Ssdi

Fibromyalgia
#1

i am gettin soooo aggravated. i just talked to my lawyer and they said that they just talked to ssdi, and they r runnin bhind. but the "up"side to it all is that, by law…they r suppose to have me a hearing by april of 2008, w/in 2 yrs after my signup date.
that is all fine and dandy, but EVERYTHING is goin w/o right now and pushed to the limit. and my symptoms r gettin worse. im lost. if anyone can give me advice or let me know if they have applied for ssdi, and how long it took them. and how they went about it to make it move any faster, PLZ message me. hope all is well w/everyone (well, as well as can b expected). TAKE CARE.

(MANY GENTLE HUGS)
kat

#2

Hi Kat,

I know the whole process is frustrating but you must hang in there. Social Security’s idea is to frustrate people enough that they drop their case.

It took me 3 very long years and numerous evictions and trying to work, then having serious flares and getting fired or having to leave etc. before I finally was able to go before the Judge.

You will get back pay from the time you filed your case.

Make sure you keep going to the doctor and keep your medical records up to date.

Most importantly when you do go before the judge, they WILL NOT be interested in what’s wrong with you they will only want to know WHY you can’t work. At least that’s the way it was for me. I get SSD not SSDI they are different.

The Judge gave me a bench judgment right then and there. My monthly check started two months later.

SSDI is handled differently than SSD and they have different rules.

I’m waiting for my back/retro pay which should be coming some time this week, I CAN’T WAIT! I’m so excited that this nightmare is almost over.

The best thing I can say is HANG IN THERE!

#5

I know it’s frustrating. But going with the lawyer is the right move. It took me 3 years. Get state assistance if you have to, but don’t screw it up by making too much money. I’m not advising anyone to mooch off the system. However, if you get a job with excellent benefits, how much time will you have to take off to use those benefits? The more you work, the more you hurt. Then you get fired.

People that don’t have fibro don’t understand that. So, hang in there. I’m praying for you!

Maris

#6

Kat,
It is frustrating. We ended up moving in with my parents (my mom is disabled too) before I received my payment. It took me 2 years - I’m in Wash DC.

Different areas of the country have different case loads, so sometimes it does take longer than others.
One thing that you can do - is to write or email your congressman and see if they can help. Give him the specifics - your symptoms, the day you stopped working, the date you applied and your lawyer’s name. It’s possible that the congressman may be able to make some suggestions or at least intervene. The least that will happen is that the congressman will be aware of the delay.

Several congressmen were working with Senator Kennedy from Rhode Island regarding health inititives and Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month - you can do a search on that term or go to the AARDA (Autoimmune Association Related Diseases Association) for more info on the Rally in DC. It was small - I attended.

Hang in there - the hearing shouldn’t be bad at all - I had one and the same thing happened to me - walked in, some lite discussion regarding whether or not the information I provided was accurate, then the vocational expert confirmed that I could not work and the judge agreed that I was disabled. I walked in abled, walked out disabled.

The check was deposited in my account a couple months later and the notes I received from SSA were clear and easy to understand.

Recently, the SSA sent me a form asking if I was still disabled - I was approved in 2003 - and I just filled in the form indicating that I was even more so! They sent a letter back that said ‘okie dokie’ and that was done with.

I filed all my docs alone and didn’t get the lawyer until I had to appeal to the judge. At that point, I couldn’t do it anymore. My lawyer provided me with a clear and consice form regarding my physical abilities (how long I could sit, stand, concentrate etc).

This helped the judge and the vocational expert view my case in a very specifc manner. An online friend runs a website called www.disabilitykey.com. She calls these forms matrices and has used them to help individuals get SSA on the first try. Her name is Carolyn and tell her Linda from BYDLS (www.butyoudontlooksick.com)referred you.

Hope some of this helps.

Linda