Need to Vent

[Indianagal]

I really need to vent so have decided to do it here. I have had fibro for 2 years, it is so severe I cannot work. My neurologist told me from the beginning he believes it is work-related. I filed for social security disability, got denied twice, filed my second appeal and am just waiting for a hearing date. I also filed for worker's comp disability and my claim has been under review since last July. They were suppose to make a decision by Oct 1st but that didn't happen. They sent me to one of their doctors for a second opinion in December who in turn sent me for an MRI of the brain. Had that done on Jan 2nd of this year. I have no idea how that turned out. About 4 weeks ago my claims examiner told me she was working on approving my claim. But now it appears they have found yet another reason not to approve it and so I am still under review. Last time I talked to claims examiner she said the second opinion doctor didn't answer a couple of questions and so now it could be I will have to see another doctor they choose. Which could take weeks for them to decide. I am so so frustrated. I am so broke it isn't funny. My employer terminated my health insurance in November because I had been in a LWOP status for too long. So no insurance, I have had to cut back on my medicine...Lyrica and Cymbalta and am now completely out of Cymbalta. I am in so much pain....I just really hate this.

Anyway if anyone reads this sorry, I just needed to vent somewhere

 

[1sweed]

Hey, there girl, not to rain on your parade, as I understand the need to vent, and what you are going through. It took me 7 years to win my disabliity case.

One thing you can do is get in touch with the manufactures of your medications. People who are not working and have no insurance can get free medication from the company that makes the medication. There are forms to fill out and your doctor must fill out one too. I did this for a long time while waiting on my disability.

Also, there are things you can do on line to earn a little bit of money. Can you do blogging? Would you like doing survey's? I do these types of things to earn a bit of cash to help buy things my disability payment does not cover. It is not much, but can help if your interested.

 

[Janet L]

I feel your pain, the pain is torture, but the frustration and feelings of being useless, for me at least, are sometimes worse because they dampen my spirits and make me feel worthless. I've found that I have to really work hard to reject these feelings, to not let them consume me, and as I practice I get better at it and the lows aren't so low. I also found that finding a good anti-depressant, Wellbutrin for me, really has helped my moods.

Stronger in mind, stronger in body I've found. It's different for everyone though.

How are you doing today? Perhaps a bit better than when you wrote the above I hope?

 

[Indianagal]

I am feeling much better today I think...lol. Thank you for your reply. Because I have no health insurance I did find a company that will provide me with my meds. Just so happens that the cymbalta I need was delivered to my doctor's office on the 15th and the doctor's office didn't realize it was for me. So will pick it up today...yeah! I have been looking for a work-at-home job but the ones I have come across charge a fee, and I won't do that. I don't trust anyone having my credit card details. If you know of a work-at-home job that is reliable and trustworthy I would really appreciate the help. My email address is ESJones@live.com and you can send the details to that email. Thanks....your reply meant a lot to me.

 

[Indianagal]

Thanks Janet for your reply to my post. I have just been so stressed lately...sure it isn't helping with the pain. I will be going to my doctor's office today to get cymbalta which I am completely out of. Not sure if I am completely happy with cymbalta, would like to try something else. It would cost me $95 to see my neurologist so when I have the money I will make an appointment to discuss it with him. For now going to keep on the cymbalta. There are many days I feel useless, my husband is so supportive and does almost all the housework. He is wonderful and without his support I really don't know how I would feel. Thanks again Janet, it meant a lot to me that you read my post and took time to reply.

 

[1sweed]

When your down and out with no money to see your regular doctors check out the local government health clinic. They go by your household income and the is figured on a sliding scale as to how much you have to pay. Usually the cost is half that of regular doctors and some of their doctors are quite open to fibro. I used them in Florida, before I got insurance.

Medication financial assistance programs, help when you can't afford your medications. Look on the your medication bottle for the maker of medication and search for their website on-line. If they are a part of the program it will be listed on their website. Then ask your doctor about the program. I hope I have helped you Indianagirl.

 

[SulaBlue]

Indianagal,

I don't know if you followed Janet's advice about a low-cost clinic or not. There's two clinics in Portage that accept "all income levels" on a sliding scale.

Depending on some factors you may be able to get Cymbalta for free.
LillyTruAssist.com - Lilly TruAssist Welcome - Provided by Eli Lilly and Company

 

[Libragirl67]

I can tell you are very frustrated and I am sorry. When dealing with beurocratic paperwork it seems like it is just going in circles. Have you tried going to your local department of human services. They may be able to help with medical insurance. Or they might give you some referalls for some places that could help. Also have you tried to get "under" employment. It is for people who don't quite meet the requirments of full unemployment. I hope you have better days ahead.

 

[Indianagal]

I thank everyone who has replied to my post. I have found a health clinic that has a really nice doctor and is for people who have low incomes. I am hoping to find out today about my worker's comp case...whether they will approve it or send me to another doctor for a 3rd opinion. I saw an attorney last week in regards to my social security disability case. He says I am in the que for a hearing. He will only represent me if my worker's comp case is not decided this week. Even though I applied for social security and worker's comp I cannot collect both. If my worker's comp case is not decided this week it will probably drag on for a few more months before I see another one of their doctors in which case this attorney will help me with the social security disability case. Hoping my worker's comp case is approved this week but the attorney says he would be really surprised if it were as fibromyalgia is very difficult to be approved as work related. He says if it is approved to definitely let him know as it would be the first time he has ever heard of that in regards to fibromyalgia. Will let you know but after talking to the attorney I am expecting my worker's comp case will be dragged out much longer.

 

[1sweed]

Indianagirl,

Glad to hear your good news anout the clinic and the new "good" doctor. I hope your workmen's comp case is settled so you will know what diection to take. Every state is different when deciding what illnesses they will except for the various programs. I got lucky in FL., as I heard northern states make it harder to get either workman's comp or SSD. Could you qualify for SSI in your state? Sometimes if your income is low enough you can get help that way.

Either way it was good to see you on the forum and sounding a bit more upbeat and happier than before. Hope you have the best of luck in everything in your life. Hope also you had a good day.

 

[Indianagal]

Thanks Sweed for your reply. My worker's comp case is now back to where it was 6 weeks ago. The claims examiner said she hasn't received a reply from the second opinion doctor and a 3rd opinion will be scheduled. This case could drag on for months on end as I have experienced so far. I am going to call the lawyer I talked with last week and hopefully get the social security case going in the right direction. I will ask him about SSI as that has not occurred to me...thanks for the suggestion Hope you have a great day!

 

[1sweed]

Indianagal, Your very welcome.
I hope something happens soon in your case and just that alone will take the stress off. If you find some little jobs to do that will keep you busy till you hear something solid. I think the waiting to hear about our cases drives everyone up a wall. The lawyers don't mind dragging things out if they can claim more money, and the judges have their hands full with more cases then they can manage, but we just sit at home praying for a positive answer and a way to pay our bills.

We often lose places to live and the means to live independantly which makes us really depressed, but I know things will work out for you. Just hang in there and something will open up before long. I hope!

 

[Indianagal]

Thanks Sweed, I am waiting for a call back from the social security lawyer. I got a letter about 3 weeks ago from social security asking me to fill out a few forms to update my medical visits and the letter stated based on what I send to them a decision might be able to be made without having to go for a hearing. I think I have really good documentation to send on....as I have the reports from the 2nd opinion doctor who I saw in December for my worker's comp case. He clearly states in his report that I cannot work so am thinking if this lawyer doesn't get back to me I may just send in what I have to social security. The lawyer told me when I spoke to him last week if there is a chance my worker's comp case would be settled soon he wouldn't be interested in helping me. So am wondering since I didn't get a call back yesterday if he may not want to help me. He said if I collect social security disability and then get approved by worker's comp I would have to pay money back to social security. So not sure what to do and am wondering since I believe my medical documentation is very good I should just send it in with the forms and see what happens. At this point I think I have a better chance at getting the ss disability sooner than my worker's comp case will be approved. What would you do Sweed?

 

[1sweed]

Indianagirl, Is there anything you could do to hurry up the workmens comp case. Could you call that second doctor or write them a letter asking if they could please get the information sent? Sometimes lawyer's are slow about keeping in touch and you don't want to be paying SS back, if your workers comp can be straightened out one way or the other. Could be that the problem is not with 2nd doctor, but within the medical comp board?

I had a problem with a health insurance company many years ago. They were not paying claims, because they kept saying the info they needed was not being sent. So I called the doctor's offices in question and talked to higher up's supervisors and found out the problem was the health insurance company was stalling the process. I turned it over to the state insurance commission and they said to my health insurance, either pay up or get out of Florida. So they paid all my bills.

I know workmen's comp is a bit different, but call the 2nd doctor if your allowed and ask them very nicely what the hold up is? See if you can find out the truth of what the hold-up is. The workers comp. if solved could be a big help to you. Glad to hear your keeping copies of all your records for yourself. That is very important. Keep filling out the SSD forms and send them copies of the records they are asking for, if you can get it without a hearing, you won't be paying the lawyer big bucks. Only SSI, will make you pay back money.

I hope this makes sense.

 

[Indianagal]

Hi Sweed, I got a call this morning from my claims examiner at worker's comp. She has scheduled a 3rd opinion exam for me in 2 weeks. I am going to call the 2nd opinion doctor's office just to find out if they sent in the report that worker's comp asked for. I am thinking now if I am to have this exam in 2 weeks a decision will be made on my case sooner than I thought. With that being said I am going to just do the SS on my own and send in the required info they are asking for today. I really want the worker's comp disability as it would be more income than SS. I did call the SS lawyer's office again yesterday and made an appointment but it isn't for 3 weeks so am going to cancel it now that I know I am going for my 3rd opinion (referee opinion is what worker's comp calls it) in 2 weeks.