Originally Posted by echoes long ago

He has small fiber peripheral neuropathy which has been confirmed by a skin biopsy which is the gold standard test to diagnose small fiber peripheral neuropathy. so that much is set. what cani has to do is explain how the symptoms of his peripheral neuropath prevent him from being able to work. Pain, numbness, weakness, balance difficulties, unsteady gait,heavyness in legs etc prevent him from being able to sit, stand, walk, run, bend, climb, reach, kneel, squat etc for specific periods of time or not at all.
I have peripheral neuropathy also, only large fiber instead of small which also prevent me from doing the above things for more than a very small period of time. It is a very painful condition. I was approved for peripheral neuropathy and asthma after a hearing. The purpose of the hearing turned out to be to set an onset date for my disability, not whether i would be approved.

Originally Posted by canifindagooddr

So, in one sense you got approved first try? May I ask what year this happened in? It seems to be harder and harder for one to get the INSURANCE that they paid for when we they get disabled. Thank you for sharing your story. I really appreciate it!

NEWS FLASH that we can discuss more on tomorrow - to my shock and dismay my neurologist flat out told me, "It is not a disabling condition. I have hundreds of patients that have PN and they work." GHEZ. I then asked him, "Then way is the condition in the SSA Blue Book?" "It is in there for people that have it very SEVERELY."

BUT . . . he was very concerned about my mental state. He is going to call my shrink tomorrow. He thinks if I learn how to cope with it better, it won't bother me so much . . . and then I'll get better.

I asked about PT at home . . . 15 minutes house work, then 30 minutes rest. Repeat . . . throughout the day. "You are doing too much."

I told him I am doing very little. Why? The symptoms that are quoted below... So . . . my treatment plan is to do less . . . see a psychologist once a week . . . and probably a med change with my AD. Get off Well-B . . . and get on one of those old AD's that are listed as front line. He was much more concerned about my mental state, then he was my feet. Strange . . . He wrote, "Patient is under tremendous social stress, he has Bipolar disease. Needs to develop better coping skills." He wrote more, but I can't find that other set of paper yet. Visit summary. Thanks again for sharing.

Originally Posted by canifindagooddr

Would you please edit out my first name in your post below. Thanks.

Originally Posted by LIT LOVE

So the timeline isn't quite so simple. I was thinking you had coped with the mental impairments, the PN became severely disabling and that led to an exacerbation of your mental impairments.

2007 major life event occurred - it caused me to use the services of a shrink. And since that date, I have been under the care of a shrink. I was doing fine at school. THEN, a major event happened at school. I couldn't cope. I fell apart mentally and had to use 12 weeks of FMLA. I came back to school to finish that year. Had the plan. Was working my way successfully through that -- then this year the PN got worse and worse. . . 'and that led to an exacerbation of my mental impairments' had to use fmla again for 12 weeks - did not return to school and resign my teaching position late in May.


You will need to explain your mental impairments were severe enough where you had to use FMLA, than PN became disabling, and then there was an escalation of your mental impairments.

I'm confused. Mental was fine. Feet got worse. Mental got worse. Feet got worse. Mental got worse. Continue that pattern until I just couldn't take it any more - the biggest problem being the feet. However, the body/mind connection and hence the pattern of a downward spiral mentally and physically until 12 weeks of fmla and no returning to school and resignation of my teaching position. Shrink wrote FMLA note because he was the only doc, at that time, that I had a good relationship with.

How to map this out? I'm not really sure within the context of these forms. A letter covering the Listed Impairments and timelines might be appropriate.

A 2 page letter max as an attachment describing fmla year, then plan year, then finally fmla this year and resignation of my teaching job. I need to write and attach something like that? I can handle that task.

The icing was supposed to be your mental impairments.

So, i was going with PN, and mental was to be the icing BUT since my neuro doc is NOT on board - mental is no longer my icing? Mental now has become my cake? I can see and write that - TRUTHFULLY. Is that the plan? Again, do it with the 2 page letter mentioned above? Again the mind/body connection. Lincoln once said something to the effect of, 'when my feet are hurting me . . . my mind does not work right'. I understand Abe!

It sounds like without the PN you could very well have ended not being able to perform that job.

Yes. That is correct. I get very neuotic towards the end of the year when I have to be in charge of our Field Days. I feel like the whole world is watching me - and that it is too big of a project for me to pull off . . . get helpers . . . . equip, plan stations/events . . . and yes, i was depressed about the divorce . . . missing my girls . . . me living in three different places in a three month period while still trying to teach. Pearl Harbor could have happened in the summer. She chose to do it in the middle of the first quarter of school and the evil way she began the thing...

(But you might have done better at a job with less social interaction.)

YES. Exactly right. So, what do we do with that info?


I can do a pretty good job of being able to edit out what shouldn't be there, but it's trickier to know what you should include because I just don't know your history.

Originally Posted by Hopeless

Hi,

I did not mean to sound disrespectful in the least. I agree that from YOUR perspective, there is no job that fits your situation. I was just trying to mention that being educated can be a hurdle. I wasn't voicing a personal view, I was only mentioning something that may be considered by SSDI.

Sorry if it did not come out on paper the way I meant it.


Everything is fine and I am not the least bit offended. Honestly.


Let's play a game for a minute. Let's pretend YOU work for SSDI and I were to apply for benefits. You don't know me and I tell you that my feet hurt so bad that I can't function for more than a few hours at a time. You can't see my pain nor feel it. How do you know if I am being truthful or not?

I have no idea. Talk to creditable witnesses. See what your medical records say. But, ultimately - I have no idea because it cannot objectively be measured.


Before you take this wrong, I DO believe you and your suffering but I am just trying to make a point here. An ALJ can make a decision as to whether they find you credible or not. That is my point. As I have said, you need to paint a picture for them on paper and that is NOT an easy task.

I can write well. And, I agree - credibility is key. Maybe 25 straight years of teaching school with my pension just 6 years away . . .we 'score' me some creditably points. A friend of mine who has been on SSDI for PN for over 20 years now . . . says others writings . . . a few people that know you well describing your life before PN and now with PN can greatly help one win their case.


The reason you have to answer so many questions, complete so many forms, have medical documentation, etc. is because anyone can apply for benefits and claim they have pain that prevents them from working.

Agreed. But my work history and my volumes of medical records give my case credibility. Just SIX more years. I had light at the end of my tunnel! Six more years of teaching . . . then full benefits. BUT . . .PN visited me . . . and it fired up all my long documented mental conditions. The two combined rendered me unable to work.

It is SSDI's job to ferret out the truthful deserving applicants from the scammers. You must be found credible by the ALJ if you go before one.

I totally believe your pain and suffering but I am not SSDI. You need to try to see how they will perceive you from the answers you provide on the forms.

I think the manner above - polished up and with notes from others that are also creditable will help me possibly win my case.

Please forgive me if I have sounded a bit like the devil's advocate. I found it helpful to try to see things from the SSDI view rather than just my own perspective. It may help you in answering all the questions that you have in front of you.

I agree. To not have a 'devil's advocate' is for one to be a fool. And, I try to avoid doing that. So thank you for your assistance and again I have not been offended in the least.

If Lit Love disagrees, remember, always take her viewpoint. I only guess.

Originally Posted by echoes long ago

2005 going back to 2003. your neurologist is an idiot...

I'm afraid I'm beginning to believe the same especially when I read all the contradictions in his summaries. The my MD bro picked out even more. I thought he 'understand' - instead, yes - he's acknowledging that I have PN - but then gives me a 'BIG DEAL' kind of thing. . .

there are many many people who are on diability and cant work because of peripheral neuropathy. it is a highly disabling condition for many.

Yes, I know them. I have read about them. But my doc says, "I don't have that kind of NP. He has hundreds of patients that have my kind of NP . .. and they work . . . And yet he tells me to do less and less work around my house. No walks over ten minutes. I'm so frustrated. I thought when I got the skin biopsy back - it was GAME OVER!

when i was approved my emg was showing my PN to be moderate to severe. it is now severe. it progresses slowly for me anyway. i know an emg wont help you since it cant detect small fiber neuropathy. i think you need a new neurologist.

Originally Posted by LIT LOVE

I thought you said you had limitations for both sitting and standing? Was that something that you came up with on your own and not documented in your medical records?

In one of his summaries he wrote, "Patient had to stop after one hour of driving to get out of his car due to PN pain. He walked a bit and then return. No doc is going to take two hours to see if you can stand for an hour and then if you can sit for an hour. It's about creditably again.


A diagnosis of the one of the Listed Impairments is not enough. You must be able to prove you meet the requirements through medical documentation as well. Anyone that meets those requirements will be severely disabled.
The requirements in the blue book for PN? Can we add my mental limitations with my PN and come up with me winning my case?
You might also be able to "Equal" a Listed Impairment with two or more disabilities.
Confused. I needed to give this stuff a break for now.
You doc's comments will certainly make it more difficult for you to receive an approval.