Disability Is it possible?

Hi everybody,
Having ITP is not easy . And as far I can see everybody has different degrees of it. The emotional aspect is different for everyone. I personally feel down and upset because of all the affect of the preds and of the ITP. I have not been to work because my platelets goes up and down and I dont sleep well. I work in a prek classes so I need to be focus all the time. I cant see how thats possible with me on steriods. I am tired all the time. I am looking into disability and wanted to see if there are people who try going this route. I know with the way this disease is it might not be easy. Would appreciate some input from some of you guys. Thanks Liz

Liz:

It's difficult to get disability with ITP. You have to meet certain criteria, one of which I believe is a brain bleed. Have you tried any other treatments?

Here is a past discussion about it:

discuss.pdsa.org/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=20150&SearchTerms=disability

It must depend on where we all live. I had no trouble getting it, and I didn't have a brain bleed. I was even approved on the first try.

That's one nice thing about Canada...not that easy here. If it were, I'd seriously consider it.

Thanks everybody for your input. This website has been God send. I also have Asthma so that will definitely be include .At this point I will try it because I dont know where all this is going to end up. I know I could not do my job and be responsible for my class. Again thanks again. At this moment I am at 46,000 on 40 mg a day steriods. So we see. Liz

I got approved for short term disability when i was first starting Pred and doing Rituxan treatments.

Getting approved for short term disablility is much easier then long term disability. I know that I was approved because of the treatments I was getting like rituxian. Anything over that is pretty hard to get because they have such strick guidlines. I was told I would qualify for "light duty" but when I sit at a computer all day there isnt much lighter work I could get.

prettyinpez wrote:

I got approved for short term disability when i was first starting Pred and doing Rituxan treatments.

How did you do that? Was it through insurance at you work or through the county or state? I'm concerned about it because I work in a restraunt. I've been nothing but tired lately and at work I don't get to sit down at all. Work anywhere from 4 to 7+ hours a day. And I'm afraid with my immune system being down who knows what I may get! I'm supposed to go back next Saturday and I start Rituxan the day before!

It sounds like you are thinking the way you feel will be a long term prospect. You will not be on a long term dose of high steriods forever. You need to discuss alternate treatments with your doctor, as well as the problems steroids are posing for your employment. Have hope...there are ways to get you up and functioning.

Do what you need to do to sustain yourself for the short term, but know that you will not always feel this spacey. Are your Asthma meds also steriodal, and do you take them on a regular basis? Did they cause you problems?

In the past, people have said job searches could be difficult if the ItP diagnosis is a part of the discussion. If you have a job, and it is valuable to you, do your best to keep it and prove you can get through the treatment and return to your normal "love to be with the kids" self.

Just my thoughts....
Jean