I am on permanent SSD.

The good is after two years you get Medicare. The bad you have to Cobra or have a spouses ins till then.

The bad you have to live on 25% of what you are used to. The good is you don't have to work in pain.

Right now getting SSI or SSD is next to impossible. Pink had five surgeries in four years and she cannot get it.

Do you have specific questions

Ouch

I know someone on it for debilitating allergies (like in bed for three weeks at a time kind of debilitating), and he had to get a lawyer.

I am in the process of filing for disability for RA/fibro/cmp/ddd/ with recurrent clinical depression, severe (this is the new name for my depression) and anxiety. I have been waiting almost 3 years. I filed in Alabama, and moved to Lousiana temp. I thought my attorney was taking care of it. But, now, it was just sitting there. I had enough, when he pulled he wrong records after claiming it took a year to do that.....anyone, I just got a new attorney here thank God, and they are transferring to LA. Another good point, they seem to think they can go back in further than the date I quit work, that last year or so, you could say I held a full time position but was only there parttime. So, I have trying to get records from my old employer.

Anyway, it has been a nightmare, I can't work, divorced, and living with my daughter who is just a child with a child herself. Oh, and was denied medicade also. I went from having the best care, to no care. So anyway, make sure you know what you are doing, get a good attorney, and stay on them.

I am also on SSD.I've been told that my case was a rare one,but I had my first check after seven months.I did not have a lawyer.Did all my paperwork myself and did it all over the computer and telephone.I was able to walk with a cane when I filed.Never attended a hearing.My interview was done over the phone.I sent them tons of info on my condition and asked my Doctors to write letters and be specific.My local GBS liason advised me to be persistent and consistent.In my case it worked.I also prayed over every piece of paper I sent to them.Believe in giving credit where it's due!

I too, was one of the rare ones. I received my first check 7 months after I filed, along with retro pay. I was awarded SSDI for severe recurrent major depression and anxiety. I did the work myself, and had my doctors and hosptial records submitted. I was very surprised that it went through so fast and so easily, I had heard rumors of long drawn out waiting periods. I would say go ahead and apply, because you never know. And the sooner you apply the better, because when it is finally approved they go back to the date of the original application in awarding benefits. Good luck and message me anytime.. I will help if I can. Hugs~Debbie

i have it. get a lawyer it will take less time to get it, before i got mine i was rejected many times.

A friend of mine is trying to get it at the moment - has been for nearly a year or so. The thing she says she needs is paperwork, confirmation of a diagnosis (yes has fibro and CFS) from many years back from a doctor (she went to mainly alternative health-care ones). Hope that it works out for you and I think a lawyer or a firm that specializes in these sort of applications might be one way to go.

I applied over a year ago and have been turned down twice so far. have requested a hearing and haven't received a date for that yet, I am currently drawing long term disability through my former employer as my position was eliminated after being out of work for a year but they have sent me for a functional capacity evaluatioin to determine my ability to perform even simple daily tasks. my brother is on disability for arthritis and had to have a hearing and a lawyer to get his started also, took over a year. I talked to the lawyer he used and she says she needs to review my file from social security and gave me some forms for my doctors to fill out. only problem is most doctors charge a high fee to complete these for you and so far the only doctor I have gotten to do it is my pain management doc whom I see every month and get my extensive drugs from, lol. I actually just picked up the paperwork yesterday from her office and she confirmed I could not be hold down any type of job due to pain, fatigue and inability to concentrate on even simple tasks. so, today I call my long term disability and tell them to request more records from my doctors and send them a copy of the disability form my pain management doc filled out and just go from there. some people get lucky and get it the first time, others like me have to file and wait, file and wait. i would suggest though that when you do file make copies of everything you send and send it certified where someone has to sign for it, that way they can't say they didn't receive the paperwork requested in the time limit alloted (yes they give you so many days, usually 7 to complete them and get them back to them.) I keep copies of everything. good luck

I applied last June. I also hired an Attorney to help me.. I still waite and haven't heard anything from anyone??

I applied for ssdi for ra and recieved it 3 months later. I had to go for an interview and brought my two tool boxes full of meds. she was like wow. after that I had no trouble.