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Concerns regarding whether qualify for STD or SSI Disability
southerndiamond posted:
I have mild COPD w/Emphysema & just found out I have Hypoxia at night. I also use oxygen when I nap which is usually an hour to hour/half after I get up for approx. 2-2 1/2 hours. Then I am usually okay for day as far as sleeping. However, any exertion, walking to mailbox, walking into Walmart, wartering plants in may yard makes me very short of breath. Have had lung function tests, sleep apnea tests, & walking the halls of lung doctors office for 4 min to determine oxygen levels. Resting & walking after resting & oxygen level is 92. However, at night with hypoxia oxygen level is 81. My breathing consists of a great deal of wheezing. I am overweight ( 5'2", 202 lbs.) which I know contributes to my breathing problems but I've seen many overweight (obese) which I am, who don't have my breathing problems. I am currently on Sprivia, Symbicort, & 160 of albuterol along with 1. oxygen at night. I have Proventil as rescue inhaler. I have an appt scheduled for an Asthma test in couple weeks. I am very discouraged because when getting results from Pulmonoligist, she sent in her PA who basically said I had no lung problems other than mild COPD/Emphysema & Restless Leg Syndrome from Sleep Apnea Test, no sleep apnea. My primary physician is the one who order the test for oxygen levels & night and who put me on nebulizer & sybicort. It's like the lung doctor is in a pissing contest ( excuse my language) with my primary doctor. When I asked PA if I should continue my oxygen & night & nebulizer she said yes,, but also said I didn't have any lung problems. Anyone out there who could help me understand or have any suggestions. My primary has also recommended Pulmonary Rehab but my Pulmonigist said couldn't recommend because of resting oxygen levels. I am very confused. Any counsel would be greatly appreciatedl!!!
2 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Concerns regarding whether qualify for STD or SSI DisabilityI have mild COPD w/Emphysema & just found out I have Hypoxia at night. I also use oxygen when I nap which is usually an hour to hour/half after I get up for approx. 2-2 1/2 hours. Then I am usually okay for day as far as sleeping. However, any exertion, walking to mailbox, walking into Walmart, wartering plants in may yard makes me very short of breath. Have had lung function tests, sleep apnea tests, & walking the halls of lung doctors office for 4 min to determine oxygen levels. Resting & walking after resting & oxygen level is 92. However, at night with hypoxia oxygen level is 81. My breathing consists of a great deal of wheezing. I am overweight ( 5'2", 202 lbs.) which I know contributes to my breathing problems but I've seen many overweight (obese) which I am, who don't have my breathing problems. I am currently on Sprivia, Symbicort, & 160 of albuterol along with 1. oxygen at night. I have Proventil as rescue inhaler. I have an appt scheduled for an Asthma test in couple weeks. I am very discouraged because when getting results from Pulmonoligist, she sent in her PA who basically said I had no lung problems other than mild COPD/Emphysema & Restless Leg Syndrome from Sleep Apnea Test, no sleep apnea. My primary physician is the one who order the test for oxygen levels & night and who put me on nebulizer & sybicort. It's like the lung doctor is in a pissing contest ( excuse my language) with my primary doctor. When I asked PA if I should continue my oxygen & night & nebulizer she said yes,, but also said I didn't have any lung problems. Anyone out there who could help me understand or have any suggestions. My primary has also recommended Pulmonary Rehab but my Pulmonigist said couldn't recommend because of resting oxygen levels. I am very confused. Any counsel would be greatly appreciatedl!!!
susiemargaret responded:
hello, S --
i see two Qs here. one is about your experiences with your primary-care dr versus your pulmonologist; the other is about your possible eligibility for social security disability benefits.
give me a couple of days to respond; i need to look up some info for you.
there is another post asking about social security disability benefits, http://forums.webmd.com/3/depression-exchange/forum/9018 . is that one yours also?
i promise i'll get back to you if no one else answers first!
-- susie margaret
i see two Qs here. one is about your experiences with your primary-care dr versus your pulmonologist; the other is about your possible eligibility for social security disability benefits.
give me a couple of days to respond; i need to look up some info for you.
there is another post asking about social security disability benefits, http://forums.webmd.com/3/depression-exchange/forum/9018 . is that one yours also?
i promise i'll get back to you if no one else answers first!
-- susie margaret
what good is gold, or silver too, if your heart's not good and true -- hank williams, sr.
Report This| Share this:Concerns regarding whether qualify for STD or SSI Disabilityhello, S --<br /> <br />i see two Qs here. one is about your experiences with your primary-care dr versus your pulmonologist; the other is about your possible eligibility for social security disability benefits.<br /> <br />give me a couple of days to respond; i need to look up some info for you.<br /> <br />there is another post asking about social security disability benefits, <a href="http://forums.webmd.com/3/depression-exchange/forum/9018">http://forums.webmd.com/3/depression-exchange/forum/9018</a> . is that one yours also?<br /> <br />i promise i'll get back to you if no one else answers first!<br /> <br />-- susie margaret
susiemargaret responded:
hello, S --
well, obviously it took me more than a few days to get back to you, and i apologize for that! i hope you are still following this thread.
after thinking about it, i am seeing several problems here rather than just two.
the first is in the title of your post, where you are evidently asking whether your respiratory complications are serious enough that you would qualify for disability benefits (see PS). my answer is that i don't know. i have recently put together a summary of info about social security disability benefits, http://forums.webmd.com/3/chronic-disease-and-disability-exchange/forum/984 , and you might want to take a look at it for some guidance.
the second is your disappointment and disagreement with the findings of the pulmonologist, who basically said that your respiratory complications were not significant enough to warrant pulmonary rehab. associated with your objection to the pulmonologist's conclusions is your belief that you were not truly taken seriously by the pulmonologist, who delegated to her physician's assistant the responsibility of discussing your test results and condition.
finally, you are irritated and resentful that there seems to be a clash of diagnostic egos between your primary-care dr and your pulmonologist and that you have gotten caught in the middle of it.
i have two suggestions. one is that you ask your primary-care dr to refer you to a different pulmonologist so that you can get a second opinion about the implications of the various measurements of blood-oxygen levels when you are awake and asleep. while i am no specialist on what test results will be sufficient to support a finding that you are disabled under the law, i am quite sure that if you do decide to apply for disability benefits, you will almost certainly need a specialist's report that says something other than "no lung problems." of course, if your primary-care dr has particular knowledge of respiratory conditions, that might be enough.
i also believe that once you have additional test results and a second opinion from a different pulmonologist, you should consult a specialist in social security cases -- either a lawyer or a disability advocate -- for an assessment of your chances of prevailing on a claim for disability benefits. take a look at my discussion referenced above for advice in this respect.
i am so sorry that it took me so long to respond to you, and i am especially sorry that you are having such difficulty with your breathing. i hope you can get some definitive answers and that you will keep us posted on how you are doing.
-- susie margaret
PS -- what does "STD" stand for in the title of your post?
well, obviously it took me more than a few days to get back to you, and i apologize for that! i hope you are still following this thread.
after thinking about it, i am seeing several problems here rather than just two.
the first is in the title of your post, where you are evidently asking whether your respiratory complications are serious enough that you would qualify for disability benefits (see PS). my answer is that i don't know. i have recently put together a summary of info about social security disability benefits, http://forums.webmd.com/3/chronic-disease-and-disability-exchange/forum/984 , and you might want to take a look at it for some guidance.
the second is your disappointment and disagreement with the findings of the pulmonologist, who basically said that your respiratory complications were not significant enough to warrant pulmonary rehab. associated with your objection to the pulmonologist's conclusions is your belief that you were not truly taken seriously by the pulmonologist, who delegated to her physician's assistant the responsibility of discussing your test results and condition.
finally, you are irritated and resentful that there seems to be a clash of diagnostic egos between your primary-care dr and your pulmonologist and that you have gotten caught in the middle of it.
i have two suggestions. one is that you ask your primary-care dr to refer you to a different pulmonologist so that you can get a second opinion about the implications of the various measurements of blood-oxygen levels when you are awake and asleep. while i am no specialist on what test results will be sufficient to support a finding that you are disabled under the law, i am quite sure that if you do decide to apply for disability benefits, you will almost certainly need a specialist's report that says something other than "no lung problems." of course, if your primary-care dr has particular knowledge of respiratory conditions, that might be enough.
i also believe that once you have additional test results and a second opinion from a different pulmonologist, you should consult a specialist in social security cases -- either a lawyer or a disability advocate -- for an assessment of your chances of prevailing on a claim for disability benefits. take a look at my discussion referenced above for advice in this respect.
i am so sorry that it took me so long to respond to you, and i am especially sorry that you are having such difficulty with your breathing. i hope you can get some definitive answers and that you will keep us posted on how you are doing.
-- susie margaret
PS -- what does "STD" stand for in the title of your post?
what good is gold, or silver too, if your heart's not good and true -- hank williams, sr.
Report This| Share this:Concerns regarding whether qualify for STD or SSI Disabilityhello, S --<br /> <br />well, obviously it took me more than a few days to get back to you, and i apologize for that! i hope you are still following this thread.<br /> <br />after thinking about it, i am seeing several problems here rather than just two.<br /> <br />the first is in the title of your post, where you are evidently asking whether your respiratory complications are serious enough that you would qualify for disability benefits (see PS). my answer is that i don't know. i have recently put together a summary of info about social security disability benefits, <a href="http://forums.webmd.com/3/chronic-disease-and-disability-exchange/forum/984">http://forums.webmd.com/3/chronic-disease-and-disability-exchange/forum/984</a> , and you might want to take a look at it for some guidance.<br /> <br />the second is your disappointment and disagreement with the findings of the pulmonologist, who basically said that your respiratory complications were not significant enough to warrant pulmonary rehab. associated with your objection to the pulmonologist's conclusions is your belief that you were not truly taken seriously by the pulmonologist, who delegated to her physician's assistant the responsibility of discussing your test results and condition.<br /> <br />finally, you are irritated and resentful that there seems to be a clash of diagnostic egos between your primary-care dr and your pulmonologist and that you have gotten caught in the middle of it.<br /> <br />i have two suggestions. one is that you ask your primary-care dr to refer you to a different pulmonologist so that you can get a second opinion about the implications of the various measurements of blood-oxygen levels when you are awake and asleep. while i am no specialist on what test results will be sufficient to support a finding that you are disabled under the law, i am quite sure that if you do decide to apply for disability benefits, you will almost certainly need a specialist's report that says something other than "no lung problems." of course, if your primary-care dr has particular knowledge of respiratory conditions, that might be enough.<br /> <br />i also believe that once you have additional test results and a second opinion from a different pulmonologist, you should consult a specialist in social security cases -- either a lawyer or a disability advocate -- for an assessment of your chances of prevailing on a claim for disability benefits. take a look at my discussion referenced above for advice in this respect.<br /> <br />i am so sorry that it took me so long to respond to you, and i am especially sorry that you are having such difficulty with your breathing. i hope you can get some definitive answers and that you will keep us posted on how you are doing.<br /> <br />-- susie margaret<br /> <br /><b>PS</b> -- what does "STD" stand for in the title of your post?
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