Husband Disability-Now What???
 

My husband has a massive blood clot in his leg which causes pain and it swells up we were required to see their doctor and did It is now 6 months .

Now we get another letter to see a mental doctor

Why is he required to see so many doctors???

When do you think we will finally get a decision

Thank You for listening He is really depressed now:confused:

For each disability/illness you see a different doctor (specialist). Your husband should have copies of all of his medical reports and doctors notes. Read them. It's the only way you will know exactly if the disability information that SSD has is correct or not. Any errors, your husband will need to correct.

Depends on various factors. The main one - is there a backlog in your state? Where is your husband at on his claim?
Initial claim filing?
Reconsideration stage?
ALJ stage?
Federal stage?
If represented by an attorney, you should be asking him/her about the status of claim.

Possibly what they are trying to pin down,

How much does the blood clot (symptoms, medications and such) limit him from working?

Is it a factor that the Drs cannot get it under control or dissolved - or the blood thinners are making him very susceptible to bleeding?


I thought most clots are able to be dissolved and resolved, unless he has something that is compressing and/or something else going on??, but I could be mistaken too...I haven't studied up on clots very much.


We have a family friend that had hardened matter in his leg veins or arteries - not sure if both or one or the other... but the surgeon had to go in and pretty much chisel the stuff out a few yrs ago and now it is back again..
plus the guy just had a quad bypass last fall.

If he is "really depressed", then SSA needs to assess if his depression is severe enough to be disabling. Without a current exam by a psychologist or psychiatrist, SSA would not be able to determine how severe is depression is.

no we do not have an attorney! He just filed in August

No his will never go away his leg vein is completely blocked from his groin to the foot

There is no way he could work his leg swells (Huge) and he also has high blood pressure
that he is taking 3 meds for.

I guess I am just thankful I got him to a doctor in time- If it would have traveled to his heart He wouldn't be here. He will be on blood thinners the rest of his life. Thank you for your reply

That is so dangerous. I would get to the all doctors right away if you want you case settled soon. If you get approved right away then it should be within 5 months but if you get denied be ready for the long haul. Here is a link that may help you.

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answ...eWszb0hPbWs%3D

Thanks so much in answering yes we know it is serious but nowthe examiner says they don't have a listing for this he also has depression so now he has to see the mental doctor. I think and pray this will be over soon. Any help will be appreciated

I would go with high blood pressure(it's a gamble but its been documented) as an impairment but still seek depression as an impairment. If you have another impairment,having blood clots, might make it a slam dunk even though it may not be listed its still possible to be disabled with a combination of impairments. Has he ever had heart problems? That would help being disabled with high b/p. Do a google search on SSDI -high blood pressure. Having time on your hands to win your case is a good thing because they might rush to a decision and it might be denied. I have high blood pressure and its mentioned in my award letter. I get tired after walking for 10 minutes and must sit down. What kind of job did he have and how old is he? These are major factors in being awarded SSDI. Bottom line-he must prove that he is unable to work. Standing job-must be able to stand for 6 out of 8 hrs. Sitting job-must be able to sit for 6 out of 8 hrs.

Thanks he will see the doctor on the 24th. And yes it is in his official filing on his blood pressure plus depression plus bloodclot and his surgery on his hand .

My husbands doctor told him if he should have a heartattack to tell them straight away that he has that blood clot in his leg.

Well all we can do is see their doctor in a few days again then wait some more. At least they didn't turn him down even if we have to see the mental doctor to me it soulds promissing to me.

Thanks to all I will keep you all posted on his condition

if his leg pain and swelling are his main complaints that prevent him from working, I would think the diagnosis that relates to those issues would be the main listing on his SSDI application

Based on SSA's policies, it doesn't seem like HTN would qualify as disabling unless it was causing something significant like compromised kidney function, which you haven't mentioned.

From http://www.ssa.gov/disability/profes...ular-Adult.htm

1. How will we evaluate hypertension? Because hypertension (high blood pressure) generally causes disability through its effects on other body systems, we will evaluate it by reference to the specific body system(s) affected (heart, brain, kidneys, or eyes) when we consider its effects under the listings. We will also consider any limitations imposed by your hypertension when we assess your residual functional capacity.***********************************************

It sounds like a more appropriate dx to list with SSA might be PVD:

G. Evaluating Peripheral Vascular Disease

1. What is peripheral vascular disease (PVD)? Generally, PVD is any impairment that affects either the arteries (peripheral arterial disease) or the veins (venous insufficiency) in the extremities, particularly the lower extremities. The usual effect is blockage of the flow of blood either from the heart (arterial) or back to the heart (venous). If you have peripheral arterial disease, you may have pain in your calf after walking a distance that goes away when you rest (intermittent claudication); at more advanced stages, you may have pain in your calf at rest or you may develop ulceration or gangrene. If you have venous insufficiency, you may have swelling, varicose veins, skin pigmentation changes, or skin ulceration.

2. How do we assess limitations resulting from PVD? We will assess your limitations based on your symptoms together with physical findings, Doppler studies, other appropriate non-invasive studies, or angiographic findings. However, if the PVD has resulted in amputation, we will evaluate any limitations related to the amputation under the musculoskeletal listings, 1.00ff.

3. What is brawny edema? Brawny edema (4.11A) is swelling that is usually dense and feels firm due to the presence of increased connective tissue; it is also associated with characteristic skin pigmentation changes. It is not the same thing as pitting edema. Brawny edema generally does not pit (indent on pressure), and the terms are not interchangeable. Pitting edema does not satisfy the requirements of 4.11A.

4. What is lymphedema and how will we evaluate it?

a. Lymphedema is edema of the extremities due to a disorder of the lymphatic circulation; at its worst, it is called elephantiasis. Primary lymphedema is caused by abnormal development of lymph vessels and may be present at birth (congenital lymphedema), but more often develops during the teens (lymphedema praecox). It may also appear later, usually after age 35 (lymphedema tarda). Secondary lymphedema is due to obstruction or destruction of normal lymphatic channels due to tumor, surgery, repeated infections, or parasitic infection such as filariasis. Lymphedema most commonly affects one extremity.

b. Lymphedema does not meet the requirements of 4.11, although it may medically equal the severity of that listing. We will evaluate lymphedema by considering whether the underlying cause meets or medically equals any listing or whether the lymphedema medically equals a cardiovascular listing, such as 4.11, or a musculoskeletal listing, such as 1.02A or 1.03. If no listing is met or medically equaled, we will evaluate any functional limitations imposed by your lymphedema when we assess your residual functional capacity.

**********************************************

4.11 Chronic venous insufficiency of a lower extremity with incompetency or obstruction of the deep venous system and one of the following:

A. Extensive brawny edema (see 4.00G3) involving at least two-thirds of the leg between the ankle and knee or the distal one-third of the lower extremity between the ankle and hip.

OR

B. Superficial varicosities, stasis dermatitis, and either recurrent ulceration or persistent ulceration that has not healed following at least 3 months of prescribed treatment.

4.12 Peripheral arterial disease, as determined by appropriate medically acceptable imaging (see 4.00A3d, 4.00G2, 4.00G5, and 4.00G6), causing intermittent claudication (see 4.00G1) and one of the following:

A. Resting ankle/brachial systolic blood pressure ratio of less than 0.50.

OR

B. Decrease in systolic blood pressure at the ankle on exercise (see 4.00G7a and 4.00C16-4.00C17) of 50 percent or more of pre-exercise level and requiring 10 minutes or more to return to pre-exercise level.

OR

C. Resting toe systolic pressure of less than 30 mm Hg (see 4.00G7c and 4.00G8).

OR

D. Resting toe/brachial systolic blood pressure ratio of less than 0.40 (see 4.00G7c).

thank you I don't understand any of this Tomorrow is his appointment with the doctor for his depression- Please pray for us!!! We are about to lose our vehicle.

Oh well they can be replaced his life can't God Bless you all.

What happened at the doctors office today?

we went to his mental exam now the wait is on the doctor said he was on warafin 1 x week- He asked my husband how much and when he took his my husband is on warafin daily. What people don't understand is his blood clot is huge it runs the whole length of the vein he has no flow at all. From his groin all the length of his leg to his foot. That is why his leg swells he has to keep it elevated.

Please say a prayer for him and God bless you all we need you all to get through this :cool;)