Posted 8/1/2009 1:56 AM (GMT 0)
Hey flowery. I was diagnosed with crohn's disease when i was 20 years old. After a years of the disease getting progressively worse and not being able to work anymore i decided it was time for me to file for disability. I went down to my local social security disability office and filed. Of course i was denied. 95% of people except for people who are blind get denied right off the bat. I decided i would appeal the decision and send the the paperwork back in. I also contacted a lawyer. Not knowing this man from a whole in the wall i called him from the yellow pages and set up a consultation. As we were having out consultation he informed me he knew this disease all to well unfortunately because his son was very sick with crohn's disease. It was really weird that i chose a lawyer whose son has crohn's disease. He helped me along the way, we got out trial date for the appeal and I won. I got my ssd. I've been on it now for about 4 years. Thank god because there is no way i could work with the crap this disease puts me through. Between being in the hospital every 6 months for horrible flares where i become dehydrated, run 104 fever, neasea, and other fun things it's ridiculous. I just had a small bowel ressection in august of 08 and they took a my terminal ilieum, ileocecal valve, and my appendix. I had a temp ileostomy for about 10 weeks then I was reversed. It has been a living hell. I've been on every single med made for crohns. The only thing left is methotrexate. I am currently on cimzia, apriso, nexium, xanax, flagyl, compizine, lomitil. I just recently tapered from 60 mg of prednisone after I had a small bowel obstruction a month ago. that was fun. severe abdominal pain and vomitting. so you try your hardest no matter how many times they turn you down. we all know what you're going through now you have to make them know. have the support of a good lawyer that knows what they are doing and also the support from your gi doc. good luck with everything and let us know how it goes.