Cancer Support Groups Keep You Informed

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Editorial Board

Cancer support groups provide excellent opportunity to share your thoughts with others going through similar experiences. The sociological structure of these cancer support groups is similar to other kinds of support groups. Cancer is a common cause of disability and these support groups are of real help and provide valuable information about living with cancer, its treatment, and issues related to disability benefits from social security or long-term disability carriers.

Coping with the physical, medical, and psychological challenges associated with cancer requires immense support.  A cancer patient may face depression, anxious worries, and persistent concerns related to their disease and its consequences.  This is why counseling is commonly a vital element within a cancer patient’s therapeutic plan.

Cancer support groups can be seen as providing a type of group peer to peer counseling in which cancer patients share information about living with cancer. There is a growing number of such support groups dedicated to people with a particular type of cancer. For example, there are number of support groups dedicated for women with breast cancer or ovarian cancer, or men’s groups around colon or testicular cancer.

A common issue faced by any cancer patient who is disabled by their condition is to learn about their rights to collect Social Security Disability benefits. Learning all the rules of the disability program is complicated, but support groups can help you learn what is most important for you.  Getting right to what is important for people like you is where a cancer support group can be of great help. In these groups you will have a good chance of finding several patients with a similar type of cancer who have a varied level of abilities following their treatment.  For the ones that are disabled by their condition some may be filing for Social Security Disability benefits or some may already be on disability. Visitors to support group meetings will learn a lot from a variety of insider perspectives.

Cancer presents many challenges and nobody should go through all of that alone.  In support groups no one goes through it alone, the groups are comprised of a significant number of people going through similar experiences. Different groups meet in different ways, some are now online, some are in person meetings, and some are phone conference type meetings.  Most members agree that you can get a lot out of being in a support group.

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Diabetes Symptoms & Treatment Options

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Editorial Board

Symptoms of diabetes can vary from subtle to very dramatic in nature, depending on the individual and the type of diabetes he or she suffers from.  Symptoms of diabetes also vary depending on the chronicity of the disease and resulting complications.  Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to some very serious long-term symptoms and complications.

Common Symptoms of Diabetes

1.      Kidney failure

2.      Blindness due to damage to retina

3.      Gangrene

4.      Damage to nerves due to diabetic neuropathy

5.      Heart problems including heart attack

6.      Stroke

7.      Chronic diarrhea

8.      High blood pressure

9.      Infections

10.  Poor wound healing

11.  Unexplained weight loss

12.  Excessive thirst (polydipsia)

13.  Excessive urination

14.  Excessive eating

15.  Altered mental status (agitation, irritability, inattention, confusion)

16.  Blurred vision

17.  Athlete’s food

18.  Abscess formation

19.  Thrush

20.  Foot tingling

21.  Hand numbness

22.  Erectile dysfunction

23.  Malaise

Diabetes Treatment Options

The treatment of diabetes is highly variable and individualized and depends on the type of diabetes—type 1 or type 2—the presence of other concurrent medical problems like heart disease, presence of complications due to diabetes, and overall general health and age of patient.  Varied treatment plans are ordered by medical providers based on these and other factors.  It is the patient’s responsibility to seek out treatment and remain compliant with treatment orders to get the best results.

To get an appropriate treatment plan a person suffering from diabetes needs to give their medical provider a complete and detailed history, then undergo a physical examination.  Laboratory tests are often required to check blood sugar and other levels to establish the diagnosis. The key objective to any diabetes therapy is blood sugar control. Therefore, a healthcare provider will typically order a comprehensive plan to meet this daunting task. Once a diagnosis is established, patient education and counseling is mandatory as successful treatment of diabetes solely depends on the full compliance of the patient.

Insulin is frequently required in the treatment of diabetes and usually a combination of short-acting and long-acting insulin is given. Most patients are able to inject insulin themselves and initial demonstration of proper injection techniques is usually sufficient to enable the patient to inject insulin at home. Dose adjustment is often required and it may take few weeks until the appropriate dose for any diabetic individual can be tailored according to their needs.  Your healthcare provider will ask you to keep record of your blood glucose level to help adjust your dosage.

Losing extra weight, regular exercise, and healthy diet are also all important for successful management of diabetes beyond just prescription medication. Diabetes patients are also advised not to miss their insulin and other medications, or alter the dosage on their own, as this could lead to severe complications like hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.

To ensure optimal treatment, diabetes patients should see their healthcare provider on regular basis to make sure their diabetes is well controlled and if insulin levels needs to be adjusted or not.  Successful management and treatment of diabetes is led by healthcare professionals, but the ultimate success depends on the patient and their compliance with treatment ordered by their providers.

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Winning Disability Benefits with Breast Cancer

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Editorial Board

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and affects one in eight women. Breast cancer was often undiagnosed or untreated in the past, but with better diagnostic methods, the incidence of breast cancer is on the rise. However, if detected in very early stages, it can be successfully treated with surgery or radiation therapy.

Breast cancer is listed in the list of impairments (“the listings”) provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Disability, as defined by the SSA, means an inability to engage in work by reason of a medical condition which has lasted (or can be expected to last) 12 continuous months or more, or which can be expected to result in death.

As stated above, the disabling impairment must last for at least 12 months, or be a terminal condition, to be considered part of your disability. There are a wide variety of cancer treatment therapies which provide varied levels of recovery.  In some patients cancer may be surgically removed or treated and the patient may get back to work in less than 12 months. In such cases, that condition wouldn’t contribute to the problems and limitations that prevent one from working, so the person would probably not win disability benefits.

While evaluating the application of cancer patients, the SSA considers the origin of the cancer; extent of involvement; duration, frequency, and response to therapy and side effects of any therapy or treatment.

If you meet one of SSA’s listings you win benefits provided you are not working at substantial gainful activity levels (SGA), which in 2011 is $1,000 a month.  The SSA’s listing on breast cancer requires the patient to have one of following:

1.    Inoperable carcinoma

2.    Inflammatory carcinoma

3.    Recurring carcinoma

4.    Metastases (spread of cancer cells to distant parts of body)

A person with breast cancer may or may not get their Social Security Disability benefits (either Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI or DIB), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or both.)   Such a person wins benefits when they either meet the listing or can prove that they are disabled under other rules within the SSA’s five step sequential disability evaluation process.  For example, disability benefits can also be won if the judge believes you cannot sustain full time competitive work.

Disability decisions in Social Security cases are usually based on level of severity of the impairments and not necessarily always on a diagnosis. Even if you have cancer, the SSA will look at what level of work activities you could do despite your impairment to decide if you are disabled or not.

Your medical evidence helps describe the extent of your problems to Social Security, and opinion statements from your doctors on your ability to do work like activities could help you win your benefits. Your healthcare provider’s letter and comments about your condition are extremely important to provide the judge an opinion from a treating source on your ability to work or not. Your doctor knows your problems well and is in a great position to explain your limitations to the SSA.

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Grand Mal Seizures Can Lead To Social Security Disability Benefits

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Editorial Board

Grand mal seizures involve the whole body and a loss of consciousness often occurs along with muscle contraction and stiffness. Grand Mal seizures also called tonic-clonic seizures occur due to electrical disturbances within the brain of a person. The severity and type of symptoms experienced by each person largely depends on the part of brain being affected by such disturbances of electrical charges within the brain.

The exact cause of Grand mal seizures is still unknown. However, past head injuries, brain tumors, strokes, infections involving brain tissue, and even extreme low levels of glucose, calcium, or sodium may lead to such seizures.

There are a wide variety of symptoms of grand mal seizures depending on what part of the brain is affected by abnormal electrical disturbances. Here are some of the commonly seen symptoms of people who suffer from grand mal seizures:
• Muscle stiffness
• Rapid heart beat
• Falls
• Whole body spasms
• Jerking muscles
• Biting the tongue
• Frothing at the mouth
• Urination
• Rolling back of Eyes
• Clenched teeth and jaw
• Confusion
• Headache, weakness, confusion, and loss of memory after a seizure episode is over

Symptoms in some but not all patients include a warning feeling (aura) before a grand mal seizure, a scream, or unresponsiveness after convulsions. People who are present around a person undergoing a grand mal seizure should first call for medical help, and then gently roll the person onto one side. Avoid putting anything in the mouth, and do not try to restrain movements during a seizure.

A number of complications are associated with grand mal seizures including: biting of the tongue and inside the cheeks, and injury while falling or during uncontrolled body movements. Joint dislocations, fractures, head injuries, and other such injuries may occur after these individuals fall down. More injuries may result due to extensive uncontrolled movements during grand mal seizure episode.

Individuals with a history of grand mal seizures are recommended not to swim, drive, or operate equipment. Most doctor’s give people written notice advising them not to drive if they are in treatment for seizure disorders.

People with a history of grand mal seizures can win Social Security Disability or SSI disability benefits depending on functional limitations due to this medical condition and the frequency of their seizures. There is a listing for seizures within Social Security’s blue book of listed impairments. The listing discusses the frequency of seizures despite sustained treatment (usually anticonvulsant medication) that a person needs to be suffering from to win their benefits. The seizure listing however is not the only way someone with seizures can win disability benefits. The law also allows Social Security Administrative law judges (ALJs) to consider if the person could sustain full time work over the long run. When considering this issue even if your seizures are not at a listing level they could be bad enough to not allow sustained competitive work.

Posted in Neurological Disorders, Winning Disability Benefits | 1 Comment