i asked my husbands neroligist if people can get disability for tn. he said no. which left me a bit confused because when my husbands tn flares up he is bound to a chair for awhile. it is worse at times than his ms. it also makes his ms worse.
MS and TN are both qualifying diseases in my state. Go the the social security web address in your state and search under qualifying diseases. I would imagine it is the same for you. However you might have the problem as I have. When I asked my neurologist the same question his reply was " You could try but my records might not be so favorable for you". Apparently he thinks I am not in bad shape. Even though I end up with attacks lasting for a month or more 3 to 6 times a year and generally end up in the emergency room several times or more a year. I also see a pain management doctor. Go figure? Anyone wanna hire me?
Hi Guppy, I disagree with your Neuro. on this. I was approved for disability based on my whole history of MS symptoms but it seems like the TN clinched the dea. I could be wrong, but that's the impression I got.
Hope this is a good day for you and your husband. Don't give up. :)
~ Vicki
I know that according to the department of social security you can, especially because he has MS. But I hate to say it, your experience sounds very similar to mine. I am totally debilitated by my pain alone. (I do have MS, but my mobility is good.)
MS is on social security's "automatic acceptance list" or some name like that. So I pursued disability at the social security office, with an armful of medical files/MRIs/the works. I was denied based on the interview alone - they wouldn't even process my request. I was told if I wanted a fighting chance I needed to be declared disabled by my doctor. But the response to that request by doctors is always the same. "Can you walk heel-to-toe? Can you feel this pinprick? Touch my finger, then your nose. Okay no, you're not disabled." My pain journals and personal history with them mean nothing. I agree, I find this very confusing!
Anyone who has ever succeeded in getting disability that I know of had to hire a lawyer who specializes in SSD. These lawyers don't get paid unless they get you on SS, and their payment is a percentage of your first lump sum as I understand it. So they have to win your case to get paid! (Because the process takes so long, the government back-pays you from the date of your first denial. So don't let a denial get you down, just keep that letter!) I hope this helps, and I wish you luck.
I would talk to a disability attorney. The TN really is a part of MS (for those of us with both) vs the doctor. The attorney who deals with disability issues may have more info than the doctor. I ended up on SSDI two years ago due to MS and needed an attorney to do the disability paperwork. I defy anyone who isn’t an attorney to fill it out themselves, I tried and was turned down. The attorney completed it and took care of all the attachments and was was successful.
My TN didn’t start until 8 months ago so can’t answer your specific question but I think it should. Bad days are horrid and I can empathize with your husband. Good luck!
For people in Canada TN is considered a disability. The severity does play a role in the decision making process. I was given disability status on my first application based on my TN being bi lateral. it was in 5 spots on one side and 4 on the other.
I live in Ontario Canada and was initially turned down for cpp disability. I appealed it and sent a huge letter of how it affects my life as well as a copy of every doctor visit of any kind I ever had. I had to pay for all of my records and now I get a copy of them all the time to have on file. It took a while but after a year I got a call from a lady who actually apologized to me and said I never should have been turned down. I got the year retro-active pay as well. It sucked big time and I had no one to help me and I was so sick, but in the end it was worth it. Keep fighting and get someone to help you gather all of the information from all of the doctors. some try to give you a hard time but you are entitled to your own med records. I see this is an older post so I hope things have worked out.
I got it for TN on the first try.
What is it caused by is the first question you have to ask, Then look from there. If it's from MS, of yes you can. My Neuro has already thrown that option out there.