take a complaint to your closest OSHA department. It is also true that they could train you for another position more condusive to your lifestyle and illness. Good luck

[Kimberly720]

hello
Here in NY, Albany area you need to be out of work for 7 straight work days then you can put a claim in for STD, i have been out of work since 6-1-05 and iam waiting for my claim to be processed. I had a problem with my job and that caused a delay. My job how ever is not very supportive to anyone that works there who is sick, they simply just do't care about your health. At my job you only get 1 sick day a month so i don't think 1 day would have covered anything while i am out of work. That is all i had was the one sick day. Have a great day all~! :flowers:
LivingWLupus720

[Pickles]

HI,

Just to mention, DO go back and read some of the other posts on here that I and orthers have written about our lengthy process get disability. You do have to have a medical diagnosis that will last 12 months or longer, you can NOT work any while waiting on disability to be approved. Talk to your doctor and see what they think. My rheumy was all for it, she had wanted me to quit 2 years earlier and I couldn't afford it. We wound up losing our house while waiting on disability. I had retired in 2001 and got disability in 2003, took me over 2 years to get it.

There are lots of good posts in this forum that will help you. You can also go to www.ssa.gov and read about it there. YOu have to fill out lots of forms listing doctors, illnessess, jobs, symptoms, etc. You have to PROVE to them you can't do even the smallest and simplest of jobs. Some days I can be on here for a few hours, some days, I can't even move my fingers because of swelling. We all have our good days and bad days.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!!