Originally Posted by Hopeless

It an applicant states PAIN is the debilitating factor preventing them from work, since it is subjective, a doctor must indicate that you have a condition that would reasonably cause that degree of pain.

***I have multiple conditions that cause pain, and mental issues. And the mental issues feed into the pain/PN and a vicious cycle begins . . .

It sounds as if the neuro does NOT think your objective skin biopsy results indicating SFN sufficient for your pain levels and will not support your pain levels. THAT is a problem.

***As Echo pointed out - my KU doc is inconsistent. I understand it is a problem if he does not support me with PN and pain. But his big concern about my psyche might come in 'handy'. He was concerned enough when I visited him, that he talked to me about going to the ER . . . and getting my 'mind' checked out . . . additionally, he contacted a social worker who is suppose to be looking for a therapist for me here in my area. Finally, he said he is going to call my shrink . . . So, as far as my SSDI case goes, I can make my 'mind' be the 'cake', and PN and its pain making the cake worse -- is the 'frosting'. What do you think?

It is not enough to have objective test results, you must also have support from a physician, that the pain levels you experience are reasonable for that condition.

^^^I respectfully disagree. Two people can have the exact condition, yet one has been given the mental tools to deal with it well . . . and the other has not. Therefore, they experience their pain differently. The mind/body connection is real. There are plenty of stories about soldiers with SEVERE tissue damage . . . that felt no bad at all . . . .until months later, when the battle was over. And then still . . .some with severe tissue damage did not do well with pain . . . and others . . . with an injury of equal severity did.

I believe that everyone on NT that suffers with SFN will attest to the fact that their condition DOES indeed cause such severe pain. But if your physician does not support that, it is a problem. The ALJ is NOT a doctor, he is a judge.

^^^I agree with you 100%. I hope he 'falls out of bed, and bumps his head' and reflects back a bit and thinks/says, "Hey . . . what in the world was I doing telling that person that he could work and comparing to hundreds of my others patients. I need to think about this some more. Maybe I came to a wrong conclusion. I am young (38). I have never walked a day in his shoes. And . . .didn't they teach me in med school about people having different tolerances for pain...." I am very unfortunate and disappointed about his current position. Maybe, over time, he'll change it. If my case goes before a Judge, I will have plenty of articles about PN and SNF in particular . . . that show that its most common symptom is PAIN. Often times SEVERE pain. I already got one like that from the NIH.gov site.

Please read the link I provided regarding pain. I think you will find it very beneficial.