Thought about Disability

[4givenme]

I am currently on Canadian disability (provincial) for bi-polar. I will be re-accesed in about one year for my eligibilty. I'm doing OK, I'm working part-time and able to take care of my kids once again (its been a long journey) The thing is that when I get re-accesed. Im thinking I wont qualify anymore...but the thing is with mental illness and bi-polar is we can be doing well for quite some time then...whamo... we can take a landslide. Id like to go on federal disability to prevent them from "cutting" me off but like I said Im doing ok right now and I wont qualify for that benefit either. Being bi-polar is'nt like cronic pain were its constant, its episodic...so I worry about my finacial provisions in the future...
Any Canadians or anyone have any comments or suggestions on this????

 

[Alive again]

I am on disability here in the US and have the same concerns as you are expressing for my next recertification time. I have been doing well for a couple of years but still have short episodes that will make working a challenge. And it is an incredibly long wait to get thru the process here to get on in the first place. I know that the social worker who helped me understand how to apply emphasized that when I apply to talk about the bad days, for those are the days you cannot work. Not sure if this helps in your circumstances though. . .Praying for GOd your Provider to give you wisdom and provision for all your needs!

 

[tapero]

ed

 

[Alive again]

Tapero, Praying for God to provide for you in all your needs!! Praying that you will continue to be okayed for disability! I have been on since 1995 and have not yet had to see any doctors (state) other than my own for recert. I will pray that God will give you the words to explain. Be sure to speak to the Doc about your worst days and when you still have episodes of moods and dysfuntion, even if it is periods of quickly switching moods or periods that are not as "bad" as before. Sometimes we feel so much better that we minimize the days we still nmedd to rest or get away from stress so we do not have worse problems. I am not sure if I am making sense, but I know for me there are days were I modify my behavior to prevent hurting others with my rage, anxiety and there are still days I battle depression and thinking errors and tend to go into hiding-those are still symptoms that would make the stress if working a challenge. But I am overall so much better it is hard for me to remember that working will still be an additional stress that may put me right back where I was. I have just been dealing with voc rehab to get my nursing license back and will start the last part of my training next week. They want me to do 3 days a week and I am praying for a way to tell them I can only do 2 and am not sure even that will not be too much! I hope to eventually do just volunteer or relief work and keep my disability, but I may alos be facing losing it!

Praying for you dear sister, keep us informed!

 

[Alaskamomma]

I don't have any suggetions, but you all have my prayers while you are on disability.

 

[OneOfHisOwn]

In USA, but sounds like it is similar. I started the process back in Oct 2006 and I am still waiting on a determination (they denied it first round, claiming that if I was on meds, I could work) That is so arrogant in my opinion. They have no clue about meds obviously. I have had no luck with any mood-stabilzer and have repeatedly "broken" through into mania or depression. I just can't imagine going back to work - I have collapsed 4 times in 12 years completely and taken a full year in some cases to resume work and even then I had to exist on strong amounts of xanax and clonipin to keep down the terrible anxiety. Waiting on the disabilty determination has also resulted in my depleting all my retirement income and now I am defaulting on all my credit cards... so needless to say the stress is increasing and I am not getting any better. And you are so right about them not getting the fact that this illness is episodic... just don't know when things are going to go south again. I wrote my Senators and Congressmen about the dilemna that the current disability situation places us in - asking them to add a provision that provides a simple "recert" after we have been declared disabled (which seems to take up to 2 years in worst case) - find ourselves able to "try" to work again. In other words, let us try to return to work. If we are successful for a season - let us return to disabilty status with a much shorter process. Otherwise many of us are just to fearful try again - and find ourselves 1 or two years later disabled again and having to go thru the entire process again. THe disability system for the mentally ill is just not rational and it is so adversaril (sic) --- you need a lawyer for everything these days. They seem to care more about the bottom line than in really helping us... Sorry for the rant... but these postings relate so much to what I am going thru and the two-fold dilemna of hoping to be able to work again and the problem it presents - should we "fail" again due to another episode of this illness.

I hope the Lord will help us and hope our politicians will take note that some reform is necessary to the rules governing disablity especially as related to mental illness...

Pray the Lord will help you in this process. Pray for me also. I am terrified about what will happen if they decline my claim.

Jack

 

[Alive again]

In USA, but sounds like it is similar. I started the process back in Oct 2006 and I am still waiting on a determination (they denied it first round, claiming that if I was on meds, I could work) That is so arrogant in my opinion. They have no clue about meds obviously. I have had no luck with any mood-stabilzer and have repeatedly "broken" through into mania or depression. I just can't imagine going back to work - I have collapsed 4 times in 12 years completely and taken a full year in some cases to resume work and even then I had to exist on strong amounts of xanax and clonipin to keep down the terrible anxiety. Waiting on the disabilty determination has also resulted in my depleting all my retirement income and now I am defaulting on all my credit cards... so needless to say the stress is increasing and I am not getting any better. And you are so right about them not getting the fact that this illness is episodic... just don't know when things are going to go south again. I wrote my Senators and Congressmen about the dilemna that the current disability situation places us in - asking them to add a provision that provides a simple "recert" after we have been declared disabled (which seems to take up to 2 years in worst case) - find ourselves able to "try" to work again. In other words, let us try to return to work. If we are successful for a season - let us return to disabilty status with a much shorter process. Otherwise many of us are just to fearful try again - and find ourselves 1 or two years later disabled again and having to go thru the entire process again. THe disability system for the mentally ill is just not rational and it is so adversaril (sic) --- you need a lawyer for everything these days. They seem to care more about the bottom line than in really helping us... Sorry for the rant... but these postings relate so much to what I am going thru and the two-fold dilemna of hoping to be able to work again and the problem it presents - should we "fail" again due to another episode of this illness.

I hope the Lord will help us and hope our politicians will take note that some reform is necessary to the rules governing disablity especially as related to mental illness...

Pray the Lord will help you in this process. Pray for me also. I am terrified about what will happen if they decline my claim.

Jack

All I can say is do not become discouraged in the process and keep appealing until the hearing. Just jump through the hoops and keep praying. Ask your doc if they would be willing to write up a letter stating you cannot work.