Social Security Disability Advice Group

Just the last week my pdoc dx'ed me with severe bi polar and in the next two appointments they will decide which meds to have me try Without knowing a great deal about this illness i am dumbfounded to the point of not knowing what to expect I would love to hear whats next. I was told from an unprofessional person that they might have you sign in to in patient services for said many days while they start you on the meds is there any truth to this ? I would think it would be much easier to do this so they can see how a person will react to the meds. I have already been dx'ed with agoraphobia and anexity and depression and on meds for these as well. I have spent many years with therapist and when they add another diagnoses I almost always walk away and dont go back but this time it is very diffrent cause I know there is and has been something much more wrong with me then the normal anexity and depression. Again I will ask questions of non professional friends and I know your opinion is just that and will be treated as such. Could I have had Bi polar all these years and just been misdiagnosed ? My new therapist and pdoc are just that I told them from the get go I dont always tell them everything due to being scared they might want to have me committed. I have a hugh fear of being locked up in hospitals and I have had that exp one time and it lasted 10 days and it was not even for the right reasons. They called it alcohol abuse and the suicidal thoughts. of course the entire process was surrounded by alcohol abuse of which done me no good whatsoever. My mental state was not touched in any manner during my stay in the phycho ward and i felt i was spending 650.00 a day at the not so hilton was a waste of my time.

The next thing I am working on as well as getting this mental issue resolved is ssdi I have been denied the first round application and now with this new dx I got to wonder if I am gonna be denied in the same. Will Bi polar throw a red flag on an duel claime for ssdi ? Or will this new dx help obtain the ssdi benifits ? I spoke with the pdoc and they said they will be behind me all the way to help file for ssdi and I do have a lawyer to handle this. I also have these other issues that will be added to the claime.

I have herniated disc in spine neck and lower back surgical consult was done but can not afford to have this done. I have arthritis in spine as well and facet joints are broken in spine and deterioting disc disorder. I also have diabetes on insulin and high blood pressure. Alone with depression and anexity and agoraphobia and now bi polar !!! I just said a mouth full here. What sitesdo you know of that has a detailed info on bi polar ?? msot of the ones I find are simple to the point and nothing more.

OH yeah here are the stats for those that will ask due to the ssdi thing.

I am 39 years old with 23 years of full time work exp and about 42 jobs during this process and most of which have been professional positions such as plant manager and production managers in manufacturing.I have never been able to stay long in one place cause I hate being around people. Never fired due to performance. I was forced to resign in the last year due to agression i took out on two men that I had fired and almost went to jail. I fought two big azz men and beat them both really well lol. I lost my cool really fast that day.

Oh dear! You're going through and dealing with a lot!

I would have to sayt that I'm no professional on this stuff. But, I would imagine that the Bipolar would help your SSDI case.

It's good that you have your doctors backing you and have an attorney to help handle this case for you. Letting him/her deal with the crap that goes along with filing. It will help your stress level tremendously.

As far as the Bipolar and information about it. I don't know much. I know there are others here though, who deal with it, or have a loved one dealing with it.

I would recommend that if you haven't already done so- join the Bipolar group here at MDJunction. I would imagine that they can offer you a world of information and support.

~gentle hugs to you~

It's certainly possible that your doctors/therapists have missed a bipolar diagnosis, especially if you're not telling them everything. I know I am the same way, it takes me a very long time to get comfortable with a psychiatrist or therapist, and unfortunately due to moving I have had to change them frequently.

Most people with bipolar are not hospitalized unless there is a very serious situation, such as having trouble caring for yourself or having serious thoughts of harming yourself. That being said, every case is different.

I was also admitted into the hospital and they focused solely on alcohol abuse when my real problem was psychological. It was a nightmare for me to be in there, I was severely agoraphobic at the same time.

Judging from everything you have said, especially considering you have the support of your doctors, I think you have a very good case. I am only 29 years old, I had worked since I was 15, and I was approved for panic disorder, agoraphobia and severe depression. I was initially denied as well, but it turned out it was mostly because they never received my medical records. I hired a representative, they refiled my case instead of appealing, and I won at the initial level. They even re-opened my original case and reversed the decision, so I got all of my backpay.

In my opinion, having a bipolar diagnosis added could only help your case. The bipolar could explain trouble you've had getting along with others at work, and again your doctors are completely behind you, which is key.

I wish you the best of luck in your case, and I hope this new diagnosis will help the doctors help you better.

fIBRO I joined that section as well and posted the same exact post on that area. I am new to it as well and hope that some will advise on there dealings with it. I think jmack might be one that has some knowledge in this area, Im not sure . But sure enough he will be alone to help. He was super informative with the other issues the last time I was on here.

I recently won SSDI on a mental health basis, the official dx was Bipolar... I was never told by any of my doctors, I just thouht I had Severe Anxiety and Depression, along with domestic abuse, post traumatic live events from living with a spouse addicted to pain meds, and an adopted daughter from Romania who suffered severe early childhold abuse and is now in a resididential program. I had an independent exam after my hearing, and I think it was this doctors's report that put everything into perspective, as his report pretty much summarized everything else all the other reports stated. I also had a history of many jobs, with frequent disability breaks, and some jobs where I was let go for poor performance. (due to severe depression and brain fog). In my favor was I am about 20 years older and the judge seemed sympathetic in that despite everything I still attempted to work my last employment against my doctor

recomendation that I stay out on disabiltiy.

Treatment for Bipolar can be as simple as adding a mood stabiling RX to and anti-depressant regime. The only time I know of in-patient stays is when someone is really outta control and they need to stabilize that person. Otherwise, it can be done outpatient. The ony concern is everyone has different reactions to these medications. While one works for one, it maynot work for another. Its just a trial and error process.

You may get more information about BiPolar from NAMI, National Alliance for Mental Illness. They offer local support groups and and educational seminars. Their main goal is to de-stigmatize mental illness, and get people to understand that this is a real illness.

Of course going thur the SS disabilty process definately doesn't help with the stress, anxiety and depression that you already face, along with the other physical ailments.

Educating yourself is the most important thing you can do, as you can than educate those who will be deciding your fate (ie SS). hang in there.

Thanks Jmick I think thats what the problem was as well with my first cycle with ssdi they didnt get the medical records all done. This time the lawyer is on top of these issues. The mental health clinic is well awear of the situtation and was told up front what Im doing. I have been very honest with these folks this time and they have found a lot more going on in this crazy head of mine hehehehe This pdoc and t doc are great they have exp in this ssdi thing and helping make sure you can get what you should be getting. Thanks fro your fast response as well as fibro you two are awesome. I will be leaning on you guys for advice and encouragment so please understand lol

Hey moderator Im sorry did not mean to double post can you delete the other post under this one with my name ? Thanks !!

Got it, the second ones gone

I can see why everyone gets so upset when filing for SSDI or SSI !!!

i have applyed for interum assistance which is a small 280.00 a month while waiting for the decision.

Oct.26th was the day i had a appt with my dr. to say i was disabled he faxed the letter over to the social security office the next day. I waited and waited and finaly at dec.1 i recieve a letter saying my interum was denied because they never got the fax. I just couldnt believe what i was reading.

I called my doc right away and he assured me he faxed it in. He said he had proof that he had. he faxed it again that day with copies of my MRI.s that were taken.

When i have called the last 2 days trying to speak to someone that can help me i get real short answeres, unfriendly voices on the phone. No one has it yet. i will keep calling until someone gets it!

Its very important for me to get this. i havnt worked for almost 2 years now and we have lost our home and about to lose our rental because as of march the landlord has to have people move in that can pay a higher rent. We live in alaska and we are so far from family and its very very expensive to move. Please pray for me and my situation.

We all know how hard thing can be. take care, just needed to vent!!!!!

It can be so frustrating to deal with SSA or Social Services (I'm assuming that's where you're talking about getting interim assistance). If it is from social services, $280 is actually a lot compared to most places. While waiting for SSDI I got $200 from New Jersey and only $95 a month when I moved to Delaware.

I hope things get sorted out soon and things work out. I also lost my home, luckily I had family to stay with within 4-5 hours so I didn't have to move very far (relatively). I did lose most of the stuff I owned though. I simply had nowhere to put it, and with my agoraphobia I was barely able to leave the house, let alone move everything I owned. And I certainly couldn't afford a mover.

Sending good vibes your way that things get better for you