1) They will want to
know if the Diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia was made by a
doctor specializing in Fibromyalgia and Cfids or FM? It always lowers your chances
of winning when you file a claim and you are not being treated by a specialist
in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and/or Fibromyalgia. The judge in charge of the
case will usually prefer to see that you are being treated by a Rheumatologist.
It is possible to win if you are working with both an Infectious Disease
Specialist and a Neurologist. In most cases the diagnosis a primary care physician
or internist is not sufficient to win in this type of case. The specialist
attending you must give a favorable report for your being disabled. If you call
a lawyer and you do not have a specialist working with you then, I suggest that
you contact a local support group for a referral. 2) Your Doctor must
have eliminated all other Diseases diagnostic tests before a diagnosis of
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and/or Fibromyalgia has been made. In order to provide a valid
diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and/or Fibromyalgia medical tests will need
to be performed which will rule out other conditions with similar symptoms. In
most cases blood work done that excludes other Rheumatic diseases which may share
symptoms with, or mimic, CFIDS/FMS. In cases of Fibromyalgia the Judge will
look for a physical exam that finds and documents at least 11 of the 18 tender
points. In Chronic Fatigue Syndrome cases it is also a good idea to see that a
Tilt Table Test has been done. 3) Are your Complaints
Typical for Someone Who Suffers with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and/or
Fibromyalgia and what is the severity of them? Your medical records
will need to show documented symptoms. Without this documentation, the
diagnoses of CFS/FMS will likely be subject to disbelief by Social Security and
they will always deny the first claim. 4) Have you been treated
and undergone physical therapy along with your pain medication? Your case will be
handled by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) and you will need to show that you
have tried whatever treatment is available for your condition. Whether this is
a series of physical therapy appointments, narcotic pain medications or even
non-traditional treatments like biofeedback or acupuncture. You will need to
show that you have tried everything to find relief. 5) Have you consulted
with or been treated by a Psychiatrist or Therapist? You do not want an ALJ
to thinking that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia are mental
conditions. If you can show the ALJ that you are either seeking treatment for
depression or anxiety or have had these conditions ruled out by a mental health
specialist and are still suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and/or
Fibromyalgia that will support your case as well. Depression often comes with
Fibromyalgia but generally follows the disease.
The more you hurt and feel bad the more depressed you get. It can take 1-3 years to get a case done, but
if you are not prepared it can take much longer and likely will never be
accomplished. Good Records from day one
need to be kept. EVERY doctor’s appt. every test needs to be documented.
How to Win Your Case for Social
Security Disability Benefits If You Suffer From Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and/or
Fibromyalgia
When you want to win a
Social Security Disability case from the suffering of Chronic Fatigue Disability
Syndrome and/or Fibromyalgia (CFIDS/FMS) it can be very difficult. With proper
preparation and a lot of the right supporting documentation either you or your
lawyer will often able to win your Social Security Disability benefits case.
The case for proving a Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia needs to show the
following five factors.
If you have decided that you would rather have a life than try and live on Disability then
Fibromyalgia affects approximately 3.7 to 6 million Americans and is discribed as a
form of generalized muscular pain and fatigue. Fibromyalgia
is a combination of two words fibro =fiber and myalgia=pain. This literally means pain in the muscle and fibrous
connective tissues or fascia along with the
ligaments and tendons.there is no specific test for Fibromyalgia. The Doctors diagnosis will depend mostly on your
stated complaints and feelings. Chronic unexplained pain is the most common symptom of
fibromyalgia. It happens throughout the body, and is in tender points that are symmetrical around the centerline of the body. That
means usually the same spot is usually sensitive on both sides of the
body,although it may
start in one region, such as the neck and shoulders, and spread to
other areas over a period of time.
Most of the people with
Fibromyalgia experience moderate to severe fatigue and lack of energy. Your stamina and and desire to exercise and your endurance decreases as the Fibromyalgia gets worse over time. The feelings of exhaustion are similar to those you have with the flu or lack of sleep.Lack of a good nights sleep is another common element. Sleeping is hard when you seem to hurt all the time and laying in one position the skin itself seems to hurt. Your Dealings with the fatigue can sometimes be more of a
problem than the pain. Tension
headaches, and migraine headaches, are common with Fibromyalgia.
Abdominal pain along with bloating, alternating with constipation and bladder
spasms have you feeling like you have IBS as well. Your skin can literally hurt to the touch and your blood circulation can be low making you even more sensitive to temperature
changes.
The doctors tests may determine parts of the nervous system may not
functioning properly. In many Fibromyalgia patients they find a high
mesencephalic output.
There are three parts to the brain
stem: top, middle and lower. The mesencephalon is the top part of the
brain stem. A high output of the mesencephalon will cause an increased
pulse and heart rate, the inability to sleep, or a waking, fitful
sleep.They may detect high levels of substance P as well which it the pain transmitter for the body. Other symptoms might include urinary tract infections, increased
warmth and sweating, and sensitivity to light causing more head aches.
The fibromyalgia patient may have
high mesencephalic output present along with a lesser output of the Cerebellum. The Cerebellum coordinates
movement of all the muscles of the spinal column.
It is important that the
neurologist perform a thorough and comprehensive exam to determine the
exact nature of your condition. Fibromyalgia is basically a collection of symptoms and looks like several other diseases or conditions. There are a few test that do
help to indicate that Fibromyalgia is present but it is more a process
of elimination deciding what it conditions it is NOT instead of a specific test for Fibromyalgia itself.. When all known causes of the symptoms are eliminated
then the default diagnosis is Fibromyalgia. There are 18 tender or
sensitive points on the body. These are on both the front and back and
have exactly corresponding points on both sides of the body if you pass
a line from head to toe. The diagnosis of Fibromayalgia requires at
least 11 to be tender. The do not have to be the same spots on both
sides.
