I just heard from a friend of mine and she has a hearing date on aug 7th..
it took a year after she got an attorney involved.

My attorney filed a request an ALJ hearing on july 2nd. Do you know if you are penalized if you decide to find another doctor. I am not happy with my neurologist..he never has answers only another pill to try...I am up to 11 a day and at times I forget what pill does what. Now he wants me to try
noratrpilyne?? I read up on it and the said affects were listed as hear palpations..I do not want any of that..I have anxiety attacks as it is..

My B12 blood test came back over 4000 I asked if that was unusal he said nothing...

I cried during the visit out of frustration of being in pain all of the time and not being able to do the things I used to..it was ambarrassing..I left there the same speech as usual "keep active so that your muscles do not weaken from the neuropathy and watch your blood sugars" my right arm has had weakness now for over 6 months, hands shakes when attempting to write and the right side of my right hand often is numb...again no answer...I have had it...

Anyone here experience these symptoms is it truly the neuropathy?

You really do have to watch how the paperwork is filled out......for example, did your doc write that you can only sit for 15 min max ? Did you then write on your 'typical day' form that you sit around most of the day ? Well,then there is a conflict which can lead to denial.

Did the doc write that you can stand for 15 minutes and sit for 15 minutes ? SSDI doesn't see that as you can only sit for 15 minutes....they see that you can stand for a total of 1/2 hour per hour and sit for 1/2 hour per hour....so you can do a job with 4 hours standing and 4 hours sitting per shift.

Do you actually sit for 15 minutes then stand for 15 minutes and keep repeating ? Or....if the pain increases when you sit or stand for 1/2 hour straight, do you have to go lay down ?

Do you have decreased mental acuity (brain fog) from the increased pain because you can't concentrate on work ? Do you get more spacey when you take narcotics and/or Neurontin/Lyrica etc ?

The ALJ told me not to give info about your best day or your worst day....to write about an average day......so if, say, on average you can't tolerate having shoes on for more than an hour a day (just guessing if the neuropathy affects your feet), then they need to find you a job where you can be barefoot

I know that I filled out some of those forms wrong, making it seem like I could do more. Obviously, my intent was not to make it sound like I was just fine........but I was so nervous that they would think I was lying or exaggerrating, as the WC people seem to feel I was, that I described my best days.........ie, saying I could stand up to 4 hours because I did do that once (in the 5 years I've been disabled) when I went Christmas shopping. I'm not going to write that I can only stand for about 10 minutes....which is usually about my limit, when I have stood for longer, but there is no room to explain all of it on those forms. Like on my big Christmas shopping day at an outlet mall....my sister drove, I was doubling up on the narcotics, and I was in bed for 3 days after that.......but SSDI ignores all of that, because I checked off that I could stand for up to 4 hours

I was approved so rapidly that I got very little backpay. I got a letter of approval, but they never told me on what basis I was approved. My dx's included major depression; essential tremor; spondalolesthesis; spinal stenosis; restless leg syndrome. MHMR filled out the application forms for me due to my tremor, and I provided dr's name/address and medications for each dx. Then I scribbled on the back page of the second form what activities each dx kept me from doing. Major depression makes it hard to initiate and maintain activity; essential tremor interferes with writing and computer use rapid enough to hold a job; the spinal/back dx's interfere with vacuuming, raking, sitting, and so forth. I think this linkage of each dx with the interference with maintaining work was valuable, and doctor's records apparently supported this.

Hun I've always lerned in my 10 yrs now this is in Texas laws.......They will always turn u down the first time.......After the first I got a lawer then it took 2 more times to go through the judge was upset that I had to wait so long but it took about 2 yrs once the ball starting rolling hun Hope this is what u needed Shey

I went through a legal firm and it took eight months. I was denied on the initial filing but was awarded on appeal. I do understand that my case was pulled for an audit. Perhaps it helped with the approval.

One plus, is that I had medical records from the same Rheumy for seven years and I do go every three months. My Dr. also generated a very detailed report (hx, dx, meds, everything) to help with things.

I wish you the best, it is a very stressful thing to go through.

Mere

Well my medical records do not go back that far.

2000 to 2006 Occasionally appointments with my primary care physician for treatment of diabetes..2006 a podiatrist diagnosed me diabetic neuropathy... follow ups with my endo...sent to kidney specialist in July 08 then could not work approved for short term disability August 08 then long term in Feb 08 then my employer released me after I was approved for long term disability.

Looking back I wished I did not ignore the signs from my body but I kept on working and now I am on disability awaiting approval of social security benefits.

I understand, I waited three years after I "retired" from my job before I filed because I thought I would get better!

Mere

From ss point of view, it makes a world of sense! The billions they collect in interest on our money is staggering!

Interest on our money..I am sorry I am new to this board and process..what do you mean they collect interest?
I know if approved the majority of my backpay goes back to my LTD provider
but interest??

Please if you could explain..thx

SS invents all of our and employers matched earnings over the years! Our pay-out is only a drop in the bucket!

Mere