Quote:
Originally Posted by palomine
I was approved for disability seven years ago and I'm now undergoing a CDR. However, I haven't sought treatment during the past year, so there aren't any recent medical records.
Should I start seeking treatment immediately or wait to see if Social Security requests that I go for a consultative exam?
They received my forms a few days ago, and they don't have any updated information to go on except for what I told them about my condition. My original diagnosis was delusional disorder, but I also have symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
I was on Seroquel for a few months while I was in the process of qualifying, but it just made everything worse. I stopped taking it after I learned it causes diabetes and various other health problems. I immediately felt better.
Obviously I need to get a more recent evaluation. Would it be a good idea to schedule an appointment and then let Social Security know that I've started to seek treatment? It might be a few weeks before they make a decision, so I could be seeking treatment during that time and then they'd have something to go on and maybe I wouldn't have to go for the consultative exam.
I realize now that I should have sought treatment during the past year in order to help bolster my case, but since I didn't, I was wondering what the best approach would be at this point.
If they stop my payments, I'm going to appeal. But I was thinking, I might be able to prevent that by starting treatment with a psychiatrist now. Or would it be better to see a psychologist?
I've been reluctant to see a psychiatrist because I don't like being on psychiatric drugs. But I might start taking them again if it could help me retain my benefits.
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If you need medical treatment you should seek it. You should take medication because it controls the negative symptoms of an illness. Neither should be done for the purpose of proving that you have a severe disabling condition or for purposes of retaining disability benefits. There should be a medical need and apparently you do not believe you have a medical need.
If you do not need medical treatment, you probably should be looking for work instead. You can appeal a decision to cease benefits and drag out payment continuation and hire an attorney and look for a doctor now and argue that you know your condition better than any medical professional, but it really sounds to me like you should be able to hold a job now.
There are people with diagnosable conditions that can't get medical treatment or needed medications because they don't have health insurance. And you have either Medicare or Medicaid and you don't need it.