Wittesea,
One thing you are wrong about is if you are in the state of California, you CAN apply for state disability & for SSDI at the same time. State disability runs out here in 12 months. You can collect State Disability & SSDI at the same time. Neither the state nor SSDI care if you receive both. I received both legally.

And now I receive both SSDI & Long term disability.

Also there are only a handful of states that even offer state disability. I do not know if Michigan offers a state disability program. And at this time you can earn oup to $750 a month before SSDI starts to deduct your earnings from what you receive from SSDI. SSDI doesn't care how much you receive monthly from any type of disability program. I receive way over $750 from LTD. Now LTD deducts what I receive from SSDI from what they would normaly have to pay me.

Lisa,
You should do what you feel you should do. Try telling them that they are part of the major stress that you go thru each day & each week & maybe if they backed off then your stress level might go down thus lowering your pain levels. Worth a try.

DebbyV

In PA, the amount to earn and affected (state) SSA is different from the SSDI.

This year the SSDI earned income level was raised to $900 Jan 1st before it affects. I have worked all of 2006 and not received a gainful month, nor deemed medically improved. I earn about $560 a month, no SSA, only SSDI. I also receive Section 8 rental income for a trailer I rent.
Dianne

I just wanted to say hi and tell you that I am sorry that you are going through so much.

In Co. You can get both SSI and SSDI at the same time but they offset each other and they also have a state program that pays you money while you are fighting for either or both of these and the state just takes back the money they gave you out of the backpay from SSI or SSDI. I would check and see if either state offers that.

Also as far as the Mayo clinic, I have thought many of time about going there because of feeling like I don't have some of the right diagnoses. My PCP wants me to go to CA. though to a clinic there rather then the Mayo. He says they have a much better clinic then the Mayo. When I talked to the Mayo a few years ago also they told me that you have to have a diagnoses before you came there. That part just didn't sound right to me. Bill and I were planning on taking a trip this year so I could go to CA.

I can understand your family in a way because Bill had asked me many of time why someone couldn't do something for me. I have been to 100's of Drs., not lying and they have given me so many diagnoses I could honestly go down into the Guinness Book of Worlds Records and I still don't think they have hit on the right ones.

I think RSD is one that Drs. are just guessing at treatments. By reading on here and seeing how many different meds everyone is taking and different treatments is gives realization to that fact. It's not like other diseases where they have specific meds for it seems.

With TOS like you I have had the right side done and I have seen a major difference since my surgery. The fact is though I still have TOS on the right side even though I had the surgery. I don't have the numbness and tingling but I still know what I can and can't do with that right arm. The left needs fixing but I am so hesitant on getting that side done. I trust Dr. S completely but the surgery is so hard to heal from. I'm also taking my surgeries in order as I feel they are needed but that TOS surgery just keeps getting put off even though I have no doubt it is needed.

I think it is very hard for your family to except the fact that you are going to stay in so much pain and be in the shape you are in because they love you so much. It just bothered Bill like crazy that I couldn't get well. I just kept telling him that the Drs. were doing all they could do.

They see us cry so much because of the pain, run from Dr. to Dr. trying to help ourselves and seeing that we don't seem to be getting anywhere.

I have mixed feelings about people working with the TOS and the RSD because of what it does to a person. I honestly can't say it makes you worse but I do know that we are very limited to what we can do with the TOS and then to have the RSD mixed in makes it so much worse.

Also with the disablity you do have to have a letter from a Dr. saying you will be off work for a year. Nowadays it seems somewhat easier to get it then it did when I started fighting for mine and RSD I believe is now considered on the SS list for disablity as well as Fibro. Liz pretty much covered everything about SS. She is right on it. I do know that once you get on it you can work and make some money but at the time you try and get on it you can't be working. Bill was able to work and make 800. a month so he ran our antique store and he never had any problems with SS. He only kept it open so many days a week to keep under that guideline and to keep hisself going at the time.

It sounds like you are so happy being able to work that you are able to cope with the pain better then even your loved ones can. It also sounds like you are very angry at your family for pressuring you. I can understand that because I felt pressured just when Bill would ask me why no one could get me well. But it was just me being angry at the Drs. myself that made me feel that way.

I am blessed with a wonderful PCP that has stood by me for 16 years but I still get mad at him at times because I feel like I'm not getting anywhere with my health problems. I've bit his head off more then once. LOL We can't help but have some anger over the shape we are in I don't think. We see it more when we try to do the things we use to do and can't.

Anyway, I do hope that you can help them to understand your side and I hope that you will relax more with their feelings.

Have a good evening.
Ada

I did apply for state and SSDI at the same time - state was just approved faster.

Once SSDI was approved, my state continued for a few months, and then I asked them to discontinue the benefits because I was about to get married and I did not need the state anymore once I was married (Plus once I got married I would not qualify for state anymore anyway).

I never meant to imply that you can't do both together. A lot of people get both state and SSDI and have state Medicaid and federal Medicare at the same time.

Hi Lisa,
I filed for disability back about 5 years ago, and of course was denied and my Dr wanted me to contest it well I did but according to the SSA they never received my papers in the mail where I was contesting their decision. Of course I would have starved to death on what I would have been able to draw. At that time I had been self-employed as a hairdresser for 20+ years and could not do that anymore due to having to stand and with the RSD being in my foot well I just can't stand for hours a day. I have been able to find work that I could do and am much happier than if I chose to stay home.

Myself, I am just not able to stay at home because it drives me crazy so I would much rather work as long as I can find work that I can do. I know it isn't easy having to get up and get motivated when in such pain but so far I have been lucky and would not work for someone who wasn't compassionate about my disease. I guess if I had to try and work in a wheelchair I would just to be able to work. If I just lay around and take it easy for more than a day my Fibromylagia pain is a lot worse than if I keep active, and it seems that my RSD hurts more if I don't move much.

Explain to your SO and his mother that you would rather keep working as long as possible and you appreciate their concern but that stress doesn't help your pain at all. Also like someone else mentioned, I was told by SSA and my DR that I could not be working and file at the same time.

Keep us posted.. You are in my thoughts and prayers as always..

Love,
Janet

when i applied for ssd (social security disability )
they told me to file for both(ssd) and (ssdi) in the beginning as it is standard procedure.............however, they denied the ssdi (social security disablity income) right away as we had too many assets and with franks income i was not eligible........
ssd in michigan is like someone already said.......if you are unable to work for more than 12 months you may qualify for ssd...............
if you do receive ssd, you are only allowed to earn 800 per month before your benefits would be lowered.........
hope this helps...............

It is hard for "outsiders" to understand what someone with RSD goes through BESIDES the pain.

My husband has had RSD in his leg since 1995 - He was unable to work for quite sometime but after therapy, a pain management clinic (which I think is good for everyone - He went to Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota), he finally was able to manage his pain (for the most part) and go back to work.

Bringing in an income makes an RSD sufferer feel important again, gives them their pride back, makes them feel wanted and needed.

My husband being the primary wage earner was extremely prideful and needed to do something.....anything.

The down-side to that pridefulness....

If you work at all - SS will turn you down. It will not help appealing over and over again...If you can work at all you will be denied.

I believe your family is thinking ahead - Incase there comes a day when you cant work and has your best interest at heart. I'm also sure THEY feel that you are suffering needlessly and that you would be more comfortable at home and would not be in as much pain.

What they dont realize is that for you and every RSD sufferer - feeling important, worthy, wanted, and needed over-rides the need for comfort.

There are ways to compromise - Maybe work from home? Would your boss agree to that? Or how about doing volunteer work? That way you are still getting out of the house, doing something positive and this will give you self-worth, giving you a purpose and adding meaning to your life. Be creative, the answer will come to you.

HubbyWithRSD