I am in the beginning stage of applying for disability benefits and they have scheduled me for several examinations… Anybody that has gone through these, what should i expect?
The theat advice I can give u is get an attorney… I did and was approved the second time around. It took 10 months from start to finish. I also have back issues These Drs tend to say u are fine
Best wishes and good luck
If you live in UK phone your local, Gov Housing buildings, if you don’t know already and ask if you can talk to a Benifits Advisor. I had a brilliant young lady who helped me no end.
After I lost my job through sickness incurred by Fybro. I rang my local Job centre to report disability. They filled all the forms in there and then getting reports off GP etc with addresses I gave them. My EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT ALLOWANCE came through pretty much well imm. It was at a low rate until they sorted it but you get that back if owed.
Let me know if this helps I have more advice on who to contact ref future benifits 
Val
- allways turn you down the first time. several people told me tht they had to do it
- 3 or 4 times before; they finally got it. I didn't do tht. after I was turned down.
- I hired a lawyer. it takes a year.to get the court date. they wait a year to see if you'll go back to work.
- if you do they will drop your case. You will need 2 or more doctors to writing down that you
- have fibro. and what ever else you have wrong with you. I have fibro, arthritis. and depression.
- my court date will be here soon.
It's been many years since I went through this (I was diagnosed in 1992), but from what I read, things haven't changed much. Yes, you need at least two doctors to back up your diagnosis. I have the fibro/arthritis/depression combo, so it was my medical doctor and my psychiatrist.
You always get turned down the first time After that, get a lawyer. You don't pay the lawyer until they win your case. When I went through this, they made what I got retroactive to the first time I applied. The lawyer was paid out of that. The lawyer is your advocate. The government may not want to believe you are disabled, but your lawyer will. Mine had Chronic Fatigue himself so he knew what I was going through.
The government will want you to go to their own doctors for a visit. It helps if you feel particularly bad on the day of the visit. Even if you don't, think of your worst days and act the way you would then. They need to know that you are not fine! The exams with their doctors were mainly talking about my symptoms, not much hands on. They did test the fibro trigger points. But mostly it was just talk.
Good luck!!!
Kimberly :)
I have the same things you have. and the same experience. my court date will be soon according to my lawyer. pray that I will get the disability.
Kimberly said:
It's been many years since I went through this (I was diagnosed in 1992), but from what I read, things haven't changed much. Yes, you need at least two doctors to back up your diagnosis. I have the fibro/arthritis/depression combo, so it was my medical doctor and my psychiatrist.
You always get turned down the first time After that, get a lawyer. You don't pay the lawyer until they win your case. When I went through this, they made what I got retroactive to the first time I applied. The lawyer was paid out of that. The lawyer is your advocate. The government may not want to believe you are disabled, but your lawyer will. Mine had Chronic Fatigue himself so he knew what I was going through.
The government will want you to go to their own doctors for a visit. It helps if you feel particularly bad on the day of the visit. Even if you don't, think of your worst days and act the way you would then. They need to know that you are not fine! The exams with their doctors were mainly talking about my symptoms, not much hands on. They did test the fibro trigger points. But mostly it was just talk.
Good luck!!!
Kimberly :)
You will, I know it!
shar59 said:
I have the same things you have. and the same experience. my court date will be soon according to my lawyer. pray that I will get the disability.
Kimberly said:It's been many years since I went through this (I was diagnosed in 1992), but from what I read, things haven't changed much. Yes, you need at least two doctors to back up your diagnosis. I have the fibro/arthritis/depression combo, so it was my medical doctor and my psychiatrist.
You always get turned down the first time After that, get a lawyer. You don't pay the lawyer until they win your case. When I went through this, they made what I got retroactive to the first time I applied. The lawyer was paid out of that. The lawyer is your advocate. The government may not want to believe you are disabled, but your lawyer will. Mine had Chronic Fatigue himself so he knew what I was going through.
The government will want you to go to their own doctors for a visit. It helps if you feel particularly bad on the day of the visit. Even if you don't, think of your worst days and act the way you would then. They need to know that you are not fine! The exams with their doctors were mainly talking about my symptoms, not much hands on. They did test the fibro trigger points. But mostly it was just talk.
Good luck!!!
Kimberly :)
Thanks everybody! But I really meant like what to expect at the actual exam, like what kind of testing will be done or performed?
all great advice and facts from the above. from my recollection they send you to a medical doc and a psychiatrist. these people are not your docs , will never see you again and i feel they are not that interested and just want to get your visit over with and get their paper work in . that was my opinion of it. they were both on different days and the visit seemed very quick as i said these docs have very little interest in you since they will never see you again. the psyche eval was , like 'who is the president' , what year are we in, count backwards from 100 by 4's, gave me 5 words to remember and asked me what they were later.. also those ink blots tests, what do they look like to you. basically checking your cognition, maybe depression.. that was about all of it i can remember. the medical doc will ask you to raise your arms over your head( you cant do it due to the pain and fatigue) will ask you to raise your legs. ( you cant do that either) will press on trigger points ( ouch) will ask you to hold two fingers on his head and to squeeze as hard as possile( you have no strenght to do that).Also how many blocks can you walk( if at all) and how many pounds you can lift... i dont remember much more.. I hope this helps.. all the best'
HUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGS
suzie
That sounds pretty much exactly what my exams were like, but no ink blots for me. Certainly ne blood tests or anything of that sort.
Hugs, Kimberly
I fairly recently had to have a psychological and orthopedic/neurological doctor visits. They ask a lot of questions and I was sent for X-rays of my knees and back. They were not too bad. You just have to tell the truth and hope for the best. I was approved for SSDI on my first try.
Get an attorney if you've already been declined.I didn't have one until the 2nd denial.I didn't have to go to the state Dr s.I did go to my own Dr s 3 medical and 1 psychologist.my psychologist did the who's president ,counting backwards,puzzles to solve.I also had writen testimony from my supervisor and verbal testimony from my girlfriend /coworker JOAN stating how difficult it was to work because of the FIBRO.keep records of all Dr s appointments and tests.good luck and let us know what happens.after I had an attorney it took 1 year before the hearing before the judge.it's better if you appear in front if the judge instead of by video on a tv screen.I was at my hearing and someone else choose to or couldn't physically come to the hearing.my ATTORNEY said it was better to be at the hearing in person.the judge told me that he knew it was very difficult fir ME to be there and commended me in making the difficult trip.it was a 3 1/2 hour drive each way to the hearing.I did what the attorney told me to do and I won.
I have recently been approved for disability after almost 3 yrs. I was turned down the 1st time, then had to request a hearing. It was 18 mos. before I got my hearing date. Here's my advice:
1) Hire a lawyer who specializes in disability cases. In the USA, there is a limit on lawyer's fees & they don't get paid if you don't get disability. Limit is 25% of your back pay up to $6,000. They can also charge for any costs they incur in obtaining your medical records. Haven't seen that bill yet, but I'm told it shouldn't be too much.
2) Talk to all your Drs. and get them on board with you filing for disability. There are forms you can get from your lawyer that Drs. can fill out detailing your medical condition.
3) Be patient. You will probably be turned down the 1st go round, but that is not the end. Your lawyer can file an appeal. The more your condition is documented, the better your chances.
4) Go back to step one - Hire a lawyer. Your chances are much better with one. Good luck
That's exactly the same as what I went through 20 years ago. It's ginteresting to know things haven't changed. BTW, the government will always turn everyone down the first time, no matter the disability, unless it is an injury incurred in the military.
Kimberly
I have recently been approved for disability after almost 3 yrs. I was turned down the 1st time, then had to request a hearing. It was 18 mos. before I got my hearing date. Here's my advice:
1) Hire a lawyer who specializes in disability cases. In the USA, there is a limit on lawyer's fees & they don't get paid if you don't get disability. Limit is 25% of your back pay up to $6,000. They can also charge for any costs they incur in obtaining your medical records. Haven't seen that bill yet, but I'm told it shouldn't be too much.
2) Talk to all your Drs. and get them on board with you filing for disability. There are forms you can get from your lawyer that Drs. can fill out detailing your medical condition.
3) Be patient. You will probably be turned down the 1st go round, but that is not the end. Your lawyer can file an appeal. The more your condition is documented, the better your chances.
4) Go back to step one - Hire a lawyer. Your chances are much better with one. Good luck
I have gone to all of the appointments, and am now waiting to hear back on everything! Both doctors (medical and psych), seemed genuinely nice, maybe it's just that 'ole Southern Georgia hospitality? They even gave me advice on what to do treatment-wise, approved or not.. I thought that was very helpful and selfless; I know they weren't required to do any of that! Everybody keep their fingers crossed for me!
Gentle Hugs to All,
Jessie