Fibro and disability

[kelhal]

I was very recently diagnosed with fibro. As I sat and read all of the posts I felt very overwhelmed with emotion! Just to see that I am not alone out here! I also have IBS, which I've had for years. I also have the infamous "fibro fog", CFS, and alot of tension in my facial and jaw muscles. I feel so tense ALL of the time. I have four wonderful children and completely understand the feeling of being a terrible mother. I love them so much and yet there are times that just the noise level that comes with four children can send me into a rage. It's like my nerve endings our right at the surface! My GP and a chiropractor are the two that have said that I have FMS. They both stated that exercise is extremely important so I am looking into purchasing an elliptical since they are supposed to be low impact. I am also planning on going to a rheumy soon. I cannot tell you how much it means to me just to be able to communicate with people who truly understand! I have an amazing husband and great friends who are supportive but to truly understand takes having fibro as well. Thank you all. Keep posting!

[mariemartin]

Not being able to deal with my family. We just took a short vacation for spring break and it was all I could do to smile and pretend I was not hurting. I mean, I did have some fun, watching the kids enjoy themselves and all. But it is not like it should be. And I agree about the nerves, my nerves are on end all the time. If I hear even a little sudden noise, my whole body tenses us and shudders like I have had the scare of my life. I guess that is what they refer to as the "fight-or-flight" response. And it is awful. My kids can just knock something over and if it catches my eye it does not have to make a noise, I jump for it, like someone just dropped my most prized possession. I am so jumpy all the time. I hate that. My anxiety is getting worse too. I don't want to go anywhere because of it. And the doctors just keep trying different combos on my meds to see if anything helps. I found out I have scoliosis and they think I probably have psoriatic arthritis and sjogrens syndrome on top of the FMS. I am trying to work and have a normal life, but sometimes I just want to stay in bed and say forget it. I lay around some days because I don't have the energy to get up off the bed or chair, and then my back hurts so much more from laying around. It is impossible. I feel like my family has been cheated. I mean, I feel like I have too, but mostly I feel for them. They have to live this with me. And my husband and I already had marrital problems after my teen daughter got pregnant and everthing, (long story) and they have not gotten much better and now that I am sick, I can barely stand him. I know that souds terrible, but it is true. I thought on this trip that I would see something that would remind me what I fell in love with about him, but I did not. I just could not wait to get home so I could go to work and get away from him. I know much of it is the illness and my nerves, but it is still real. God knows how I will deal with all of that on top of my illness. I just want to quit. But I can't, I have to be here in some form at least, for my kids. I just wish my husband showed a little more sympathy too I guess. I mean he sees me hurting and he has never once offered to rub my back or anything. And that is not the person I thought I married. I thought the person you loved is suppose to want to take care of you when you are sick. I just think I would rather live by myself so that at least I wont have anyone to blame for not caring. If that makes sense. If no one is there, I wont feel bad that no one cares.

[marzypan]

can we with Fibro get disability?

I'm not sure if u have had any luck with the disability department. Not sure if u are in the States or Canada. I live in Canada & I just got a call this week saying I was accepted for disability. That took from April 04 till now. They denied me the first time & I let it go. Then I tried applying again, they said no again, then I got a lawyer who was not any help to me. The best thing u can do is make sure u see a rhuemotologist, tell every doctor that u see the same information. U also have to have letters from your family physician, plus phyciatrist, & rhuemotologist. Thats what I found anyway. If u suffer from depression along with the fibro & have any other health problems like thyroid disease, IBS etc. make sure u tell them everything. Anyhow I know it is a long process, but appeal right away if u are denied. Usually they deny everybody the first time. Keep trying. ..Good luck to u

[tarantula17]

Fibromyalgia IS medical condition which meets social security disability standards.

http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/rulings/di/0 ... di-01.html

Whether or not you will get it varies from person to person according to the following variables: what state you live in, what you've medically reported (via doctors) in trying to control your health and the degree of your health versus your age. Some people can work very part-time jobs and have enough income between the person and his/her spouse to not need disability. I have not met anyone or heard from anyone who has been able to do this.

Don't let anyone tell you you get automatically shot down the first time you apply for disability. I asked the offices if that was true; but the lady told me something that makes sense. People go in there for little things (to them anyway) like a broken arm and they'll be out for six months. Of course they have to throw out a bunch of first-time applications if they're like that! Disability is a LIFELONG assistance program. Even with disability, you won't get help with healthcare via the state, healthcare comes out of your disability pay.

Let me tell you one thing. It's a hard thing to decide if you need disability or not, whether you are old or young. We with fibromyalgia have generally personalities that are 'a' category. This means we're generally outgoing, maybe stubborn, bright, people-persons, gung-ho let's do this people until fibromyalgia kicks us in the rear end and dampens our spirits in life. It also means we're generally stubborn and some may be prideful. Fibromyalgia has humbled me, and others I know with it. It has made me realize that two damned years with friends and family supporting me has made me an awful parent. I look at my little boy and can't believe that I've worked since I was thirteen and all it took was a traumatic event in my life to not only make me a single parent, but keep me from working. It's depressing getting turned down everywhere I go for work because of my health...but moving on. I decided to apply for disability. I need the help. I finally learned when to ask for it.

Disability is given when a lack of ability for everyday life is present. It means help when I have problems holding plastic grocery bags, or sitting down at the table with my son to eat because the chairs are too hard, or a new bed so I can sleep better and actually wake in the morning for my son to go to school instead of rolling out in such severe pain that I walk around half-hunched over from stomach pain. It means enhancing a life you should normally lead with every day activities. It means medicines I can't afford, gym sessions I should be taking.

If by chance you are not approved the first time, don't sweat it. I know I did, but I still kept onwards, plunging forward because it means a positive change for me and my son one day. I got a lawyer who works for free until you win your case and get back pay from the government (back pay is given from the day you applied til present). He/she is paid a certain percentage or amount from that. When you look for a lawyer, look for one who does that, specializes in disability social security.

Finally, if you do decide to go on disability...OR EVEN IF YOU DON'T THIS IS A GOOD IDEA, keep a list of your doctors, your treatments, what you did with medicines, maybe a log of your symptoms, maybe letters from friends and family at times so that laywers/judges can see your world from not just your viewpoint. These things are sooooooo much easier to hand to a doctor when he/she asks about your symptoms. They are sooooo much more help towards your disability case if you start one.

Wish me luck in mine, I'm hanging in there...my disability case comes up on Nov. 4th!

[andreagregg2010]

I have FM and some other health issues and was able to get Social Security Disability on my 1st try.