i call it the double whamy

[jenna_me303]

I have fibromyalgia & shingles & im barely getting any help from my doctor's & im not sure what to do about my treatment my conditions or how to get disability since iv lost my job because of my conditions

[Tuckamore]

Hi Jenna,

Welcome to our Pain Management Forum. I am so sorry to hear about your painful conditions. You have two conditions that are often very painful and present multiple issues. My heart goes out to you!

Can you tell us a bit more?  I am not certain what specific questions you may have.

Obviously if you are not satisfied with your Physician(s) I would seek a second or even a third opinion. Physician's associated with a large teaching facility or a nationally know clinic are often on the cutting edge of medicine.

SSDI may be an option for you. As said above the course is not usually an easy one.  You will need the support and agreement of a Physician.  If you do not have hat it will be much more difficult to obtain approval  

I did not have a SSDI Attorney. Indeed most worth thier salt will tell you to make your initial application on your own. SS reps will actually help you with the process. You don't need an attorney unless you are denied. I was approved in a little over 3 months and did not have legal representation.

I hope you'll share more with us. We do have a community that is focused on Shingles and one that is focused on Fibro.  They may offer you more information.

Here's that link:
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Shingles/show/742

Here's the link for our Fibro Community:
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Fibromyalgia/show/44

Please know that you are always welcome here. I'll look forward to your updates and more information.

Take Care,
~Tuck

[femmy29]

Hi Jenna and welcome to the pain management community!

I am very sorry to hear about the painful conditions you are dealing with as well as being unable to work due to your condition.  It would be helpful if you would provide additional information about what treatment options have been offered to you, which treatments helped and which didn't, how long you have been dealing with your conditions and receiving care under your current physician.  This information will help others provide information that is most relevant to your situation.

As far as disability goes, you need to set up an appointment to speak with a SSDI lawyer to start the process towards getting disability pay and insurance for your conditions.  Most SSDI lawyers work on a contingency basis...they don't get paid until you receive your benefits.  Many people get turned down the first, second, and sometimes third time but many attorneys have a good feel on whether or not your case can be eventually won and will accept you as a client on a contingency basis given the likelihood of success.

Please write back with additional information on how your conditions are currently being treated with medication and other modalities so that myself and others here in the community can provide information that can help you obtain more effective treatments for your condition in the future.

femmy