New to forum & have a disability question

Hello, I'm glad to find a forum to join. I was participating on a couple of them via Facebook but the discussion boards have beeen shut down on that site so I've been without a 'group' for a while.

I'm located in Canada and have a question about going on disability.  I have private insurance via my employer and the benefits handbook says I can go on short term disability which turns into long term disability after 17 weeks.

Has anyone gone through this process before? If so, do you have any tips or advice for me?

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto Disease, FMS and CFS two years ago and find that working full-time is too much for me.  My doctor has had me start to work from home one day per week (my employer was not happy, but had to oblige).  Even doing that I feel like it's too much.  My last doctor visit the doc suggested that I make a major change and my goal should be to just do contract work at home and/or start checking into the types of disability I am eligible for.  My main problems are frequent FMS flare ups and extreme fatigue. I take meds and they help but I still struggle. 

At what point did you decide to go on disability?

What age were you? (I'm 43)

Any downside to being at home?

I'd really appreciate the input. I am very stressed out about this and looking for a way to manage the problem and plan for the future.

Hi, Booklvr, and welcome!  I'm so glad you found us and joined the family!  I live in Florida and am on Social Security Disability.  I got that when I was 50 years old...shortly after my husband passed on.  I have fibro and a myriad of other illnesses so I had no problem getting disability.  I'm not sure how your Canadian system works, though, so I can't be much help to you.  But we have quite a few Canadians on this forum so I'm sure they'll pop in with some good responses.

 

You might not want to throw in the towel just yet, though.  There are some things that can really help with fibro pain.  I use malic acid/magnesium supplements, vitamin D3 supplements, and a natural product called Curamin to help me with my fibro pain.  I don't take any of the prescription meds for fibro....yet.  I hope I never have to, either.  Also, daily exercises, like walking, is very good for fibro and helps lessen the pain and fatigue.  Gentle massages and hot showers work wonders, too.  So, as you see, there are things you can try before you start giving up your career.  It's worth a shot, at least!

 

Be sure to read Fibro 101...the second thread on the forum.  There are links to good info about fibro and you will learn a lot there.  Good starting links are called Symptoms and A Thorough Explanation of Fibromyalgia.  You just might see yourself there.  There are links about the malic acid and also the vitamin D3 that I mentioned above and how these work in your body.  All the links are good so do read them.  They are chock full of info.

 

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.  Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you.  Hope to hear more from you soon.

 

Sherrine

Thanks for the responses everyone. The input is much appreciated.

Packrat, your tip about EI is a good one and I'll certainly check on that. Seems shady to me that they would make a person use gvt benefits after paying for private insurance, but from what I've learned the insurance companies are not up-and-up with how they manage payouts.

I'd appreciate knowing if you got on disability for Fibro or was it for another condition?
Does age play a factor?
Did you have to hire a lawyer?

I just saw my GP today and getting a referral to a specialist. He warned me that a lot of the specialists are difficult about fibro cases as there isn't much they can do for the patient and some of them still don't even believe in fibro! I will likely be on a long waitlist to get in to a specialst. Hopefully it will be in a few months but you know Canada, it could take a year to get into a specialist here.

I look forward to hearing from you again. Your information is very helpful.

Booklvr - I was just reading your fist post where you said that disability will pay you for 17 weeks. Is that from the day that you stop working? I ask because 17 weeks if the number of weeks one can be in EI sickness benefits - 2 week waiting period + 15 weeks of paid benefits. Are you sure that there is not a 17 week waiting period for disability during which time they expect you to draw EI?

Also, both EI and disability insurance will expect you to use up all paid sick leave you might be entitled to from your employer before you apply for their benefits.

I left work 5 years ago when I was 58. I was diagnosed with FM 5 years before that and tried to keep on working but I just got to the point that one day that I just couldn't do it another day. I worked in the Public Service and so have a disability plan. I had to use up what was left of my paid sick leave and then draw EI sickness benefits before I could be entitled to any type of disability benefits.

That's the way most DI plans work. They won't pay you if there's someone else who will. The bad thing is that EI usually pays less than DI plans at 60% of insurable earnings whereas most DI plans will pay up to 70% of actual earnings. Not all of your earning may be insurable as you only pay EI premiums on your income up to a maximum amount so the gap between EI and DI may be greater than 10%.

Like Starry-Eyes, FM was not the first thing on my application for DI. I had been suffering from depression for some time and seeing a shrink. He told me to apply for DI on the basis of depression not FM. As a matter of fact FM was not
even mentioned on my application for DI. The application didn't ask for a second illness so I never mentioned it :)

Back to DI plans. Usually they will pay you for a specified time as long as you are disabled for your usual occupation. Often up to 2 years. After that, they will expect you to be available for any type of work you can do by reason of any past work history, experience, training, etc unless medical evidence proves that you can't even do that.

That's why it's important that you find some good doctors from day one who understand your situation/illness(es) and are willing to take the time to deal properly with all the forms they will be getting from EI and especially your DI provider. Just one ambiguous statement by a specialist can cause you a whole lot of grief! So you need specialists that aren't afraid of paperwork :)

Also at some point, usually after a couple of years DI will insist that you apply for CPP disability. Another reason you will need good doctors. Basically to be approved for CPP you have to show that your illness(es) are so severe and so prolonged that there is no chance of you being able to work in the foreseeable future. Most people get turned down for CPP the first time around and that's when they may need a lawyer to help in their appeal.

Usually with DI if you have good doctors you won't have to worry about a getting a lawyer involved.

A note about CPP - it usually pays less than your DI. However if you are approved the DI provider will top up what you receive from CPP so that you have not lost anything by applying for CPP. The DI people are just happy to be paying you less every month :)

I was lucky and got approved for CPP disability the first time around. Again that was because I had good specialists.

As for downsides to being at home I guess it depends on the individual and how severe the FM is. I've always adhered to that old adage that the longest journey begins with a single step. That's how I get through most of my days - one foot in front of the other. At work, of course, I could never do just that.

Sorry for the length of this post. Really haven't slept at all in the last 2 days and can't seem to stop :) Thanks goodness for the spellchecker I have that works with my web browser.

Take care

whoops sorry for caps.. I don't know what I am doing when I get this attack. and ear ringing too...

hugs again

Hi Booklvr.....  ok see I made the decision with my late husband and my boss to leave my job after 15 years as I was so sick with anxiety vertigo and fibro.... 

so I was told that I had to do the 15-17 weeks of unemployment insurance first and then halfway thru I had to apply to my private insurance from my job for disability. and I did....

and like I said they sent me to their doctor who wrote a report and I received it.

I had to have doctors fill out forms as well for two years once a year saying my condition

was the same and I could NOT DO ANY JOB.

When I had to also apply 2 years later for Quebec disability I asked my private disabilty

what if they deny me ..  They said that if they deny me I will still get my private disability and then try again in a year..   But I got the Quebec disability and so private pays and Qpp or whatever it is called pays.... so I have the same amount maybe a bit more..

I hope i make sense as I am not feeling well still today from the vertigo and hope I dont get it again as it usually will come in two's ..sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Could you get you boss to write a letter for your disability file on your behalf..   that would help. 

and as we said .  if you have other illness' put that first.. and have your doctors put that first before fibro..

I have a rheumy, cardio doc, ear nose and throat doc and my general doc who all filled out my forms....

the more the better even if they only ask for one doctor..... I did it all.  

I thought I would have time to feel better but my husband died in April 2008 and all went downhill and everything I suffer from got 10 times worse and even 4 years later.. I am much worse...

thank you for you kinds words to me and please keep us informed on what you decide to do..

I dont know what insurance company you are with... or if your boss is kind and will try to help you..  and I wish you so much good luck with this..