I got the run around for a long time until I hired a lawyer bes thing I ever did took me three years to get my disabilty but they back pay came and I had a most wonderful christmas with my kids for the first time. Keep at it and dont give up! Good luck and best wishes!

I have been trying for 4 years and have three lawyers and here in Michigan they keep denying me based on the reasoning there are no guide lines for this disease. They feel like I still can work, I have CM/SM and Fibromyeliga. I have a BS in Biology and worked 25 years in the hospital lab. I am unable to do my job , I was fired from my last job 5 years ago before I was diagnoised because of attendance problems.I am still trying to get it, so don't give up. I truly believe that help is on the way soon.

Do you have syringomyelia along with Chiari? Social Security has Syringomyelia in their Blue book.

I have been on disability because of the Chiari with Syrinx for 4 years or so. It took me almost as long to get it. I got assistance from a free legal assistance place.

Social Security will try to say that you're not disabled. That's their job. But, it's not necessarily the malformation itself or even the symptoms that makes you eligible, but the fact that any work you do makes your condition worse.

The real question is not "Can you work?", but "Can you continue to work?"

i have been battling disability for 4 years also. I go to court again in June. I have a wonderful lawyer. I hope all goes well, my advice is do not give up. That is exactly what they want you to do. Hang in there

I was awarded first time . If you have Syringomyelia with the chiari , you need to list it as your only illness because it is listed in SS and chiari is not.

i have chiari with hydrocephalus, but they are nuts, the social security is around the corner and they told me they dont have my appeal papers!! so i got to start all over again.

Man, disability has "lost" my papers so many times now. It's funny also how all of their paperwork makes it to my house except for denials....

The first time I applied my denial got here while I was still in the hospital from the surgery. So I wasn't in any shape to appeal. This time they sent me papers to fill out and the next day they sent me a denial and then 2 days later they sent me a letter telling me they can't process my request until I fill out the papers and send them back in. So the are real good about the run around.

I won on the first time, did not even need a lawyer. I was diagnosed last year and waited until February to apply, I also have Pseudotumor Cerebri and have failed on all the medications that have been tried.

My first check was deposited on Friday for SSI (back pay for 3 months) and I was awarded Disability backdating to the day my shunt failed (or I called the doc) back in 2007...my first disability check will be deposited right before my birthday.

I was denied the by SS and I got a lawyer who used to be a disability judge. I was awarded my disability at my hearing due to the extreme headaches that I have and that I had had surgery to correct it. I was unable to do my job at the post office. Just keep trying and eventually you will win.

Thanks for the vote of confedense. Here over the past few months it feels like I've been getting worse everyday and I get nothing from SSI.

I was awarded ssi almost 2 years ago with a review after 24 months...my worry is them taking it away after the review...anyone else experience a bad review?

how do they calculate how much your monthly social security benefit is? I honestly don't know if I could even live off of it!!

I was finally awarded ssdi after 2 years and 7 months. Applied and rejected 3 times and went to trial. Had to hire a lawyer. My work history was spotty. I get about a grand a mo the. The biggest benefit for me is Medicare. I have absolutely no idea what kind of cosmic quantum equation they are using to calculate your benefit.....but its nothing you can figure out on your own. I do wish you luck.