Disability question

Hello. This is my first post and was wondering if anyone has any input about my concern.

  I've been diagnosed with ms not only by my neurologist, but by the one that the government sent me to when I applied for disability (for the record when I told him everything that was going on he tells me, "I hope you get this, you need it."  I feel that this long process is almost over, but they want me to go to a psychologist next and I was wondering if that was a normal procedure  that they request to all who apply or if somewhere along the line I said something that freaked them out. I don't know.

 

  I will go to this psychologist I guess, but I'm not exactly sure why I need to, or what to expect from him. I'm just wondering if it's normal for people to be sent to them when applying for this.

Thanks for the reply. I feel like even tho this is taking forever to get a conclusion, it's looking better than being
rejected early.


I noticed in another thread that you take Copaxone, and I understand that it slows down ms by 1/3. May I ask if it makes
you physically feel any better? From what I understand it varys from person to person in how it affects them.
I haven't started the medicine because it costs like 2k a month. I just recieved a form from them about benifits that I haven't filled out yet. I hope to start it soon tho if it. Right now I take valium wich does help with dizziness and bladder issues.

Thanks for taking time to answer and I don't mean to pry. Well, I was hoping copaxone would control symptoms and maybe I wouldn't even need assistance after that, but it sounds like that won't be the case. I need to get it anyways soon just so it doesn't get alot worse. That would be unbearable.

Again thanks, and I wish everyone the best who is dealing with this.

Hey Psoup, welcome to HW. There are alot of people here that know alot of stuff so don't ever feel discouraged to ask a ?

Anyways I am on SSDI and it only took me 4 months to get approved. Way faster then I ever thought, other people have different results. Good luck though. One other thing, try calling The Chronic Disease Fund, I don't have the number off hand. But they approved me and paid for my Copaxone 100%. I no longer have it but do strongly suggest trying it. The deliver right to you door also.

Keep it touch and good luck.

Thanks for the support. Did anyone have to see a psychologist before being approved?

I'm also a little confused about relapses. I'm really trying to do my research but there's alot to check out and I can only look at the screen (especially white backgrounds) for a short while before I start feeling really dizzy.

I never actually feel normal, but around night time, there's always extreme dizziness to the point that I feel like I'm going to pass out. I've never passed out (mite have if I don't go to bed right when this comes on), but it's a horrible feeling. I think that most people here know the feeling? Is that what you consider a relapse? I ask because I'd like to identify a relapse when it happens, and if that is the case, am I relapsing everyday?

I know these are things to ask the doctor, and I will, but I have only seen him twice I think, and there have been many things to ask so far, so I forget to until I'm at home and think, "I should have asked him that!"

Hello again.

Well, I saw the phycologist that they wanted me to see. (scary waiting room by the way)

Anyways, I was there for three hours taking tests ranging from math, memory, current events, just a whole lot of different tests. I had no idea I'd be doing this for that long before I went. I don't know how I scored or whatnot, but to me my math was average, my memory was mediocre, but the dr said he was impressed with my vocabulary. I don't know why, but that's what he said.

I've been told by someone online that they probably want to make sure the disability is not wrecking me emotionally. (It's not, I've accepted that I'll probably never get married or have kids. Not because I can't find anyone, but because I feel terrible most of the time and just want to live out my days as stress free as possible. The smallest amount of worry or stress will bring on these symptoms

The phycologist also told me he has a friend with MS who is a lawyer, this and that. Seems like he was trying to get across that, "You can do it!"

I know alot people with MS have jobs and families and are somehow able to cope with everyday life. I personally can not do this.

To give some examples of why I applied in the first place, when I wake up, I need about 3 hours before I can even talk to anyone because it feels like my brain is swimming in the ocean or something. After a while I can feel a bit better say around noon.

I try to excersise a little on days when I feel I have any energy, but sometimes get too fatigued to just from doing slow warm ups or stretching. I eat the best I can for the record, no fast food, v8, egg whites, ect.

Bladder is another big issue. When I have to use the restroom, I don't have much warning. I'm guessing it just leaves the bladder goes through the pipes and I have to clinch to keep it in. I give myself 1 minute at best to get to a restroom fast because it's coming out whether I'm ready or not. I hate to drive because of this.

Then there is the dizziness, I think we know how messed up this is.


I would love to have a job and do things on my own, but I just physically can't. These symptoms are there everyday, maybe it doesn't last all day, but I will randomly feel god awful at some point during each day to the point that if I have to walk, I'm basically stumbling around. I don't drink because it makes it extremely worse. Even a part time job would be too much to handle because the symptoms come at unpredictable times.

Maybe I shared a bit too much or maybe not enough, but I have this feeling that after the visit, they mite think, "This guy is mentally ok, his limbs function, let him work."


This really mite come out the wrong way, and I hope it doesn't, but you know when you try to tell someone about the disease that really doesn't understand how you feel? Well, when I read about people with MS having families and careers, I think, "They must not feel like I do because there's no way I could juggle all that. I can barely make it through the day just hanging around doing this or that on my own time. I hope that doesn't sound insensitive to anyone because I don't mean it to.


This whole long process of disability was looking like things were going to be ok according to their neurologist. But, I'm kind of worried now that I went to the phycologist. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but if this doesn't work out, I'm in trouble.


Thanks for reading.

Hey Psoup,

No worries on the length of your post.  That is why we are here.

You sound like you are feeling guilty about not being able to keep up some MSers.  Everyone is different.  Everyone is affected by MS differently.  You do need to make sure that your doctor is aware of all of your symptoms.  There are a lot of very successful meds that can help with the brain fog you have in the morning (very common in MS) and the bladder problems can be helped with meds as well. 

Remember, if you don't qualify for ssdi the first time around, you can always appeal.  I wish you the best of luck.  Let us know how are doing.

Hi there Psoup....yes, it was suggested that I went for councelling way before I was dx with MS. My family doctor believed that I was riddled with anxiety(never had it before and I am 53) that was causing my vision problems and the spacey dizzy head feeling i was getting.

So I went.....after seeing this person a couple of times, she determined that I should not be there until all other medical avenues have been explored and thusly eliminated.  She wrote back to the doctor telling him that I did not become anxious and then experienced symptoms, I would get symptoms and then experience anxiety, due to the fact I did not know what the heck was going on!!!!

Copaxone - I have been on it for 14 months.  It took awhile to kick in, but when it did, I began to feel better and better.  The copaxone does not treat the symptoms, but does treat the disease, and hence, the symptoms, at least in my case were minimized. I am pretty much symptom free now, unless of course I become overly fatigued, or become exposed to heat - both of which will bring on the symptoms.  As I type this i have full feelings in my fingers - however at a moments notice, the fatigue could hit, and my fingers will begin to numb and tingle.  Same goes with the heat in my office, if it takes a sudden jump, I will begin to get too warm, and then again the symptoms will flair....

But if there was ever a success story with Copaxone, I guess I am it, cause it has done wonders for me - it just takes a few months to begin to kick in

Have a nice day

Gary