Just wondering if Fibro hurts an SSD case

[londonteatime]

I've been feeling so badly for people I know who've been fighting for SSD for years and I'm wondering -- do you think a Fibro diagnosis is still viewed skeptically and can hurt an RA or Lupus case?

The reason I'm wondering is that when I applied and the lady was running out of spaces to write all of my diagnoses, she came to Fibro. and said she really didn't think we should include that one, especially since I had so many other serious diagnoses. An SSA representative told me flat-out that a Fibro diagnosis makes a Lupus and RA case much harder to win. And, lastly, my GP said it would be best to play down fibro. on my medical records. It isn't prominent but it is there.

My GP said there are many who still believe that Fibro. is a diagnosis that medical professionals use when they don't know what the heck is going on. I know that there's been a lot more research into fibro. recently but I wonder if there's still something of a stigma when it comes to SSD.

What do y'all think?

Julie

[raggedyann1]

Julie,

I was approved on my initial application and that included fibro. I have known several other women with fibro alone who are collecting either ssi and/or ssdi. It is a pain syndrome that as far as pain goes is far more debilitating than lupus pain can be.

Karen

[halfpintfl]

style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wavey.gif Julie, I got my ssd with just the fibro, and the depression alone.
Cuz; the fibro is chronic and will never go away, and with that, comes
depression that is also chronic, and will never go away. I would use them
both to the fullest. Good luck hon, let us know.


Be well and keep posting. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif

[zara]

I don't know the answer to your question, but with your case combined with the advice you received your app was approved very quickly...

[andi04]

Fibro was my initial diagnosis at the time of my application and i'm now using a lawyer who says it has hurt my case, i am having issues with him he isn't doing what he is supposed to be doing..i think i need a new lawyer....now that I have UCTD I think i have a good chance of winning but my lawyer is what is holding me back, at least i think so...grrrr


laters,
andi

[raggedyann1]

Andi,

You will need to check Social Security's rules about changing lawyers. Go to http://www.socialsecurity.gov
I am surprised about his comment about fibromyalgia. People I have known personally with "just" fibro have all been approved for SSDI quicker than people I know with lupus. But that may not be what the real statistics show. Fibromyalgia is a Pain Syndrome that is considered to be more severe than pain from lupus so that is why I think that having fibro can be a plus.

It sounds like your major disability is pain like mine is. My doctor had to fill out a special paper on Functional Ability or some name like that. He had my help on filling it out since as he said he doesn't see me in my home on a daily basis. I believe that that form is the reason I was approved. Since I also have scleroderma that could also have given more weight to my application.

I would arrange to go to your doctors office to look through your file. That will tell you what social security has requested and how your doctor filled out the forms he was sent.

If you read through old posts on this forum you will find that most attorneys don't get on top of things till shortly before a hearing date. I don't know what it is that your attorney is not doing for you. I can understand your being anxious about getting approved and hope with more investigation on your part you can figure out what is missing.

Take care,
Karen

[dudley]

Hi,

I have many problems going on with me. I was approved based on sle,sogrens and depression.

they never took the fibro into consideration.

Elaine