Took me atleast 6 mos.

I swear the first time is a lottery of which most are denied, saving them money. Out of those they deny, not all will appeal, saving them even more money. And so on with every denial.

I was denied a second time and retained an attorney. Having an attorney was a big relief. Seems like most attorney's [or the good ones] will not take you until you are denied the 2nd time.

Somewhere in between denials they sent me to a dr. So, in preparation, I tried to recall all of my history with MI. The dr I went to, tested my shoulder, not my head.

The third time, they required me to see an administrative law judge, I believe was his title. 1. I lived out of that state that would have required 5 hours of travel, one way. 2. Just the thought of going in front of a judge fueled my symptoms into a panic state. My man called the attny and explained what was going on. The attny contacted the judge and I was approved without having to attend.

In all cases, it was obvious that those who were denying my claim were not reading the medical records they were sent by my providers. Duh. Extremely frustrating and mind boggling.

Tips: Retain an attorney. Complete paperwork in a timely manner. Do not break the 'chain' of the proccess by doing nothing, which ppl often do. Once the chain is broken, the proccess starts all over. Take good care of yourself. It's like all parts of your disability being thrown in your face all at once, under a microscope, and can make you feel like a real loser. This will pass once you don't have to focus on them anymore.

The bright side of it all is: There is a limit to how much an attorney can charge. Back benefits are paid from the date you first applied.

Best wishes.