Hi Hopeless,

Maybe it would be helpful for you to seek care with a reputable Physiatrist who can be given all of your most recent records (all conditions) and he/she then will be able to provide the RFC based on all conditions/limitations together. An Internal Medicine doctor should be equally qualified to do this but, a Physiatrist has a bit more training in whole body mechanics so that is whom I would seek first.

Keep pushing on,
Tessa

LIT LOVE...do u think that RFC's from all of them combined and sent to the main dr. to explain those issues as being part of the disabilities would be good, or not? Just curious about this for Hopeless and other's...thank you

I believe that a THOROUGH RFC form from any physician or PT SHOULD include obvious info about all of the disabling conditions even if the cause of a certain symptom is not part of their specialty.

For example, a cardiologist should write about the restrictions on activity or your activity tolerance due to your cardiac issues, like limits on weight lifting/carrying, walking ability due to SOB or increased heart rate, the need to keep feet elevated above the level of your hear to decrease edema, etc, but a thorough exam should reveal further limitations because of your other conditions. The cardiologist doesn't have to be the one who did an EMG to dx PN to notice that even though with your cardiac symptoms he would only recommend walking/standing for 15 minutes (I'm obviously just making up symptoms which you may or may not have), he can note that you cannot tolerate walking standing that much. He might report the subjective info, "Patient complain of severe pain in feet/legs after walking/standing for only 4-5 minutes. She states this is a complication of her PN which is followed by Dr X." Then he SHOULD add the objective data that he can observe, like "After walking for 3 minutes, patient started to get fidgety and her breathing became more labored. At the 4 minute mark, her face and arms were flushed and she was sweating profusely. She denied feeling SOB and stated that this was a typical reaction to her lower extremity pain due to PN. She sat down before the 5 minute mark and stated that she was unable to complete the treadmill stress test due to her pain. She reports that it takes 1/2 hour laying down for her pain exacerbations from walking to resolve. Bp sitting at beginning of test was 120/72. Bp after sitting out during test during complaints of pain was 174/98. Bp 45 minutes after pt rested by laying down with feet elevated above the level of her heart and pain medication was 110/68. Pt requires access to area to lay down with legs elevated at all times.

I'm not saying that every doctor WILL document like that, just that they SHOULD.

I would be concerned that any doctor's RFC form that only addresses their limited specialty and IGNORES the disabling condition would hurt my case

Hi Finz,

I have not learned how to use the quote system here so I will just re-type.

I'm not saying that every doctor WILL document like that, just that they SHOULD.


Yes, they should but they usually do not. Example: My cardiologist knows I can no longer do the treadmill test and ordered a Dexascan instead but made NO notation as to WHY I can no longer do the treadmill test.

Getting a doc to take the time just to answer the questions on a RFC is monumental. They are in such a hurry to just get it done, they don't even bother to answer the questions as posed. Example: If the answer is NO, indicate the percentage. Well, the doc answered YES, but then went on to indicate 100% when that was not to be answered. Blatantly obvious, he did not READ the entire question.

Hi Finz,

If only YOU were my doc or at least the person documenting for my doc. You are much more professional. Your wisdom is astounding. Your ability to express things is also very astounding. Thanks. You are always extremely helpful.

Hopeless