Fibromyalgia Support Groups Can Help You Better Understand Your Condition

Posted on December 9, 2010 by Editorial Board

Fibromyalgia or fibromyalgia syndrome, fibromyositis, and fibrositis is a chronic pain disorder characterized by abnormal pain processing, widespread pain, multiple tender points, sleep disturbances and fatigue.  It is often accompanied by psychological distress.  Fibromyalgia affects people physically, mentally and socially.  For people suffering with severe symptoms, fibromyalgia can interfere with everyday activities and can be debilitating.  Fibromyalgia occurs in about 2 percent of the U.S. population, and is more common in women than in men.   Many sufferers also have co-existing conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lupus, or Rheumatoid Arthritis.  Depending on the severity of the symptoms, fibromyalgia can be temporarily or permanently disabling.

Fibromyalgia is classified as a syndrome rather than a disease.  A disease is a medical conditions with a specific, identifiable cause (or causes) and recognizable symptoms.   A syndrome is a collection of symptoms and medical problems that occur together but may not have a specific, identifiable cause.  Because the causes of fibromyalgia are unknown at this time, and the symptoms vary from person to person, diagnoses are sometimes inconclusive.

Living with fibromyalgia can be lonely.  Few people understand what it’s like to live in constant pain and exhaustion.  Social situations can be difficult because other people around you may not understand fibromyalgia and its effect on a person’s health and activity level.  Emotional ups and downs are common for people dealing with a chronic and potentially debilitating illness. Many people with fibromyalgia are clinically depressed.

Support Groups Can Help You Cope With Fibro

Because of its nature, fibromyalgia is a condition that sufferers must learn to manage.  It can help to learn from people who share your experiences.  If you’re struggling to manage your illness, you may benefit from a support group.  Meetings help fibromyalgia sufferers and their families learn more about their condition, which will encourage them to take control of their treatment.  Support groups also provide a safe, comfortable place for people to share experiences and encouragement, creating a sense of community for people who may feel lonely and misunderstood because of their illness.  Sometimes it just helps to know you’re not alone there are people who understand what you’re feeling.

There are a number of support groups online, and there may even be local groups in your community.  Contact your doctor, local hospital, or health-insurance company to find out about local programs, or search for them on the Internet.  Many support groups include people with a variety of chronic pain conditions, because people suffering from these conditions often have similar concerns.  If there is no fibromyalgia support group near you, consider joining a group for, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis.  If you can’t find a local group, you might even consider starting one.

Posted in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia | Comments Off on Fibromyalgia Support Groups Can Help You Better Understand Your Condition

RFC (Residual Functioning Capacity): What is it?

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Editorial Board

Your residual functioning capacity (RFC) is what you can still do, both physically and mentally, despite your medical problems.  Social Security considers all of the evidence in your case to estimate your RFC.  This evidence includes your medical records, your testimony, and written statements in your application and other disability forms.

An RFC is a set of physical and mental limitations.  Social Security determines whether you are limited in the following areas:

  • Sitting, standing, and walking for long periods of time
  • Lifting and carrying weight
  • Climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling
  • Using your hands to work with objects
  • Vision, hearing, and speaking
  • Maintaining concentration
  • Understanding and following instructions
  • Adapting to changes in the workplace
  • Interacting with other people

These are just examples, and your RFC should include all of your limitations caused by your medical conditions.  For example, if your conditions cause you to miss work twice a month then that limitation is part of your RFC.

Social Security decides whether the limitations in your RFC would prevent you from doing your past work or other work.   This makes your RFC a very, very important part of your case.  The disability judge is required to consider all of your medical conditions before estimating your RFC, but don’t leave it up to them.  Make sure they are aware of all of your conditions and how each one affects you.

Posted in Basics of SSD, Capability to Work (Step 5), Legal Concepts in SSD, Past Relevant Work (Step 4), Questions & Answers, Vocational or Work Issues, Your Limitations | Comments Off on RFC (Residual Functioning Capacity): What is it?

Getting Social Security Disability because of Heart Failure

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Editorial Board

Heart failure, also known as Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is typically defined as a condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to the other organs of the body. Consequently, the blood is not able to move easily through the circulatory system, which further increases the pressure in the blood vessels and pushes fluid from the blood vessels into body tissues.

CHF and Social Security Disability Benefits

The Social Security Administration (SSA) funds the Social Security Disability program, a federal program that offers monetary assistance to the individuals who meet the criteria of being disabled. These benefits are provided under two main programs, including:

i)             Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which is available to those who have paid in to the Social Security trust fund through the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes (payroll tax).

ii)           Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is offered to those individuals who meet low-income guidelines, irrespective of their previous employment records.

Getting Disability Benefits

The SSA lists specific criteria that one must meet or equal to be declared ‘disabled’ for individuals suffering from heart failure or CHF.  The listing is detailed in the SSA’s listings of medical impairments.  The two key forms of the disorder discussed in the listing include the systolic and diastolic versions of CHF.

i) Systolic Dysfunction

This disorder relates to the heart’s inability to pump blood during the contraction phase, called systole. When the objective tests are at the levels in the listing, the patient has a good chance at being awarded disability benefits.  To meet this criteria an echocardiography (ECHO) or the heart ultrasound report of the patient should show either:

a)   The left ventricle (largest left-sided chamber of the heart that pumps blood out to the body) end diastolic dimension should be greater than 6.0 cm, or

b)   Ejection fraction (EF) should be at 30 percent or less.

ii) Diastolic Dysfunction

This form of CHF reduces the heart’s ability to relax and fill with blood during the relaxation phase. Also reflected on the ECHO report, these criteria will include the following:

a)   The left ventricular posterior wall along with septal thickness should total up to 2.5 cm or more, accompanied by an enlarged left atrium, which should be greater than or equal to 4.5 cm.

b)   The normal or elevated ejection fraction should be observed during a period of stability.

Further Disability Analysis

For the purpose of being awarded disability benefits by the SSA, the above conditions might not be enough in themselves for you to be awarded benefits.  Not everyone will meet or equal a listing of an impairment in the medical listings. Beyond the listings alone, the following factors are also considered in determining a claimant’s eligibility for the Social Security disability benefits:

  1. Verifications of physical symptoms of CHF such as distended neck veins (jugular venous distention), abnormal heart sounds (S3 gallop), enlarged liver (hepatomegaly), fluid accumulation in the legs (peripheral edema) and the like.
  2. Examination of medical records such as x-ray reports, echocardiography, radio nuclide studies etc.
  3. Other physical symptoms such as shortness of breath, exertion, chest pain etc.
  4. Analysis of past relevant work history, and alternate jobs available in the national economy, in an effort to see if the claimant can obtain and then sustain full time employment.
Posted in Heart & Circulation, The Listings (Step 3), Winning Disability Benefits | Comments Off on Getting Social Security Disability because of Heart Failure

What Does Social Security Mean by “Other Work”?

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Editorial Board

If Social Security does not believe that you meet or equal a disability listing or are disabled under a grid rule, they will award your case only if they believe you cannot do your past work or “other work”.

What kinds of jobs does Social Security look at to decide if you can do other work?  Social Security will only consider jobs that meet these following three requirements.  First, the job must be an unskilled job, meaning you can do the job without any past experience in that area.  Social Security will only look at whether you can do semi-skilled or skilled work if you have skills from your past work or schooling that qualifies you to do the other job.

Second, the job must be full time, meaning those who do that job work about 40 hours per week and year-round.  Seasonal jobs do not count.  Lastly, the job must exist in significant numbers in the regional and national economies.  Social Security has not made clear what counts as “significant numbers”.  However, if there are 1,000 or less positions in the regional economy that job will usually be thrown out.

Another way to look at the concept of “other work” is that it could be any job you would be qualified for, located anywhere in the national economy.  Said another way it can be any job, anywhere.  To win disability benefits you need to be unable to do your past work and “other work” (any job, anywhere.)

Posted in Capability to Work (Step 5), Questions & Answers, Vocational or Work Issues, Why People Are Denied | 2 Comments