lupus and disability

anyone have any info on disability benefits available for people with lupus? i currently work full time and am a single mom and can feel myself slipping. it's all i can do to get through the work day. by the time i get home i am so exhausted i can't even think about the things i need to do to maintain my home and kids. everything piles up and i get so overwhelmed, somedays i can't even make dinner. i would even settle for part time benefits and work part time.

i just don't even know where to start. any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

I can say you need to have enough credits for SSDI and not working. Then benefits start 6 months from the date you last worked- but don't wait those 6 months to apply. It can take as much as 3 years or more depending on your case. You need your rheumetologist behind you or you will lose. I am on SSI because I lack enough credits for SSDI. It took more than 2 years to get to the hearing and it was only there that I got approved. Then it took a while to get the money started coming in. Some states have disability programs. I would talk to my doctor, read as much as you can on SSDI and SSI then if you can survive the process I would go for it. If you have to live on welfare for a while until they approve your case then do it. The money will be paid back out of the past due benefits (only the months you qualified for SSDI or SSI and only a certain percentage). Your kids may even qualify for a monthly payment if you get SSDI. Just be sure you get all the information before making your decision. If your job is one that could be done with only a phone and computer you may be able to get your boss to let you work from home for at least part of your hours. If not then perhaps a more flexible schedule. If you get child support check into if it should be higher and if not then see if you can get it started. I wish you luck, the disability process is hard and can make us sicker but once the benefits start it is a huge relief. Also you need to see what help you can get so you can cut back hours. Some states give medicaid or other insurance to kids from families within certain income areas. This is often much higher than you expect. If insurance is making you need to work more that could help. Also many states have medicaid or other programs available to the disabled before they get SSI or SSDI. You may qualify for food stamps or WIC (if your kids are under 5). Check with local agencies that help families- food and clothing banks, Salvation Army, Helping Hands, etc... to see what assistance they can offer. See what kind of help your doctors can offer. If medication costs are the reason you need to work full-time then check into some of the programs listed in the posting on that topic. There are many programs to help. Heck tell your doctor about the fatigue and inability to function after work, there may be medication or other changes that could help. I wish you the best.

Hi Sara . . . I added a link in the "Lupus Resources" about Lupus and SSD. You can click on Lupus Resources in my signature. I hope you are feeling better. Fancy . . . Did your lupus-like issues escalate when you started taking the pill??? Lots of us can't take estrogen because it can really cause or increase symptoms. Just a thought. If click on the "Lupus Resources" link at the end of my signature, there is a post in that topic that lists several websites to get help with paying for prescript ion meds. Also try the manufacture of the drug. You'll have to fill out some paper work, but it is well worth it if you qualify for free or low cost meds. Also, talk to a few different rheumy offices and see if anyone can direct you to some local aid for help with your doctor bills. I'm not sure how all that works, but the doctor's offices might know because they may have other patients in the same boat. Meanwhile, one of them just might decide to help you out. You won't know unless you call every rheumy within driving distance. Also, another link in my signature for Lupus.org. Maybe they can direct you to some help. Maybe some of the others will have some other ideas for you. DON'T stop trying to find help!! I hope this helps.

Thanks Lynnwood . . . . That is extremely helpful. I wonder if we could start a topic regarding SS related info like the post above and have people include helpful websites (like .gov stuff) so we could distill the topic and make a permanent post in the "Lupus Resources" topic. What do you think?

Rosie - I don't think anyone reads the resource links unless we point them there for a specific topics. The quote about SSDI vs SSI was directly from the main SS web page fir disability. www.ssa.gov/disability . It may be best to just point folks there, rather than try to maintain a current copy of stuff on HW. Sorry I can't help with this for the next fews days -- just had a burst pipe in bathroom right above kitchen and may have permanent damage to both. Plus a million other things I have to do -- no time left to have LUPUS!!!! Cheers, You guys can always email me if you need something, I don't know how much I'll be able to keep up this coming week.

Hey y'all.  I have been battling SSDI for almost a year. (lacking a week or so).  I got denied and appealed.  I got denied again and contacted my Congressman.  They have helped me tremendously.  I finally got approved at the state level.  It has now been sent to a regional office for verification.  (Please pray)  It isn't nothing nice to deal with these people,  at least in my neck of the woods!  My congressman's office has been a God-send!  They've obtained medical records that I couldn't afford and stayed on top of the case!

Get luck!  God bless and keep you,  Judi

Lynwood,
Call and find out if they have any idea when you're scheduled for your hearing. I did that and found out they had no record of me waiting for a hearing.
Good luck!

What I do not understand is how some people can be approved for no reason and others are truly disabled and not get approved. I know a lot of people who have no problems and claimed depression and got approved or whatever when they are really not disabled and they say it is so hard to get approved then how do these people get approved!!! ??? ..I know a lady personally who works and makes 60,000 a year cash working and has disability and there is nothing wrong with her, she said she got a lawyer and it was easy! She should be in trouble for working and getting SSDI also!!! She said that if you want to get approved you must get a lawyer & I just think that it is sooooo unfair that she works and gets it and I do not work and I am really disabled, cry daily from Lupus and other problems and she gets it. I know another guy who applied 4 times and got approved on his 4th attempt and he did not appeal and he is 24 years old, and claims deppression also as well as Bipolar but he works also under the table and I cannot work period so I do not think he is bipolar or disabled if he can work! I guess getting a lawyer is the best bet, many will not make you pay until you get the money owed from SSDI and then they take a percentage of what your payout is..