Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Support Group

Where are you from? I have read many journals on this site about the difficulties people go through to disabitlity in the USA ...For me in Canada it wasnt so difficult

Yes, I should have said that I am living in TEXAS. OOPs!! :)

Get a good SSD lawyer right away. Don't attempt to do this on your own. Your lawyer will only be paid when YOU win!!!

I know people have had success w/a variety of legal firms. I think the state you live in is key. In MI EVERYONE gets turned down the first time. MOST win on their 1st appeal although I just had a friend denied on appeal. Having the support of your doctor means the world!

Good luck!

So they did use FM/CFS as there diagnosis? Thank you for your information. I am so nervous. My doctor said to let go of my pride and take care of my family. It would be one less stressor for me.

I was award SSD in 1994. My diagnoses was for CFS, FM, TMJ, neck, back, hip, jaw pain and other symptoms. My level to work was graded at below sedentary. I had four hospitalizations in two years. That helped my case.

I would get a lawyer. It is the best way to go. I got one after second time turn down. I won my case before the judge. It is good to have doctors on your side. I am in SC. I was fortunate as I was disabled in 1993 and got benefits in 1994.

I wish you all the best.

It's a good thing you have a doctor that will help you. Consult with an SSD attorney. I got denied on my first application but got approved on appeal. My diagnosis is CFS, I live in the U.S. Others told me, keep appealing, eventually you will get it. A friend of mine had to appeal twice and then she got it. Your attorney gets a chunk of the money once you are approved but there are limits on how much they can get, and the disability payments are back dated to a few months after when you stopped being able to work, so the attorney gets some of the back pay. Good luck.

By all means - yes - file for your disability. They will most likely turn you down to begin with as they often do, but you just hand it over to a lawyer that handles these cases. Then you keep seeing the doctor and getting copies of the doctors notes and tests results and provide to your attorney.
I did this and just had to wait for my hearing date to arrive. The judge didn't even have to go through his whole line of questioning because he could see that I could not hold out to work. After all, who can hold a job if they can't stay awake to do it.

Oh, And by the way, I am from Alabama.

Your replies are encouraging. Thank you so much. I have alot of trouble with my hands and shoulders. They just stop working or hurt to use them, so mostly this is my reason for not being able to work. I also have to rest frequently or I just fall apart.

I went through the process in Vermont. My initial appeal was denied which is standard procedure. For my appeal, I hired a lawyer. He did nothing. When I asked him why he wasn't doing anything, he said he couldn't help until it went to a hearing.

Again I did everything myself and won the appeal. The lawyer did nothing and got a percentage of my initial lump sum payment.

I would suggest you see a lawyer and ask very direct questions about how and when he can get involved. Otherwise you might end up paying for nothing.

Make copies of everything. Every form, every letter, everything. I still have my file just in case.

Good luck. Be persistent. They're counting on you to give up.