I have osteoarthritis in my neck, lower back, wrists and ankles. I take prescription anti inflamitories and muscle relaxers in order to go to work.
I work 10 hrs a day on my feet constantly moving, stretching and bending. While this movement is good for my arthritis, it can get really painful by the end of the day. I feel like I am up a creek without a paddle most of the time, especially after a 3 day workout. Then I just totally crash.
I am tired of waking up with swollen hands, having a crick in my back and limping for a while after sitting down for 30 minutes.
- This is something you need to discuss with your doctor. Only he or she can decide if you might qaulify for disability. Please keep in mind that disablility is not all it is cracked up to be and you will not get anywhere near the amount of money each month that you make working. Your best option right now since you can still work is to cut back on hours and find a different job that is better suited to your problems. Go in and talk to your doctor about all of this though. – Mlgable
Osteoarthritis for the most part can be treated, although painful, anti-inflammatory do help as you already know. The next step is surgery one joint at a time. It would be very hard to get disability from osteoarthritis since about 80% of us have it, its part of getting older. Rheumatoid arthritis (crippling arthritis) is another story it is very debilitating.
I totally understand your problem. I’m a nurse and work 12 hour days sometimes I can hardly go but I also know with any kind of arthritis if you stop going you will never go again, keep moving disability isn’t the answer.
4 Comments Received
December 29th, 2009 @7:17 am
yes speak with ur doctor,,,or a good doctor.Every state has different laws in regards to disability..Every lawyer wants u on disability,,thats how the disability lawyers get paid,,and they can streach it out 4 years,,,the longer they streach it the more of the back pay they owe u,,they get…plus the system is sooo screwed,,people get on it that dont need it and then they get jobs under the table,,proving that they can work.
If u need on disability,,find out what doctors works with what lawyers….The two have to have a Very good realationship…request for specialist and leave a good paper trail in regards of ur problem,,,ur state will be looking at the trail more than what u say…u need a good family doctor and several specialist that are willing to work together,,,good luck.
December 29th, 2009 @7:04 pm
honestly you should not have let it get that bad. you need to go to the doctor before it’s to late
December 29th, 2009 @11:19 pm
Sorry to hear of your pain. Can you possibly apply for partial disability?
It seems to me the people who really need this benefit never get it..and, some of the people who claim this benefit really do not need it..(just like everything else) seems very unfair to me.
December 31st, 2009 @12:35 am
What you have looks so much like rheumatoid arthritis, especially swollen hands, involvement of wrists and ankles, tiredness and 30 minutes in the morning before you feel well and up to it.
Rheumatoid arthritis is generalized to every joint in the body, whereas osteoarthritis is restricted to one or just a few joints. Not your case, isn’t it?
I would consult an Orthopaedist to get blood tests and X-Rays to confirm the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.
Adult onset rheumatoid arthritis usually develops during the late teens or early twenties and rapidly settles into a chronic, debilitating infection.
Complete work disability occurs within 10 years of the initial infection for 50% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
There are a few hundred types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases. The good news is that science is progressing rapidly in its understanding of rheumatic diseases.
Antibiotics are now used to achieve full remissions for at least 40%, if not 65% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
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