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Disability while trying to get a diagnosis?

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Fibromyalgia
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Posted 9/19/2008 8:15 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone here had any trouble getting disability benefits through their employer while trying to diagnose something like fibromyalgia? I have been out of work since the very end of July because I suddenly started to have panic and anxiety attacks after being in remission for a good few months (I read that a fibromyalgia flare can cause meds to not work as well as they used to so I'm wondering if that's what happened with me.) As of today I have not yet been diagnosed with anything, just bouncing from doctor to doctor, going through test and test. I'm still covered for state disabilty, but my employer part has been denied. I don't know how to prove to them that I cannot work right now, I'm in pain, my anxiety is so high and I am so tired all day it's terrible. My job requires me to sit all day at a computer and take phone calls. I can't sit for too long without pain. Who or what is the best way for me to show the disability company that I cannot work right now? sad
Posted 9/20/2008 12:16 PM (GMT 0)
I went through something very similar at my last job. I had gone out on disability (STD) due to physical pain and inability to focus. Thankfully I have a pretty cooperative doctor and he referred me over to a psychologist friend of his. The psych doc just wrote up the FMLA paperwork as anxiety and at that point the company disability finally gave in. What had happened the first time that I submitted them, and why the company denied them the first time, was that my doc had not been specific enough in his 'diagnosis' of why it was that I should be taken off work. He didn't write it specifically enough cause there wasn't a specific enough physical reason for me to be off. That's why he referred me to his psych friend.

I don't know if any of my own story will help you, but I would suggest talking to your doctor about this. A lot of times they've been through this with other patients and sometimes have some good ideas too.
Posted 9/21/2008 2:22 AM (GMT 0)
My DH went on short term disability last year for a month due to pancreatitis. He was in and out of two different ER's, numerous visits with various doctors etc....

It was HARD getting his disability with a diagnosis I can't imagine trying to get it without one!!

None of the specialists would write up anything for him to be off of work. His family doc was very understanding since they had a prior relationship. He could clearly see that DH had lost upwards of 40 pounds that he couldn't afford to loose and told him to go home with the note he wrote up stating that he couldn't work at all (not even on a limited schedule--he is a mechanic) UNTIL he was released to do so by him.

DH kept in touch with him weekly either by phone or in person. Once he started to put weight back on, meaning he was feeling better, he was released to work again.

The problems started in early Sept....we knew what it was since he had been through it twice before but the docs kept saying it was something else hence it taking a month to diagnose AND he still had to work. He ended up being off of work the entire month of Oct. That was a long month........but that is for another post!

 

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