I can only assume the increased pain in my joints is from the cooler weather of fall. The last few days has been very difficult to do anything (between my hands, knees, and feet). I am on MTX, and have an appt with Rheumy in a few weeks. I am going to have to ask him what I can take for the times I can't hold a fork to eat, a pen to write, or even type on the keyboard (thankful for software that converts spoken words to text).
As a side note, I received a letter from Social Security Disability. As of right now I am declined since I was just diagnosed in July. They want me under the care of a Rheumy for at least a year before I am considered. I haven't worked in over a year now due to joint pain, it just took me that long to find a Rheumy that would treat me under a charity case since I have no income.
All of you are wonderful and uplifting in your various posts. Thank you for creating such an amazing group!
If pain is an indication of weather, the northeast will not have a pleasant winter. Although, I am still holding onto the hope of MTX working (although dad was moved to embrel after less than 6 months)
Oh, Filly, what a blow. Weather changes, pain, and then a ruling which doesn’t take your true situation into account. I’m so sorry. Maybe someone else here can comment on the SSD process and what you might be able to do. Is there an appeals process?
Stay strong, and take care of yourself.
Thanks Seenie! Needless to say its been a rough few days. There is an appeals process, and I am already working on that as I can. Hopefully will send it back to them in the next few weeks.
On the bright side, (at least for now), I have found a sleeping remedy. Trazadone. We will see how it works long term, After only 2 nights, I finally slept more than 2 hours ;-)
As a nurse, I have seen it used for its sedative purposes with the anti-depressant as the icing so to speak. I have been on amitriptyline until recently. I had very good luck with it helping me sleep and having the same anti-depressant "icing". However, after several years on it, my dose was getting a little high and I was having some side effects that my husband wasn't to pleased with (trying to be delicate here ;-) ). So, here is to hoping trazadone will let me sleep without the side effects I was having.
As to disability....I applied the first time in Sept. 2012. Denied. They told me I was perfectly capable of doing a job I did 20 years ago that I am no longer qualified to do. That was helpful.
Reapplied (with an attorney) in May. Still waiting. Finally went to their doc at the end of Sept. so I have hope that I may get an answer one way or the other in the near future (of course with the Fed. gov. shutdown, I knew there would be yet another delay). Happy news....the fed. is now restarting, which means consideration of my ap is soon to be underway again. Hopefully (fingers crossed, toes crossed, EYES crossed!) This thing will get approved. Of course there is still a 5 month waiting period before I'll actually get benefits, and a year waiting period before Medicare kicks in...but at least there will be light at the end of the tunnel! And this time I have an attorney helping me so if I get denied again they will automatically appeal. They will also go to court to advocate for me if that becomes necessary.
It has been chilly and rainy here the last 4 or 5 days, so anyone with any type of arthritis is miserable. Finally the sun came out today so at least we didn't have to travel so many hours to my dr in the rain ;-) The next 10 days weather wise here doesnt look so good, but I am trying to hold onto some hope that the new meds will help somewhat. (double mtx dose and adding celebrex for now).
Unfortunatley I have seen all to well the trouble with disability. My inital claim was in February, I just got a whole crapola load of paperwork to fill out for them. Now at least I can add the PsA as a diagnosis.
Since my hands are so bad anymore, I cant really do the work I did 15-20 years ago, and I certainly cannot see me working as a nurse with how I have been feeling the last 9 or 10 months. That pretty much leaves out anything I have been trained to do ;-( I know it is going to take alot of time, and Im ready for that. We have faced that fact and realize I will probably be told no more than once. My husband actually just was approved for Medicare finally. Two years after his approval for disability. It has been such a good thing getting treatment for his medical conditions!! At least I only have to worry about financial aid paperwork for me now and most of our hospital groups are good about helping those that do not have insurance.
Praying you will get your decision soon tmbrwolf329, and that it helps to alleviate some of your financial worries.