SSDI FOR COG/MEMORY ISSUES?

[suzyguqt]

I WAS DXD WITH MS A YEAR AGO BUT HAD ISSUES FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND BACK THEN WAS GIVEN A "PROBABLE" MS DX. I HAVE ALWAYS GOTTEN BY,HANDLED THE WEAKNESS, FATIGUE, NUMBNESS, ETC., BUT MEMORY AND COG ISSUES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A CHALLENGE. I AM A CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENTIST (AKA MED TECH). AT MY LAST JOB, BEFORE DX, MY MEMORY AND COG ISSUES NEARLY GOT ME FIRED. AFTER DX, WENT ON ARICEPT WHICH, AT LEAST IN MY MIND, HAS HELPED. I LEFT THAT JOB TO TAKE ONE 50 MILES NEARER TO MY HOME. THAT WAS 4-1/2 MTHS AGO. TODAY I WAS CALLED IN ON MY DAY OFF AND TOLD MY PROBATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED AGAIN AND WAS GIVEN A LONG LIST OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT ME, MOSTLY ABOUT MY FORGETTING TO DO THINGS, FORGETTING HOW TO DO THINGS, DOING SOME INCORRECTLY (I.E. NOT BY THE WRITTEN PROCEDURE) AND COWORKERS THINK I AM NOT DOING MY SHARE. I HAD BEEN FOOLING MYSELF THAT I WAS OKAY COGNITIVELY WITH THE ARICEPT. I DO NO RECALL NEW MATERIAL EASILY. I HAVE A BOOK FULL OF NOTES TO MYSELF THAT I HAVE ORGANIZED CAREFULLY TO REFER TO AND STILL CAN'T KEEP UP. MY BOSS, WHILE HE DID NOT STATE IT OUTRIGHT, INTIMATED I SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB. WHILE I AM GOOD AT FAKING IT AND FILLING IN BLANKS IN MY MEMORY WITH PLAUSIBLE RESPONSES, I CAN'T RETAIN NEW INFORMATION. A NEW JOB WILL PRESENT THE SAME PROBLEMS. I TOOK A COMPUTER CLASS LAST YEAR AND ONLY REMEMBER THE BASICS OF THE COURSE. I HAD NEUROPSYCH TESTING DONE LAST YEAR BUT THE EVALUATOR SAID I DID GREAT. BUT IF SOMEONE GIVES ME 2 THINGS TO DO IN A REAL LIFE SETTING, I HAVE TO WRITE THEM DOWN. I CAN'T RECALL CONVERSATIONS. I LIVE IN A FOG AT TIMES. I FORGET WHAT DAY IT IS. I'VE EVEN LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW TO SEE WHAT SEASON IT IS. I GET LOST SOMETIMES AND USE MY GPS TO GET AROUND A LOT. MY NEURO IS HAVING ME REPEAT THE NEUROPSYCH TESTING. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO GET SSDI? I'M TERRIFIED AT THIS POINT. I HAVEN'T TOLD ANYONE AT WORK I HAVE MS AND AM SURE THAT WOULD MAKE THINGS EVEN WORSE FOR ME. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO EVEN TRY TO GET SSDI? DO I HAVE TO WAIT TO GET FIRED FIRST? THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.

[MSW1963]

Have you considered having your doc increase your dose of Aricep or changing to another similar med that might be more effective for you?

I would make certain that the neuro psych evalv. is done by someone with adult/MS experience. With the recent emphasis on childhood development in the previous decades, I think it's possible that Neuro psych can be specialized, particularly those in practice since the increased demand for childhood development training versus training in evaluation of adults.

For my first evaluation, I was the last patient seen, on the last day of operations of the neuro psych center because the department was eliminated at a major research hospital. It was just before I was dx 10yr ago.

My more recent neruo psych evaluation was performed by a 'general' neuro psuch doc who specialized in childhood development. I had copies of reports from the earlier evaluation performed by the adult/MS neuro psych specialist at the research hospital.

Based on the earlier reports and results of the current evaluation, I was dx'd with ADHD/ADD type disorder from MS. I was told that dx was based on having no prior history of ADD sx's or dx. Plus 'executive' cognitive defecits.

I would have scored below 70%, but my visual memory score is extremely high. I remember faces at a remarkebly high level? but I can't name animals in alphabetical order for squat, or add a set of 3 digit numbers. I have visual spacial skills defecite, I get lost around the corner from my home of +5yrs, and shopping at big box stores is out of the question.

Without the previous neuro psych report, I'm not sure the results of the more recent evaluation by the 'general' neuro psych doc would have been as comprehensive, plus having an established MS dx helped.

As far as eligibility for SSDI, that would depend on your work history, meeting work credits required by SS, and meeting SSDI defination of disability. Having your MS doc's support to stop working is also necessary.

You do not have to wait for your employer to terminate your employment. You can 'retire' due to cognitive defecits.

With the down turn in the economy, there is probably a huge back log of SSDI applicants and initial denial for benefits because of the increased 'demand'.

Also, some states have a long history of denying SSDI benefits on first request. You can search your state's SSDI approval/denial history on google. Individual states approv/deny SSDI based on the state's economics, some states have a history of weak economy even when national economy is robust.

Wishing you the best of luck and take care.

[Karenkay]

Yes, it's possible. I had been out of work for nearly six years after being "fired due to lack of business". They refused to admit I was let go because I spent another week in the hospital. Cowards. Anyways, applied for disability because of cognitive problems. It took 6 months to be approved. My dr said I was in the 40% to be approved without legal help.

[CaroleL]

Sorry you're having a difficult time Karen. Hugs!

[suzyguqt]

I let my neuro know what was going on and she has put me on sick leave. Since I don't have enough hours in on this job yet for FMLA (new employer having started in Sept 2012), I have to apply for a leave of absence which they do not have to okay. If they do (I am going to think positive at this point), I have up to 180 days of short term disability.

My neuropsych testing is set up in April over 2 days. I don't know the background of the evaluator and my insurance determines where I go. She will give me her results in mid May and I am set up to see my neuro again in June. No matter what, I have no job to go back to since no FMLA and they are not holding the job for me.

I also met with a lawyer RE SSDI and he will take my case (he explained he is paid a specific percentage of any back benefits owed but I forget the percent). In my state, fewer than 1/3 of the applicants are approved on the first try and on the 2nd try, 87% are denied. So it will likely take time, though I have other issues (fused back, reconstructed shoulder, cardiac arrhythmia issues) which, along with my age of 58 may make it more likely that I am in that 1/3 on the first app.

With the neuropsych testing, I am going to skip the aricept for a week, make sure I am sleep deprived (real world for me), take my other MS meds to make this more real and accurate. Last year, I was told I did great on the neuropsych testing but I almost lost THAT job due to mental errors.

Thanks for the feedback. It certainly doesn't sound like this is a very easy process but that we have to dig in and stand our ground (patience, patience, patience). Sue

** Moderator's note - Post broken into paragraphs for easier reading. Many people with MS have visual difficulties that prevent them from reading large blocks of print. **