Fibromyalgia Community

Hi Crystal, has anyone evaluated your hands for carpal tunnel?

I wish I knew the answers about unemployment, but it does make sense that the unemployment income would get cancelled if you applied for disability. It is not an easy road, either way.

Unemployment varies from state to state. In my state the first question they always ask on all forms is are you able and looking for work.

On SSDI disability forms they ask you if you are unable to work, how long you have been that way, etc.

You can't have it both ways, either you are able to work or you are not. Once you decide, then list what you can do and cannot do for your doctors, ask them if they would hire you?

Take care, Annette

Hi Crystal,
I can't respond to your concern about unemployment however, when applying for SSDI, it does help to have the support of a physician, preferably a specialist. Because changing doctors is normally frowned upon, you may want to discuss further with your rheumatologist just how debilitating your symptoms are.

Annette brings up a good point, would he or any of your other doctors hire you?

Good luck,
georgia

Everytime I read about disability it reminds me of the disussion blog on here where someone was asked during a disability hear to stand up & tear a piece of paper in half. When the applicant did, she was told, see you can be a ticket taker at the theatre.....

But everyone is correct, it depends on which state you live in. Annette was correct, you can't be getting unemployment & disability at the same time.

You can either work or you can't.

Thanks for all the input. However I do not want to collect both at the same time. I was asking him if I can stay on unemployment until I get disability. He said no, as they ask are you able to work and looking for work. So said no income until get my disability.

I just think though that he got mad at me when I did not want to up my Savella and instead wanted to go back to Gabapentin, as I liked it better. Savella was too much for me, let alone taking more of it. Plus I moved I am WV now and he was my doc in NJ. It's a 5 hr drive to see him now. Said can't do sleep study as no insurance for the chronic fatigue.

No he wouldn't hire me or I would hire myself. I am no longer dependable. I never know bad day or not. Never know when my IBS is going to kick in either. He suggested part time disability as feels if I go completely out I may get very depressed. I told him getting depressed I keep getting told I am over qualified.

Yes, I have been told carpel tunnel and R/A in my hands, so not helping. No insurance it is getting worse. My son the one day as getting ready for interview asked you are changing shoes, right? I said yes I'm not going in flip flops. Asked why, said well toes are bad enough from R/A but your feet look really bad now as they keep turning blue like they are now.

Real confidence builder as I am getting ready for an interview! My husband suggested working from home again, as I did that before. But not the greatest internet here in WV, have DSL now had high speed cable before. But I am thinking of doing that but again not much outside contact, and doc thinks I would get more depressed.

I guess I am just getting down from the job hunting and how much FMS has taken from me. I learned to deal with the R/A as teen when got that, then Lupus with the hair loss. But the FMS seems to be the worse for me. At least with the others I was not in pain every day with them, only when they flared. Now seems some pain every day with FMS. Some days better than others, I call good days, but never pain free now.

FMS sucks !!! : ) Just venting again, I guess. Thanks for once again all for being here. This too shall pass.

Crystal

My rheumatologist told SSA that he would not hire me, since he would never know which days would be good ones for me and which would not be productive ones.

I don't know how much that helped me, but I think it did help some.

Take care, Annette

FMS does suck. So do all types of disability.

Thank goodness, I had my husband and his income and insurance most of the time I waited for SSDI. I can't see how I would have managed otherwise.

SSDI depends on working and earning quarter credits, if you don't work you lose eligibility after awhile. Be aware of that, and do not let things go for too long before you apply.

You don't get Medicare for two years after your SSDI starts, so if you don't have access to other insurance you are screwed. Don't let that lapse for too long either if you can help it. Just my SSDI as my only income, would have made me make too much $$ for medicaid in my state.

SSDI only covers full time disability, tell your doctor that. In my state there is no local or state disability, like in Calif.

A lot of this stuff is out of our control. That also sucks.

Take care, Annette