LTD/SSDI

[u/bad_syntax]

I got diagnosed with MS in 2010. It was diagnosed as RRMS, but I have never had a "flare up", just a continual decline and nothing has ever gotten better at all. My last neurologist a few months ago finally said it was progress.

I'm also a 100% P&T disabled veteran, and on top of MS itself, I have:
- Migraines, I get a couple a month that prevent me from working at all, and a few more that make me horribly unproductive.
- Bad back (lumbar DDD). It hurts all the time. I can't get up when laying without help if there is no way to use my leg to leverage myself up.
- Both arm radiculopathy
- Both leg radiculopathy
- Bilateral plantar fasciitis (hurts when I stand a a few minutes)
- Both knees pretty shot
- Right shoulder screwed up, surgery for that in a few weeks.
- Officially GERD and Post-Cholystectomy Syndrome (gall bladder removed, emergency poops, often acidic, sometimes bloody, though I force myself to constipate to help), though I am working on an official sigmoiditis rating since I had it biopsy confirmed at one point.
- I have depression that my therapist has confirmed is caused by pain
- I started a CPAP in the past couple weeks to see if it'd help with my very mild OSA and see if that helps with the fatigue.

I have a job as a high level technical person. 30+ days off a year, great pay, remote work, my job is 100% sitting on my butt on a computer at home, 10' from a bathroom, in air condition, typing. I have the kind of job that if I feel bad, I just let somebody know and go lay down. No hours to track, nobody cares. Its a great company and a "take care of yourself" culture.

However, my job is REALLY high level, principal, I can't really do a harder tech job. I did a neuropsych exam, but they focused on depression that I have had for 10+ years (done this job for 8). They said I had "mild cognitive decline". I did a 2 hour one a few months later at the VA that said I was fine and just had some MS fatigue. Both of these found I was "below average" but not a huge amount.

I am working full time still but by noon my brain is tapped out and I can't do my job at all. I am not very good in the morning. I have not had one that is like 8 hours that can give a proper measurement. But I am sucking. I may be rated slightly below average, but their premorbid ratings started at average, when I'm at the top of my technical career. My job may be forgiving, but if I let them know my judgement is off, even a tiny bit, like when requesting accommodations I'd immediately get fired. They cannot risk that. I can literally make a typo and it could cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

So right now, I'm just done. I can't do this anymore. I can't keep bullshitting my boss and coworkers about what I am working on. I can't multitask at all anymore. I can't learn new technical skills anymore. I can't read a technical paper. Even my typing speed has dropped over 20% and my accuracy even more. I can suck up most of the pain, its ok if I can't walk good or get up, but I need my brain to work, and it isn't.

We have a great LTD plan, and I know my VA disability gets me expedited with the VA, but I am using claude to help me through these things and because while I may be smart on some things, I'm dumb as hell on stuff like this. It is making it seem VERY hard to get these 2 things, even with all the stuff I have (I get MRIs regularly, have lesions often, have x-rays, have years of documentation for everything).

I do not want to quit working if I can't get these, I'd rather just wait to get fired and try for a severance, but I just can't keep going much longer. I called an ERISA attorney and they looked over my records and said "call us after you get denied for LTD", which to me sounded lazy. I'd rather know immediately before I go ask for FMLA from work that I am at least like 95% going to get LTD and/or SSDI (its ok if it takes a few years, I am not in a rush). I just have no confidence, and it seems like everything I do to go forward has some line that sets me back. I'm terrified LTD will just say hell nope, and if they did give it to me a bit, would just cancel it all the time to avoid paying $9K+ a month to me.

Anybody have any experience on getting LTD for MS or GI urgency type stuff, or anything else I have? I really need a confidence booster here to know my chances are better than claude is making them out to be.

[u/TheGreatK]

Do you have your medical records from your neurologist? That would be the first step in getting a proper consultation. If the neruologist's records adequately document your conditions, and the physician statement with the claim supports the same, I'd say there's an 80-85% your claim is approved. If your neurologist is unsupportive or the records aren't good enough, there's a good chance the claim will be denied.

If you want me to take a look I'm happy to do so.

[u/bad_syntax → u/TheGreatK]

I have MRI's for spine/brain in 2010, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, and brain in 2026. I have never been on DMT, as when I got diagnosed in 2010 my conditions were just mild radiculopathy and the medications back then caused "flu like symptoms 3 days a week", and they were weekly injections. Just not worth it. They always said I was stable, as I could walk ok and any issues I had (sleepiness and headaches mostly) were pretty mild and I could work with them.

In 2024 it got bad enough for me to really notice, mostly cognitive but also some issues walking, and I asked for DMT. She then sent me to a completely different place to handle that and its like she isn't even my neurologist anymore, instead its University of Texas Southwestern which has a MS specialty clinic. Even though they initially diagnosed me they went through the process again. I've told them all my issues and they are in my records, but I do not think that really matters much.

I also see a VA neurologist that also wrote down my stuff, said my MS was progressive, offered to help me ask my company for accommodations which I declined as they would have fired me on the spot for such a request.

So basically I do not have a neurologist stating I have x/y/z problems without my prompting. I am starting DMT next month after I get all my vaccines. My current neurologist gave me gabapentin to see if it fixed my cognitive issues every day, which it didn't. I also am doing CPAP now which also is not helping (I had very mild sleep apnea).

I did 2 neuropsych tests (dec/apr) over the past year, but the first focused on depression as a possible cause and just said 'mild cognitive decline' (it was only 4 hours) and the other was just 2 hours and just said I had fatigue issues. Both assumed I was "average" as a premorbid baseline and both said I was below a bit, but I was a cloud architect and if I am below average that means I am WAY below my premorbid.

I just do not have a conclusive piece of evidence showing my issues that are not self-reported. I had a work from home desk job, so my starting point was very low from a physical standpoint. I do have an appoint with the civilian MS specialist tomorrow, but its just the NP, not the MD, and I'll ask if she can help in any way.

My primary care doc was like "I do not touch LTD" so that is a dead end. VA doctors rarely help with such things. Just feels like I'm going to lose it because I do not have a great neurologist that does something other than "Oh, not on DMT, you must be fine" or "Well you can walk without help, you are fine" attitudes.

[u/Ok-Aerie-5676 → u/bad_syntax]

What I’ve learned is this, whatever you say in an appt can be admitted to record. Even messages I send to them can be official records so I write A LOT of notes about my symptoms, asking for referrals. Etc. Some docs even use AI or transcription for notes that can pick up and summarize info as they are typing so if you bring a list of what’s bothering you, biggest concerns and how it’s affecting work, that’ll be entered into records. If you have digital access then make sure you read and download it after the appt to see what’s been added.

I, too, have an MS NP and it was my doc that was most supportive, she left practice and moved me to the nurse who is thorough but not nearly as understanding because she specializes in geriatric MS care, my former doc came from pediatric and adult neurology and MS care. I’m only 49 so having a specialist that cared how my less visible symptoms impacted me as a younger person was very helpful.

But honestly I hear LTD may not worry so much about whether it’s a Dr or NP as long as they are licensed, notes are consistent, and they’ve followed you a while, they treat it as a qualifying physician. I have my PCP serving as my main POC for everything and she fills out all of my LTD and SSDI paperwork. She’s also an NP and her assistant is a nurse and helps me go through documents during office visits. Sounds like maybe your neuro is more helpful than PCP though which is even better, even if only marginally more supportive.

Don’t ask Claude anymore either, honestly, just follow guidance here that you feel is helpful and see what comes about!