I was just denied for my initial application for Disabilty benefits. I hate this. I don’t know how they think I can work. My “fibro” pain is always BAD and often WORSE, along with all the other symptoms that go along with this awful syndrome.
I don’t have money, I have been out of work since December 2012, and I am on state insurance. My PCP through the insurance refuses to treat my Fybromyalgia so I pay cash to see my pain management dr. I am running out of options and patience.
I am in north east PA. Does anyone know any good disability attorneys and or a dr that will help me?
I have been,trying for disability for over 2 years. I used Alsup but I wish I,would have used a local attorney. I'm in Calif. Look thru your phonebook and get references. Good luck. Ps get copies of your medical records and review them to be sure what Dr is reporting.
It took me almost 2 yrs also. do you only have 1 MD sending a report? It was just posted recently that you need atleast 2 MD's. If you Dr isn't treating you for Fibro may not be sending a report that is favorable to you. As far as a lawyer look in your phonebook for a Lawyer who handles disability claims. That's all my lawyer handled and she didn't get paid unless I won my claim. She also had me sign a bunch of Power of Attorney forms so that she was able to collect all the info from the Drs and anybody else necessary. Save me a lot of work and headaches.
I hope some of this helps and you get approved. Keep us informed. I hope you have a pain free day.
Dottie S.
I'm sorry. I am also trying to get disability for fibro and auto immune disease. I read on the SS website that a dx of fibro is taken more seriously by "the powers that be" if it is dx by a rheumatologist rather than an internist or Primary Care dr. Go figure. My attorney is a national one, Herd and Smith, but so far they seem to be doing a good job. I've been denied 2 times and now I'm waiting to go before the judge. We feel your pain...
I also got denied twice for SSD. I recently retained an attorney in North New Jersey. I know few people who used Binder and Binder and they got their disability about 3 years after hiring them. (One is my future sis-in-law). I would do a goggle search for disability attorneys near where you live. There is also an attorney rating site---www.avvo.com that you can try.
My advice is to find an excellent disability attorney that ONLY deals with disability cases and nothing else!!
As far as doctors I just went to a top notch specialist in Fibro and CFS. He did not take insurance and it cost my fiance approx $700. He is located in Somerset and Summit, NJ.
Try this site...http://www.co-cure.org/USA_PA.htm
I google everything! lol The question is if they don't take insurance can you afford to pay them? If they suggest meds that your insurance does not cover...can you afford to buy the med?
This is very difficult to do when we are too sick to work, have little income and like me...have many side effects to medications.
I wish you much luck!! Keep us posted!
Thank you everybody for your help. I am at my PCP right now trying to get him on board with my diagnosis. He doesn’t believe in Fybromyalgia or pain management. My choices of doctors are limited being on state insurance and I pay out of pocket to see the specialists that have been treating me since my diagnosis.
It’s hard to deal with all this stress and the CONSTANT pain. I would just like the peace of mind to know that my doctors are at least on my side and that I will continue to get treatment. Living in constant fear fills me with anxiety which doesn’t help.
I can’t work, I am running out of money, and never know day to day what level of suffering I will be forced to endure. It just sucks.
I’m so sorry to hear your news. Is there any possibility that you can change PCP soon, like during your next open enrollment period? If you can, then I would find one by calling their offices and asking if they would allow you a short consultation where you can interview them to get a sense of what they believe and how they treat patients. It must be very hard on you to see a doctor who doesn’t believe you - what then does he think you have?
Statistics show very few people get SSD on the first try. I am waiting to hear myself and don’t expect good news. Some do get it on their first try and that is good news for the fibro community. As more and more are diagnosed and the medical community is more accepting, hopefully this will change soon. You are right in trying to search for a good lawyer to help you with the process!
Hope things turn around real soon for you ~ hugs ~ Sandi 
I used Allsup and they won my case the first time around. I don't know if they can do the same with you but if they take your case, they say the first time through they get about 50 percent of the cases approved. By the time of the appeal, your chances go up to 80 percent. I think a lot of people make the mistake of going it on their own, fearful of the lawyer's fee, which is about one quarter of the money you're awarded for back pay. But they forget to factor in the WAIT they'll have if they lose...and it seems that people lose more without an attorney.
Let me see if I can pull up the list of help for Americans in need. It has some good resources listed. If I can find it, I'll bump it to the top of the discussion list so you can look it over.