Originally Posted by canifindagooddr

You need to be prepared that this might be a very long process. You might need to consider moving in with family if you don't have another source of income.

^^^OK. Thank you for the tip. I cannot image how hard that would be on my girls AND me. My family is 2 to 3 hours away. But, I understand your point.

That is an unfortunate reality you may be forced with.

No, it does not appear your PN will qualify you with a Listed Impairment at this time. Becoming a klutz does not rise to the level of severity needed. The same thing with having body twitches a few times a day.

^^^Understood. But, the pain and weakness of my calves . . . hard to be nice and sweet and productive when one feels that their pain level is in a 6-8 range.

The standard is if you're capable of working at the Significant Gainful Activity level which is $1090 per month in 2015. If you can do that sitting at a desk, that's all SS will care about.


^^^I read an article from the NIH about small fiber neuropathy and the number one word is the article was PAIN. And I finally saw in print, what I have been dealing with for over two years now. "COLD PAIN".

I have RSD/CRPS so I understand something about pain.

Your current Neuro is increasing your meds to hopefully reduce your symptoms and give you the highest degree of function possible,

^^^My bro said the way he increased my GabaP was not correct. That it should have been gradually bumped up. Not a starting dose of 900mgs total for the day to 2,400 total for the day just six weeks later with no gradual build up. AND, this was with me calling in almost two months early than he had originally had me scheduled to come in. After the first visit, it was the 'see ya in three months' deal. After 3 weeks, the Gaba honeymoon was over and I was in to see him in six weeks rather than the 12 weeks that he had me down for.

You have a choice to find another doc.

^^^At the conclusion of yesterday's meeting, he had it in my charts to see him in SIX MONTHS! It is a two hour drive from my small town to see my shrink and my neuro. So, I try to 'double dip'. Stay the night with a friend. See one doc one day and see the other doc the other day. So, instead of six months like he put down on my chart - his nurse told the scheduler to put me down for a two month follow-up so we could do the double dip thing.

^^^Even my meeting yesterday - no change at all in meds. He tried to call my shrink while I was there with him. He could not speak with my shrink today. He said he would consult with my shrink and THEN they would change my meds. At least the AD I take. Makes since. But, all that really happened yesterday with the neuro was, "You got to have some talk therapy. We will try to help you find one in your area. AND, you STILL need to do LESS. Work for 15 minutes - rest for 30 minutes. Continue that pattern until bed-time.

If you're not seeing a mental health professional at least once a week, I highly doubt you'll be approved for BP disorder at the first stage. Why? Because SS will not consider the disorder severe enough to be disabling if you're not in active therapy.

^^^So, at this time - nothing in my meds have been changed.

that's not necessarily inconsistent with him thinking you may be capable of working.

^^^Understood. But there is that subjective area of PAIN. How is that handled?

SS will question how severe your pain is if you're not seeing a pain management doc or the equivalent.

The skin biopsy proves you have PN, not what your functional limitations are.

^^^Understood.

This might be a good time to request a referral for a Functional Capacity Evaluation. It will help provide your Neuro with objective test results regarding your abilities and limitations, as well as providing SS with the same.

^^^One has to walk at least a day in the shoes of the other to get an idea what the other's day is like. Is the above going to do that?

I underwent the testing I'm suggesting. They can determine your ability to function in an office setting over a day or even several days.

--And he is right, if he just guesses what he believes are your functional abilities, SS may or may not give it any weight. (Those forms your attorney asked your docs to fill out, and that were maybe even customized specifically for you, were probably a version of an RFC form.)

^^^Understood.

Did you give the Neuro a copy of the form that you had already filled in? If so, that was not a good idea IMO.

^^^I gave it to him as my brother suggested and I also told him he was free to throw it in the toss can if he so desired. I stated the reasons I gave them to him. Why do you think my bro's plan was a 'not a good idea'.

Just my opinion considering the circumstances.

BTW, it is possible SS will determine you are no longer capable of teaching PE due to your PN, and perhaps not teach any subject due to your BP disorder, but they might claim you are capable of a less stressful desk job.

^^^Which cannot be found . . . and if I sit for longer than an hour - my feet get naughty (painful). Remember neuro doc said MORE rest. That I do TOO MUCH. I said, 'all I do is pittle around my apt doing housework, paying bills, etc...

Less stressful desk jobs are certainly available, but you need to understand that you have to prove you're incapable of performing jobs as written in the D.O.T., not jobs in reality. You claim you can't sit for more than an hour without pain. You need to have medical documentation that you're not capable of sitting for more than hour.

In all my lengthy postings to you, the one thing I've forgotten to say is that qualifying for SSI/SSDI is a complex medical/legal evaluation.

^^^I understand.

One last thing, your brother can write a letter on your behalf, but unless he's a treating source, it will be the same as a letter from any other family member. His medical opinions might be 100% accurate, but they won't help you prove your SSDI claim, which needs medical documentation.