I applied for disability through Social Security March of 2018. It was a gut-wrenching decision for me because my inability to to work resulted in an inability for me to have any control over my day-to-day life. My finances suffered, my self-esteem suffered. It's wonderful that there are those who can go to Silver Sneakers, go to their local gym and work out 7 days a week, work from home or some other area of employment but that was not my case. I believe if you can go and work out 7 days a week, hold down a full-time job without being fired 4 repeated absences due to complications then by all means continue to work as long as you can. If you can manage these things in life then you have no reason to be concerned about applying for disability. Although you may have rheumatoid arthritis or other autoimmune disorders you may be able to handle day to day responsibilities. However, having worked nearly 30 years as a registered nurse and being told your company could no longer accommodate your disabilities was devastating to me. I applied for Social Security disability and for a year-and-a-half I saw a physician's on a weekly basis, many different speciality's because of the issues I have. I was granted my social security disability decision this year in 2019 after being denied once. I am 61 years old and I believe that my age had impact on why the decision was in my favor. My disability has progressed as time passed and as I waited for the decision from the court. We all may have the same disease process but we are all individuals. The impact this disease and other autoimmune diseases have on us is as unique as each one of us are. Those who are seeking Social Security disability need support to continue forward because it is not an easy endeavor. Your self-esteem can suffer, your sense of worthiness can suffer and it can feel like the bottom has fallen out of your life. I can testify that there is a light at the tunnel however and to seek support is the best thing you can do for yourself as you wait for the decision.

@A myRAteam Member, you may find it of HUGE Value to speak with s dusability attorney before making ANY changes to your work life. If i understand it correctly, to qualify for SSDI, you must be found unable to do ANY type work that will sustain you. So, if you went to pt, you would still be working,...sonyou wouldnt qualify. In my case, with so MANY conditions, it is my understanding that it was many factors that came together for an approval of benefits. None of my conditions alone supported disability by itself, but i have 8+conditions that are all under doctors management. In addition to list time as an employee to constantly be seeing doctors, the flares were often, the meds reduced my cognitiion, and i cant sit or stand or ANYTHING for 8 hours a day. My chronic fatigue leaves me with only a tiny amount of energy to do a minimal amount of quality of life activites, IE: hygeine, food prep, treatments, etc. Best of luck to you!

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A myRAtea...

Get another doctor. RA is on the list for disability and if severe like yours it should be an automatic issue. Though I don’t know all your details, it isn’t a guarantee. You paid into disability insurance for years. You are entitled to it and that doctor has no right to keep you from it.
I resisted disability for over a decade. My doctor was the one to suggest it. I said if I had a brain, I could work. I’ll spare you the hell I went through getting insurance and trying to get work after I closed down my business. It was hell. The last job after ten years of on/off employment nearly killed me. I finally gave in.
You can still work part time on disability if you make less than $1000/ month. With your specialty I would think you could find part time work if you wanted it. You can also get free consults from disability attorneys to learn more.
You need another doctor to help control your RA better too.
Go to the govt site on disability to learn more. You can also file a claim There. It will take about 8 months for the answer and pay is retroactive minus the first six months from becoming disabled.
List all your medical conditions.
You deserve ease and rest and joy in your life. Stress makes RA much worse.
And if I haven’t made it clear your doctor is an asshole. You deserve a much better caring physician and effective doctor. I’d get one first. Good luck.

I work at a social security law firm and we have a lot of clients that have RA and are trying to receive benefits. What you have to be able to do is prove you are incapable of working a full time job due to a medical condition, the disability determination center then evaluates your case based on severity, treatment, age...ect. it's not necessarily the condition you have but more on how it limits you and your ability to work and function. My law firm does free case evaluations and we have over 27 different offices in 5 different states and do consultations over the phone if you are interested? My husband is the director of hearing operations, I used to be in client services but moved over to the accounts dept. Best of luck to you!

I am just at the beginning of this decision. I'm not sure if I should apply for SSDI. I work from home, but that is getting harder all the time with a combination of RA and Migrainous Vertigo, it seems like one feeds off the other. I'm sure it's the stress of everything making both conditions worse. My hands and feet are the worst, which is really hard since my work is in graphic and fiber arts. It's not just a source of income, but a part of me. I can't seem to find a way to transition from full-time to part time and still afford healthcare costs, as well earn enough to keep our household going, and I can't see where I'll be able to keep going the way I am for enough years to make it to regular retirement age.
I don't want any sympathy. I have a good life, except for these health issues. I just wish I could find information that would show me how to have the enormous healthcare costs covered while still working whenever possible.