Question:
Wow Barbara! That’s the first time I’ve seen you swear! You must not be a happy camper! Spit it out girl – what happened? Kitty ~~~~~Some of these doctors are nothing but ASS HOLES. They think they are so above you. Man, I’m losing my respect for the medical profession. It’s sad though that we still have to go to them. Barbara Ga
Response:
I had the same kind of an exam, and I was approved. Don’t stress over what you coulda shoulda done. I really believe they take you own doctors reports into serious consideration. It sounds like you had plenty of medical evidence to back you up. Paula
Response:
I was just looking at a discussion about thyroids on another ng, and thought of some information which might be useful to some of you. Last year I went to my new RD, and my chief complaint at that visit was that I was experiencing terrible pain and couldn’t get it under control. She looked over my records and noticed that my family doctor was only giving me enough Synthroid to keep me barely above the hypothyroid level. She suggested that I go back to him and ask him to try to adjust the prescription amount of Synthroid so that I was much closer to the high end (near, but not at, the hyperthroid level. My family doctor agreed, and started carefully increasing my dosage until I was nearer the higher end. He explained to me that for some people the lower end is fine, but others function better near the high end. That was the best thing that ever happened to me! My pain level dropped tremendously and my tendency toward depression decreased dramatically. The only explanation I have heard for this is that hypothyroidism causes water to be retained, and in a body that is already experiencing inflammation, that is just added pressure on the nerves, etc. Maybe you are all aware of this already. Lynette — Lynette’s Joke Place in Cyberspace http://www.isd.net/lengebre/CYBERSPACE.htm
Response:
Based on my experience it sounds like a 50 50 chance so lets hope it goes your way, for a change.
Thanks Jim – You’ve been great with your suggestions and support. I called the local SS office today and was told the dr only looks at what they tell him to look at. They also told me as you have now that the decision is made by a 3 person team at the state disability office. This guy only had 2-3 pages of papers in my folder. I know one of them was the form I filled out when I got there. He concentrated more on MS type of an exam than an RA one. Thanks again. Diane W. Orlando
Response:
Some of these doctors are nothing but ASS HOLES. They think they are so above you. Man, I’m losing my respect for the medical profession. It’s sad though that we still have to go to them. Barbara Ga
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on my first appeal right now. been over a month and havent heard a thing. what do you have that I should be aware of? sounds kind of scary bob
Response:
Some of these doctors are nothing but ASS HOLES. . Barbara Ga
Got to tell you about the ortho doc SS sent me to. He came in in an ancient polyester jumpsuit, gold necklaces, expensive turquoise watchband on his Mickey Mouse type watch, the gown I had to put on was hung on back door (God knows how many others had worn it). He had an equally ancient disheveled nurse (?) writing down the numbers he told her. He had me turning, moving, etc. every which way so fast I could hardly keep up and rattling off numbers. I thought I was sure out of luck. He finished, said Good Luck and was gone. Turned out he was o.k. My rheumatologist, who got copy, said he did good job as he tested everything instead of just the crippled hand and added them all up which gave a better picture of all % of disability, and I got it first try. Felt a little ashamed of myself for doubting him, but still would not want him to do any surgery on me. Have a feeling these guys are making a fast, easy buck….Peggy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
thanks diane for the update, gawd, is this what we have to look forward to? Bob
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Bob – are you getting ready to apply too? I’ve gotten some stuff in email that would just blow your mind, especially from those with MS who applied. It’s kinda scarey. Diane W. Orlando
Response:
Contrary to what else that has been posted this doctor does not make the decision he just maskes a report to SS and they decide. It’s unusual that he did not have the medical records from SS, I brought nothing just the bod, he had everything. What he has to do is to describe if your physical impairments are severe enough to limit your ability to work. I have Lupus now and nothing was even said about it. One thing for sure like RA, its chronic and it isn’t going to get better. When there is a clear cut case, no questions asked, I think they might be more positive, depending upon the doctor. In my case he was more positive, thankfully so. Based on my experience it sounds like a 50 50 chance so lets hope it goes your way, for a change. Jim
Response:
Hi Everyone! I had my appointment with the social security doctor today. I can’t really say how it went. He was hard to read and didn’t say one way or another what he would recommend. Do they usually tell you? First he took an oral history and then dictated my meds and history into a little recorder. Then he examined me – sort of. He looked at my hands. He had me walk across the room (about 4 steps it was such a small room) heel to toe (lost my balance), balance on my toes and walk on my heels and walk on my toes. I lost my balance on those too. He asked if I had a limp on the right, but I told him yes, on my left. Whenever I would start to loose my balance he would say, That’s OK next…Then he checked my muscle strength by having me push against him and resist his pull or push. It was strange though…he hardly waited for my response before he went to the next location. After that he wanted to see my medical records. He looked at the ones from my neurologist at Mayo Clinic first then looked at my neuro records here in town and my MRI records. He didn’t even look at any of the Rheumy records. He closed the 3 inch thick book and ask me if I had given them all to Social Security. I told him I had. At that point he handed them back to me and said. "Well, they have all the information they need to make a decision. I don’t know what I can say. Good luck." And with that he walked out the door! Just like that! And what did that mean?? It was so abrupt. So now I have this really strange feeling. I keep playing it over and over in my mind. That I should have said this or that. But if I had known it was going to end so fast I would have had a chance to have my say! Thanks everyone to listening to me whine. You’ve all been great about giving me advice and all that. I’ve done everything I can now. All I can do is wait I suppose. Hugs – Diane Diane W. Orlando
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