My Battle for Social Security Disability

Hello you fine people. I am new here and thank the good Lord I have found this website by accident today.

I am an American living in Germany and have been out of work since November 16, 2002 when my doctor removed me from working because I could no longer use my hands. I later had Cervical Spine Surgery C4-C5 and C6.C7 fusion because of spinal stenosis and degenerative spine disease along with blockage of the cervical nerves. the surgery helped me for a couple of years to some point but never good enough to really use my hands to do the work of a secretary. Having to type here is painful not only in the hands but neck back and hips. I eventually got a 20 hour a week job with light work from my husband paying only 400 euros a month so I have never worked in full capacity since 2002. But in October 2012 I had to file for disability. I regret after my 2003 surgery that I didn't know that I could file for disability.

I was denied after 5 months which I just got my denial letter in the mail on March 3, 2014. I was devastated and cried for days and am still very distraught. I have to file thru the US Embassy in Frankfurt then they submit my records to the US. A long painful and quite frankly traumatic experience. Needless to say doctors here do NOT document a patients complaints when you go to them. So records will drastically be different. they simply listen then diagnose you with no patient complaints in their records. They send you a print out of only dates you came and a short diagnosis. I am frightened to be denied again. Last friday i had a nervous break down in the Primary Care office and she wanted to send me to the psych ward and I begged her not to. But now I wished I had gone. i am having a very hard time with depression and thoughts of suicide cuz i can see no hope for being approved from so far away. And I so desperately need this money. Its not much once converted, but its better than nothing at all. We are struggling financially and its really hard. I am sure you all have been there. I have a lot of other personal family issues that has not helped with my depression either. I am just so alone and frightened to be denied again.

I am filing for an appeal and now have to send more information. I am seeing a neurologist in April as there are no appointments available until then. I am frightened to open yet another denial. I know they will deniy me but the fight alone has me so distraught. I cry all the time. my problems are as follows I am 57 Female:

Degenerative spine and disk disorder, nerve compression, osteoarthritis, osteochondrosis, spondylosis, Fibromylgia, Glaucoma, blind in left eye since 1984, Cataract onset right eye, Bladder incontinence, Chronic pain patient on Oxycodone 10mg two times a day with little ease, Neuropathic pains in upper extremities and right leg, Pelvic floor disorder, swollan adrenal gland, Hersutismus hormonal disorder, cervical cephalus disease, and since one year depression.

THEY DENIED ME and didnt even read or translated my German medical records. I only sent what the doctors gave me. No doctor wrote a letter to SSA themselves. So it was only things I got from one set of doctors about ten in all. All kinds of specialists. No MRI data was sent as it was on CD and they refused to accept it.

How does a letter from a doctor look to the SS saying I am unable to work and have not worked my regular work since 2002?

Please help, I am at my witts end and really depressed.

Post Edited (fedupgermany) : 3/18/2014 6:19:47 PM (GMT-6)

Perhaps you could go to the US Embassy and see if they have any suggestions.

Also, you have to file for an appeal within a certain amount of time after you get the denial. You can file for an appeal online (www.ssa.gov)and then get an attorney; he will finish filing the appeal and get all your medical records after you hire him, but don't let that deadline go by without filing the appeal. This might be a case where a national agency could help, like Binder & Binder. I didn't use them and don't know their number, but you can find them online.

Hello Sherrine and thank you for your post and warm welcome. I am already feeling not only at home, but to meeting new friends. I dont only have Fibro that is a secondary illness. My main problems are the degeneration of bone in my spine as well as the discs and nerve compressions. I also have Heilobactor Ulcers that just wont go away which was only diagnosed in November last year. I had a really really bad day yesterday not only painwise but depression wise. I cried all day until 4am this morning. When I got my denial I immdiately went to the net to find lawyers in the USA. I called several, none of them had experience fighting a case from over here. They had NO clue what they should do. I finally called Binder and Binder, they too had no clue but said they may be willing to help. They asked that i obtain all recoreds and that I have them translated with certification. They also asked that I get my earnings records which I found a bit strane. I am qualified to receive benefits why would they still ask this?

Thanks

Post Edited (fedupgermany) : 3/19/2014 12:29:18 PM (GMT-6)

Thanks angel sweety for the warm welcome. I did call several lawyers but none will do an appeal. They are only interested in the hearing side of it. They said the appeal is best done by me. That included Binder and Binder who seems to be a large entity. I would like to know os someone who actually won a case int he Maryland area and which law firm they used. That would be a big help. I understand if it does go to hearing. I do not have to travel to the US to attend which I wont be able to afford anyways. So the law firm will be my representative. I pray to the good Lord that this does not get to this stage. But I am expecting to be denied a second time around.

I am certain that my Chronic pain is a result of my spine's really bad condition. I have bone growing in places where it should not. The big problem over here is that doctors are unwilling to write reports. They only send a print out with a diagnosis. I have to pay them for a report and even so, they have no clue what they should write. My former Ortho doctor god bless his soul ended up with Cancer a month before I had filed. he was willing to write a long report as he was my treating Ortho for nearly 10 years.Now I have a new one who does not believe in me and thinks I am faking it when all reports show massive degeneration and other diseases of the bones and spine. I don't know what to do really. I am honestly afraid of the fight. i am weak person emotionally and fall apart at the drop of disappointment. Thanks again for your post and I so look forward to meeting new friends who share similar life's woes.
Hugs

Post Edited (fedupgermany) : 3/19/2014 12:34:05 PM (GMT-6)

Hi sherrie, thanks again for replying. I have to read the reports to see if this bone growth is the same name, they sometimes use same names but some of the names can be spelt differently cuz of the language, but most are similar as they all come from Latin I believe.

No, I do not take all those drugs at once. I tried for a month or two and they didnt help. Some sent me to the ER like lyrica. The Morphine patches were really awful as well and also tried them for a couple of months and I had to keep increasing the dosage as it as not working. Now I am on Omiprazol for my Peptic Ulcers and after the long battle with the Heilobactor Bacteria tripple treatment. I beleive the bacteria is still there as I am still sick in my stomach all the time. Now I am on Oxycodone 10 mg two times a day. Its not helping much. Still have massive Neuropathic pains shooting down both arms and right leg. In the past I was on Tramadol, Vicodin and so many more I have simply forgotten. The pharmacist looks at me like I am a druggie junkie I am often embarassed to go fill my prescription which is only given month at a time

On Friday I will see my PC again, on Monday my Ortho. I also have a problem for many many years now. When ever I walk the bones in my feet begin to hurt so badly I often lose balance or sometimes it seems the tentons or muscles in the feet give way. I have been complaining for years now and they still dont know why this is happening. My right leg gets numb for the past 12 or more years when i sit and often when I walk I can no longer feel my right foot it gets numb. Still no known cause.

I just browsed the Appeal forms. they want to know if I have seen any doctors since my initial application. i see doctors almost each week and I see the Pain specialist each month as routine for new meds and updates to the current meds. I see my PC at least a minimum of two times a month if not weekly.

Should I get my PC to write a letter to the SSA saying I am unable to work and list the reasons of my medical conditions of wich she has all reports from other doctors? Do you know what a letter looks like from a PC that says a patient is not able to do his or her type of work and that she is not suitable for any other work?
Thanks
anne

Post Edited (fedupgermany) : 3/19/2014 12:30:46 PM (GMT-6)

Sherrie, I have removed the quote boxes. On my forum I like when my members do that cuz it shows whose post they refer to but I can understand if you all dont like it here. I wont use it again. I would rather not use my real name also if that is not the norm and others use their screen name. So i will just remove that from the post also. Soorry. Is always harder to remember when just replying without a quote what I am responding to.

How old were you when you got SSD? I have always been an Admin Asst or secretary, now I have no other skills and standing or sitting for long periods more than 30 minutes is quite painful.

I can shorten my screen name if I knew how to. its ok if people know me as my real name but its better for open forums to use use a screen name.

If teachers do not pay into SSI and they are not married and become disabled that is a really hard thing to happen to them. So you were able to get it from your Hubby's SSI as your own disability ins? The system is really a very complicated thing. The more I read the more nightmares I get. Its like some will get it for a sniffle and I know people back home who did. And those who are really sick have to fight like in the hills of Toroboro.

In Germany, Fibro was just accepted as a real medical condition and there is only one doctor in my city who practices it. And this is a city with over 350,000 people. So its still really new here.

I have this numbness in my feet of my right leg for a long timen ow can be as much as 12 years. It is worse when I stand, walk and sit. It becomes numb. I am being seen by a neurologist and will have a series of awful testing done to check for nerve damage. I am so afraid of those tests. Have you ever done it?

You should be able to get on the ssa.gov website and ask for a listing of your previous earnings.

Pom Pom, glad to hear that you found a Dr. That was willing to help you with your case. That is a start! I know how you feel about the pain, it's a trigger for my depression too. I still would recommend you to read some books on fibro. I could see myself on each page. After reading it myself, it was like finding the missing puzzle.

Many of us had the nerve connection test. Don't be surprised if it comes back normal. Many of us complaine about the numbness and they order the test. Only to get frustrated because it's normal. As you said, fibro is very complex problem. I hope you don't have damage, but stenosis can cause it. So many of us have back issues. I have issues myself. I haven't decided to do an MRI because I am not going to do nothing with it. So I thought it just would be waist of money. My Dr's agreed to.

I am so glad I am off work, it took several years to get me stable. I work until I almost put myself into the grave. I was so scared to be without a paycheck. I was caring the medical insurance for the family. I cried when I was forced to take disability, but everything fell in place. I was blessed to have long term insurance at my work place. They paid me lots until I got my disability and now after 5 years they continue to pay me less with social security. I never know how long my long term is going to last. I am afraid to ask. I know my disability is permanent. I know your fears without a paycheck. Just try to stay strong and be on top of your paper work. It was a job just trying to make sure things were sent to the proper place.

Let us know how things are going. Good luck!