Introducing me!

[PeacheyPie]

I posted this on the MS subreddit, sorry for those who may have already read it. Here's my DX story:

About a month ago I had pain in my left eye, especially when I moved my eye and my vision had gotten shady spots in the eye. This happened 6 years ago and the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong, my vision never returned to normal. So I went to see my Optometrist. He said "I think you have Optic Neuritis, I'm sending you to an Optomologist and I want you to go tomorrow". So they make the appointment for the next day, and I come home and google Optic Neuritis... Oh, MS shows up, I think, that can't happen to me, I already have an auto-immune disease, there's no way I can have another one.

Next day I see the specialist... he says the words "Multiple Sclerosis" and "Two episodes of Optic Neuritis" to me a few times, but also said that the inflammation could be cause by my Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis... he still asks me to go for an MRI.

The next week, I have my MRI and a couple days later he gets the results, calls and says 2 lesions and I need to see a Neurologist. I call the Neurologist, they make the appointment for when I'm supposed to be in San Diego... I call back, they re-schedule for the Friday before my trip.

That week, my left arm goes numb twice, for about 20 minutes each time.

Fast Forward to Friday the 13th, the day of my appointment. Neurologist takes my history, family history, does a bunch of tests and finds that my left side is less sensitive than my right side and then says "Well I'm pretty sure you have MS, but I'm sending you for more MRIs and you need to start IV steroids to stop anymore damage to your eyes, oh and you need to cancel your trip".

So I cancel my trip (it was a work trip, but I was going to make it a vacation too). The nurse comes over and puts the IV in and shows me how to do it. I become VERY moody on my "roids". I would get sad, then angry. I went to work on the Monday I was supposed to be in San Diego and everyone started asking me questions, so I just shut my door and was moody all day.

I had my MRI the last day of my treatments. The techs were extremely happy I had a port in my hand so that they could put the contrast in. While in the MRI machine I had this weird tightness on the left side of my chest and back. I take a few deep breaths and deal with it, I figure I'm just getting antsy after being in a tube for an hour and a half.

The next day I see my Neuro for a follow up after my treatments. We talk about it, and he looks at my vitals and says "Your heart rate can't be 48, let me check that again". He listens to my ticker for a minute and says "Your heart rate is 48, you need to get that checked out". So his secretary calls my Family Doc, who can't take me because they changed to a new electronic system and didn't have enough staff, so off I go to the ER.

By the time I get to the ER and all set up, my heart rate was down to 42. I tell the doc about the tightness in my chest and they give me Atropine. My heart rate SKYROCKETS! So they gave me Nitro and baby asprin to bring it back down. I get admitted and have to stay overnight for observation, where my BP goes down really low too.

The next day my vitals to normal and I get to go home. I decide to take a week and a half off of work after almost dieing (Plus I still had my Lumbar Puncture the next week). I call HR at work and find out there's no policy for short term sick leave, so I had to take all my sick days and some of my vacation days. Now I have to cancel my trip to Canada to see my family.

Had my LP and saw my Neuro again. We are just waiting for results, but he's still pretty sure I have MS. Went to see my Family doc the other day who tells me I don't have Briacardya (dur, I knew that) but says I should still get the Holter monitor. I wear the Holter monitor for 24 hours, my cats are enamored with me because of all the wires.

I've been back at work for a week now and I'm getting the "where did you go on vacation" and I tell them it wasn't a vacation, that I was sick and everyone's said to me "Well, you don't LOOK sick".... thanks guys.

I have an appointment with my Neuro at the end of the month to go over the results of my LP, and to decide on a dmd I guess.

Other than that, I'm a 28 year old Canadian living in PA USA. I don't have human kids, but my husband and I have 4 furry kids (3 cats and a dog). I enjoy knitting, video games and playing with my furry kids!

[MSW1963]

I suggest getting FMLA paperwork in order ASAP.

I'm not sure how to interpert 'there's no policy for short term sick leave', but it doesn't sound reassuring for the prospects of long term employment security. I don't want to upset you unnecesserily, but it's the step I took.

Consider calling HR again and ask about your options once vacation and sick days are exhausted.

Brief tenure may be what's at play here, but it's important for you to know where you stand either way, and if the company is compliant with state and federal employment law with respect to protected medical leave. Good luck.

[PeacheyPie]

Well, after 90 days I get long term sick leave... I dunno, I was only off for 1.5 weeks and instead of taking all my vacation time I took some unpaid sick time.

I work for a State school, so I'd assume they're compliant with everything...

[MSW1963]

Also caught my attention with respect to LTD pre existing exclusion: "This happened 6 years ago and the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong, my vision never returned to normal."

A LTD policy once issued has a pre-existing condition exclusion provision and a look-back period.

The look back provision allows the LTD carrier to 'look back' at your medical records for X years from the policy issue date to determine if you received treatment for sx's that would be MS related now that you have a dx of MS, although the sx's were not considered MS related at the time you reported the sx. If sx's were MS related during the look back period, a pre-existing exclusion will apply to LTD benefits claimed.

Typically it's a 2 yr look back from the policy issue date, into a policyholder's medical history. Records from each doc you consulted, including doc's notes and any sx's you reported will be examined by the LTD carrier. Any sx's reported that are associated with a MS dx will be grounds for a claim to be denied for LTD payments due to pre-existing condition.

Knowing the look back period has been satisfied before filing a LTD claim would be very helpful. Vacation, personal days and FMLA's 12 weeks of protected medical leave taken incrementaly if necessary, could help meet the look back period and possibly avoid having a LTD claim denied.

The look back period is mandated by each state's department of insurance. A copy of the actual policy (vs. a summary or plan booklet), should be available upon request from HR within X days following receipt of a writen request, or from the insurance carrier.

Hope you have already met the look back period, that you're covered and it's a non issue.

[Cat Mom]

Wow, what a roller coaster ride. Hope things get a bit more stable for you soon.
Jen

[PeacheyPie]

Also caught my attention with respect to LTD pre existing exclusion: "This happened 6 years ago and the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong, my vision never returned to normal."

A LTD policy once issued has a pre-existing condition exclusion provision and a look-back period.

The look back provision allows the LTD carrier to 'look back' at your medical records for X years from the policy issue date to determine if you received treatment for sx's that would be MS related now that you have a dx of MS, although the sx's were not considered MS related at the time you reported the sx. If sx's were MS related during the look back period, a pre-existing exclusion will apply to LTD benefits claimed.

Typically it's a 2 yr look back from the policy issue date, into a policyholder's medical history. Records from each doc you consulted, including doc's notes and any sx's you reported will be examined by the LTD carrier. Any sx's reported that are associated with a MS dx will be grounds for a claim to be denied for LTD payments due to pre-existing condition.

Knowing the look back period has been satisfied before filing a LTD claim would be very helpful. Vacation, personal days and FMLA's 12 weeks of protected medical leave taken incrementaly if necessary, could help meet the look back period and possibly avoid having a LTD claim denied.

The look back period is mandated by each state's department of insurance. A copy of the actual policy (vs. a summary or plan booklet), should be available upon request from HR within X days following receipt of a writen request, or from the insurance carrier.

Hope you have already met the look back period, that you're covered and it's a non issue.

Wow, thanks for all the info, I was not aware of this. Does it matter that 6 years ago I lived in a different country? Are they allowed to look at my records from another doctor in another country? (It was in Canada).

[MSW1963]

The look back period probably only applies to ? yrs from the policy issue date. I would request in writing from HR the actual Policy so you can review the various terms that apply.

LTD usually has a 1-2 yr employment eligibility period before EEs are allowed to even participate in the plan.

Usually an additional 1? yr waiting period during which premium contrigutions are paid, but during which claims will not be honored.

The look back period is next and is mandated in each state how long that period is.

Employer=group LTD policies are inexpensive as ltd premiums go. Carriers are known for denying claims for pre-existing conditions; multiple request for medical records that have been sent to the carrier multiple times by the insured or medical docs. You can google and easily find several sites, (one devoted? to medical doc's), discussing denied benefits for employer LTD.

If you satisfied the look back provision with no disclosure to current docs, no mention in your medical records of your previous vision problems 6yrs ago, or no recent sx's that could now be interperted as MS, the pre exesting condition exclusion should not apply.

Look back is very broad in terms of the kind of medical history you disclosed to docs more recently.

[PeacheyPie]

I just called HR to get the FMLA paperwork. Thanks for all the advice!

[hunterd]

WELCOME PEACHYPIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! great to have you here, but sorry why.

As you have already found out people here are warm, compassionate, and will readily give advice. Ask away.

Where are you that in PA? I am in the very Northwest corner of PA.

From the sounds of it, you have been on quite the roller coaster ride. So many of us here have been on the same ride. Good luck.