[walterlee]

Hello everyone. I was diagnosed bipolar 1 in 1997. I have had many depressed episodes and equally as many manic episodes. I have had 45 jobs during my 47 years of life. I am also a veteran and the veterans hospital is where i receive my medications and psych therapy. I now have a new psychiatrist and he has only seen me in depression not in a manic episode. I have applied for disability (ssdi) and for the past 18 months have been working with alsup to try and get benefits. denied twice. just went to a hearing 2 weeks ago but no response as of yet. I went to hearing by myseld because my alsup rep informed me that he could not win the case because of what my pdoc put in his report. I am extremely frustrated because I have sufferred horribly over the past decade and I know others that are receiving benefits with a lesser diagnoses but they have better support with their pdocs. (regular healthcare not va hospital) I mentor in Nami groups and am involved with many advocacy groups here in richmond va. Could someone give me some advice? I need help. I am tired of the fight!

[amaviena]

I wish I knew. I'm going to look into it too.

[suze999]

I'm not sure what an Alsup rep is, but you probably want to get a private lawyer who specializes in disability. They'll take a chunk of your lump sum payment (from when you file until you receive), but they have good reason to be aggressive and keep pressing because of that. I haven't gone through the process myself, but my ex-husband did. I highly doubt he would have gotten disability without his lawyer.

[thinker22]

Maybe you've already been to these websites, but here are some resources I found:

http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/win...-disorder.html (see the links at the bottom of the page too)

http://psychcentral.com/ask-the-ther...olar-disorder/ (here's a q & a on this site. apparently most people do get denied on the first try...and there are bizarre reasons why)

http://www.ultimatedisabilityguide.c...isability.html (comprehensive guide)

http://bipolar.about.com/cs/experien...ssdi_apply.htm (some advice about lawyers)

http://disabilityblogger.blogspot.co...si-and_22.html (blogs on the subject)

http://www.ehow.com/how_5063459_disa...-disorder.html (probably too basic from what you've described you've already done)

http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-disability.html (this one has a free downloadable starter kit for how to apply)

If you got diagnosed in 1997, make sure that you get those records and the records of your docs and visits for mental health ever since then. 12 years is a long time to suffer with this illness (although you were suffering before the diagnosis) and it's hard to refute all those years of appts. And I'd get another doc outside of the VA if he thinks you have unipolar depression. There are plenty of low cost clinics or even county mental health programs where they'll see you and reevaluate your meds and condition. When a person is too busy or just plain wrong, that's the time to cut loose from that doc. I've been being treated for unipolar depression for a year. No medication they gave me helped the depression at all! Last month I get a therapist (PhD) who finally gives me the right diagnosis, and at last I'm getting meds for mood stabilization and all of my mood swings make sense!

Here a list for Richmond and Virginia free or low cost centers that would provide mental health, if you can't afford to see a psychiatrist with a private practices, some are for mental health:

http://www.google.com (enter: free low cost mental health in richmond virginia)

There were too many to list them individually, but from there you should be able to click on the pdf or html version of each.

I hope some of this helps. And always feel free to ask or share anything. We're all with you in the trenches of bipolar.

[Lauru]

Here's a little trick I tried, and it worked. Disability would not give me a decision, therefore I could not appeal. I had to wait and wait and wait. Every time I went into the hospital for the bipolar, they said they had to start the whole process over again because of this "new information". In effect, they stonewalled me. So.....I contacted my local congressman's office. They had someone who actually dealt with social security for his constituents. Apparently this is a big problem. One week after my congressman's office did this, I was awarded disability. I am in California and the representative was Richard Pombo. It might work for you too, You never know and it can't hurt to try.

[amaviena]

According to the disability website. I make too much to qualify for disability. They don't know that I spend most of the day with my head on the desk getting bad statistics. UGH! Oh well.

[thinker22]

the dumb thing about these gov help programs is it's like they want you to fail and be indigent so that you're solely dependent on them. if you try and work part time and not be such a drag on their finances, they pronounce you "fine". but then, by not helping you, they end up driving you to a breakdown, wherein you will be totally dependent on the state. it's not like we don't want to work or be productive. we just can't all the time because stress levels can provoke an episode, then we're in the hospital costing them more money in the long run. blah. you can't win either way.

[jattitude]

I would make sure all of your doctors know that you are applying for ssdi. I went through the whole denial prodess for a year with my mother in law, we hired a private attorney, he took 25% of here retro disability payment but it was worth it in the end, she won. Alot of time the attorney will let you know your chances of winning the case before hand. When I applied I had to cut my hours at work because I made too much when I did the awarded me my disability the second time around, now I am no longer working, just looking for something part time. Stick with it and make sure you are on the same page as your doctors, but my advice would be the attorney, good luck to you.

[thinker22]

Originally Posted by Lauru

Here's a little trick I tried, and it worked. Disability would not give me a decision, therefore I could not appeal. I had to wait and wait and wait. Every time I went into the hospital for the bipolar, they said they had to start the whole process over again because of this "new information". In effect, they stonewalled me. So.....I contacted my local congressman's office. They had someone who actually dealt with social security for his constituents. Apparently this is a big problem. One week after my congressman's office did this, I was awarded disability. I am in California and the representative was Richard Pombo. It might work for you too, You never know and it can't hurt to try.

Oh, you are on disability. Cool. That helps. I'm so lame I forget something everytime I leave the house. Trying to get the state health insurance right now. I'm pretty sure I qualify as I only can get work for 7-10 hrs a week. Thereafter, I'll have access to a lot more programs, including psych docs at the county m.h. division. Whereas now, I'd have to pay like $200 per visit, and duh, I can't afford that, so I just deal with my meds being out of whack and go to sleep when I'm suicidally depressed. All the ones that take my school's insurance are booked up for weeks or months. So onward and backward, and sideways, and maybe forward. Hang in there.

[VickiesPath]

I've been on disability for 4 years after working while sick for 34 years, until I finally couldn't. My illness became so bad that the only reason I got up each morning was to get my young son off to school. (I am an older mom, had him at age 41.) What I remember about my application process was that it was two-fold: I had orthopaedic issues, with two arthritic knees and my pcp was glad to sign a paper saying I could no longer do my old profession as a computer technician (crawling on the floor, pulling cables, etc.). Then, I had a twenty year history of being treated for major depression. I did lots of research on the web at disability advocacy sites that tell you what to put on the application. The SSA people want to know SPECIFICALLY what activities, both in your usual occupation and in your day to day life, that you cannot do or are significantly affected by your illness. For example, I talked about only getting my son off to school, but not having the energy to bathe, wash my hair or brush my teeth for days at a time, not remembering to pay bills on time, taking no pleasure in hobbies I usually love to do, never cleaning house, etc. You get the idea. The people at SSA don't automatically know these things. They want you to clearly define the degree of disability you experience on a day to day basis. And, yes, I agree that it sounds as if you need a new pdoc or at least one that will support you. Best of luck.

[VickiesPath]

I forgot to mention: After doing my homework and supplying them with any piece of information they could possibly need, I was approved for permanent disability the first time. Over 70% are denied at first application. I attribute my success the some of those websites listed in the response above plus supplying complete medical records.