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social security disability

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I am wondering if any of you have received social security disability for gastroparesis? I've had the disease for about 15 years and it has gotten progressively worse in the last 3 years or so. I haven't worked in a year, and I've applied for SSI, but I've received 2 denials. Now I'm waiting to go before the judge. What are your experiences? (Thank God I receive disability pay from my last employer or I would be up a creek without a paddle).

Explore topics in this discussion:

Anxiety Surgery Pain Osteoporosis Diabetes Gastroparesis Hypersomnia

15 replies

I applied for SSI about 2 months ago. I have not yet received a decision. So for now I am pretty useless in advising you what to do. I'm trying to wade through the bureaucracy myself.

I have talked to sev people who have 2 gotten denied. They got SSI lawyers and needless to say they got SSI. The good thing is that if they don't win you don't owe them a dime. The bad thing is when you get a denial do not reapply appeal their decision. IF you reapply they will not go back to the very first application but if you appeal they do go back to the first date. Just a bit of advice.

If my exboyfriend can get ssi & ss for anxiety I think you guys should be able to for gastroparesis. It took a lawyer and two trys I think. Good luck


-Jen

I also am in the process of fighting SSI. I have also been denied twice and am waiting for a court date. After my first denial I got an atty. He told me upfront that I would probably have to go to court, but after reading my records there was no reason I shouldn't win, and he also said he won't take a case he doesn't think he can win, because if I don't win he doesn't get paid. I also have been on LTD from my last job. If I win my case I will have to pay LTD back for at least part of what they pd. me. My atty said he will work it out so that he gets approx 10% of my backpay, and then the rest of the backpay will just pay back LTD, that way I shouldn't have to worry about paying them money out of the SSI check that I will need. If it comes out of the backpay, then it's money that I haven't had, and won't miss.
If I'm right you said you also have diabetes. I too am Type 1 diabetic, plus I have GP, plus hypersomnia, and the lawyer said that the three together will make the case stronger. The fact that trying to keep your blood sugars undercontrol with the GP is a full time job in itself, not to mention the nausea, stomach pain, and random vomiting.
Good luck. Hopefully you get it. My atty. said that in IL it takes about a year to get a court date once the appeal is filed for one. I have only been waiting about 1-2 mo. so I still have a while to go. But I've talked to my LTD and they know that I am fighting for SSI, and they said that as long as I am trying to get that there shouldn't be any issue with them cont. to pay.

If your doctor says that you are totally disabled from this I think that you may be able to get it. You will need a lawyer. You may be denied the first time but keep applying. This is your money that you have paid in for years. I have been out of work now for 3 months.I am in pain all the time. I was lucky to have disability insurance at the time and that is what I am living off from. I have gotten a lawyer because I had a fundoplication surgery done and I was left with a motility issue. I have bills piling up that I will never be able to pay. I am going to get what I can to help me through this. I will have this for the rest of my life. Go and see a lawyer and talk to your doctor about applying for social security disablity. You are in my prayers.

I got a lawyer after my first denial. He said it will probably be about 19 months before I go to the judge. I have already been waiting about 5 months. Since I have LTD through my old employer, I'm not so worried. What I do need is the medicare to help pay some of my medical bills. They are racking up pretty quickly and I have no money to pay them.

I got a lawyer after my first denial. He said it will probably be about 19 months before I go to the judge. I have already been waiting about 5 months. Since I have LTD through my old employer, I'm not so worried. What I do need is the medicare to help pay some of my medical bills. They are racking up pretty quickly and I have no money to pay them.

I just went on disability a couple months ago. We started the process probably a little over a year and a half ago. The reason we started the process wasn't really for the money, because I'm still a college student living at home with my parents, we needed the insurance. I have really good insurance though my mom, but because I turned 23 in June and I can't be a full time student I needed to be considered disabled so they don't drop me. Also, because of my age, if something happened to my mom then I would have been left without insurance, so this way I have the medicare. It's a secondary for now, and I have to admit, it makes me feel better that there is something to help pick up some of the cost my parents pay for my med copays and hospital stays and all. When I was talking to the woman from social security to go over some things after I got it approved she asked if I had currently been contributing to the house hold income, and I told her no, I just deplete it, she just laughed. My parents have had to fork out so much money to keep me going since I got sick, and although they have never made me feel guilty about it, but I'm glad to know that this cuts down, even though it isn't a ton, on how much they have to pay out. Getting the money that comes with the disability has helped some too. It isn't much, but this way I have a little more of my own money then I had before, so I don't have to ask my parents for money as often.
I was denied when I first applied, like pretty much everybody is. We have a friend that is a disability lawyer, so he helped us with the appeal. It was denied, so we were going to be waiting for what they said could be up to 18 months for a court date, but in the mean time, social security sent some more papers they wanted filled out by my doctor, so he filled them out about all my limitations and how much I'm in the hospital for like months at a time. He also wrote a letter giving my history with all the surgeries I have had and the things like my migraines, bladder problems, and everything else that has come with my gp and that we have done all we can, it isn't going to go away and is continuing to progress. After they got my doctor's letter it only took like 2 weeks and it was approved, we weren't going to have to go to court. My lawyer's office said they had never happen before, usually once you get to the point that you are waiting on a court date they aren't going to approve it till you go to court. My doctors had sent them paper work and stuff before, but apparently something in the letter convinced them to go on and approve it.
Sorry that got so long. Good luck, I hope the process doesn't get to stressfull for you.
Char

I don't receive SSI, but I receive SSD due to my GP and other medical problems. I had no problem getting it. I completed the application online, had a friend bring paperwork into the local office, and got an approval a few months later. I only applied for SSD because I made too much money for SSI, but I guess they automatically apply you for SSI when you apply for SSD.

Mimi

I think the key is to include all of your diagnoses in the application - not just GP. A lot of us also have migraines and colon problems too. I have other problems like osteoporosis and spine problems as well as other GI problems. It's important to include everything.

Mimi

Hi
I have GP as well as copd and i lost my job before all of this i too was turned down for any help so i am trying to find a lawyer also. All of this is so much work and yet we have to do it and still try to feel better strange right.... Good Luck to all

It should not be hard to find a lawyer. I see them advertised all the time and most don't accept payment unless you get approved. Good luck!

I talked to several lawyers and i hope to find one i like soon, now that my husband lost his job this past tuesday, wow, when it rains etc....
Good Luck To All

Hi , I am on SS disability, but not because of the GP, I was recently diagnosed with this disease. I got denied like everyone, but after going to a lawyer and my doctor filled out the necessary info, I did get approved. I agree with others, you must have more than one medical problem and show that you're not able to work anymore. They will test you first, they run a battery of mental, physical and physological tests. Then these doctors will turn in their findings and they decide if you're disabled. I hope all goes well for you.
Gina

When I first applied for disability (only SSI as I had not worked long enough to earn sufficient credits for the other) due to my problems associated with gastroparesis, I was denied. I was going to appeal, but then I learned that I could still get covered under my father's insurance through a disability program it offered. However, I almost wiped out my maximum coverage due to all the expenses associated with getting a multivisceral transplant. Thus, I decided to apply again, and I was approved. I think this had to do with the fact of my transplant and the fact that I was below one of their guideline weights as I struggle with being underweight, but I am not completely sure. I have heard though through others that it is often common to get denied the first time. Then one should seek the help of a lawyer to help win an appeal. My sister who went on disability for a completely different reason, got denied at first, but with the help of a lawyer, she finally did get approved. I would not give up. I hope that you can a lawyer that will be able to provide you with the help that you need. Best of wishes.

Warm regards,
Bobbiejo

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