When the Pain Won’t Stop
You know how in certain nightmares you find yourself suddenly unable to move or react to a terrible situation? Something is chasing you or you are… Read More »When the Pain Won’t Stop
Chronic pain
Chronic Illness and Living Vicariously Through Books
I have had a migraine for the past THIRTY SIX days. Surprisingly, I have not yet gone insane. I have been more or less glued… Read More »Chronic Illness and Living Vicariously Through Books
CGRP for Migraine – My Experience with a Clinical Trial
After two years, two migraine specialists, three rounds of Botox, seven trigger point injections, four eastern medicine practitioners, dozens of lifestyle changes, and too many… Read More »CGRP for Migraine – My Experience with a Clinical Trial
How Can I Get Disability for Chronic Migraines? Tips for Approval
A few mornings ago, I was sipping coffee and taking care of bills online when I noticed a large sum deposited into my checking account. My foggy brain dismissed it as a banking mistake and I went on with my day. Hours later it hit me that the deposit had the abbreviation “Soc Sec” next to it . I had been approved for disability and was awarded back pay!
Can I get disability for chronic migraines?
I applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) four months ago and was not optimistic. I was not expecting to get news so quickly, and I was really not expecting to be approved. The lady from my local Social Security office told me that it would take at least 6 months for me to get an initial answer. The horror stories I came across online told me that the initial answer would most likely be a refusal. Only 30-35% of applicants are approved on the first try, and the appeals process can take years.
Getting disability for my condition, chronic migraines, is tough. Every migraine sufferer knows all too well how disabling migraines can be. On top of the severe head pain, migraines bring a lot of fun symptoms like nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, vertigo, cognitive impairment, and many, many more. Even so, the Social Security Administration does not include chronic migraines on the list of conditions automatically awarded benefits.
Why, then, was I approved so quickly?
I’m sure luck had something to do it, but I also did my research and worked hard to ensure that my application included everything the Disability Determination Office requires for an approval.
Most people who apply for disability are eventually approved, even if they were initially rejected. The following tips helped me get approved on the first try, eliminating the need for a lawyer and a lengthy appeal process.
Read More »How Can I Get Disability for Chronic Migraines? Tips for Approval
Mourning Myself: The Winding Path of Grief and Chronic Pain
I came across Jennifer Martin’s article, The 7 Psychological Stages of Chronic Pain, on a particularly bad day. After a couple promising streaks of good… Read More »Mourning Myself: The Winding Path of Grief and Chronic Pain
My Chronic Migraine Story
Like most chronic pain patients, I can tell you the exact date and time that divided my life into two segments: Before Pain and After Pain. There was no dramatic moment, no accident or violent event; I simply woke up three days after my 24th birthday with a migraine aura. The aura turned into an intractable migraine that I would spend the next two years (and counting) trying to defeat.
Before Pain
My boyfriend Eric and I had recently moved into a tent cabin in Yosemite National Park where we would spend the summer as park rangers.
Our new home had a splintery wooden floor and canvas roof that billowed and breathed with the wind. We had no internet, no TV, and no attached bathroom. (During extra cold nights we implemented a “pee bucket” to spare ourselves the chilly walk to the bathroom). Our bed was two paper thin mattresses that we pushed together and piled high with memory foam. It was rustic to the point of shabbiness, and I loved every inch of it.
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