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NEED HELP/SUPPORT/UNBELIEVABLE

Dear Fibro Family,

I applied for a disability retirement from my public pension system which has an unbelievably biased process.  You have to be examined by THEIR DOCTORS, who were not Rheumatolgist and whom they pay or your application will be automatically denied.  They weight their opinion 100% despite evidence from three of my own doctors, two rheumatologist, and a psychiatrist who certified I could no longer work.  Of course they ruled against me.  But they did not stop there.  THEY HAD ME ARRESTED FOR FRAUD.  They followed me around when I was having a good day and saw me shopping and I took my children bowling during their spring break from school last year.  I helped my TWO YEAR OLD daughter bowl holding the same ball she did and they have of course painted this as the most awful thing ever.  Nothing they taped me doing was even strenuous.  It was just activities of daily.  I never said in my application that I could not do any of the things they saw me doing only that I could not do these things WITHOUT PAIN.  This is the most unbelievable thing that could ever happend to a person.  I am living in a nightmare.  I have been accused of a crime  I did not commit and now my local paper has picked up the story to further add to my anxiety and embarrassment.  A lot of people do not understand Fibromyalgia and or believe that it is real.  I wanted to reach out to the Fibro community and see what kind of help i can get.  I would like to picket my pension fund CalPERS as well as the Sacramento Bee for writing a slanderous and one sided article.  The reporter put personal information about my mental health and other medical information which i am not sure is even legal.  He put in one comment from my attorney and the rest was a slander piece.  He quoted things that the doctors for Calpers put in my records as if they were actually factual.  These type of doctors are industry ****** that work in the fring.  They don't realize that their lies can ruin people's lives.  Any help or information about someone I can contact in Sacramento would be greatly appreciated.
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Avatar universal
I'm terribly sorry for how much stress you're under due to FMS.

As a person who managed employee benefits. had dealt and also employed by an insurance company, I can tell you that insurance companies and social security administration office takes ones application for disability benefits very seriously.

If my memory serves me correctly... their definition of 'disability' is a person lost total ability to make a gainful living that she is trained for and accustomed to all her life, and it is impossible to be retrained...Psychiatrist examination only to prove whether you have neurological impairments which prevents you from making a gainful living.

They also watches the applicant like a hawk...during the process.  

I agree at this point, yu should consider hiring a disability attorney who knows the tricks of the trade and advise you what you should or should not do, to ensure your app. gets approve.

I know it is a very stressful process and time consuming....and it is not fair.  Please hang in there and get professional advise.

Good luck,
Kit
Helpful - 0
908504 tn?1269103899
I am so sorry for you. Go to a social security disability attorney and file for that and ask him to help you appeal that other case. Find an attorney and file slander charges. There are pro bono attorneys in Sacramento that will help you. Good luck. I had a similar sit when I filed for my ssd but I appealed and won. Good luck
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you so much for your support.  My family and I are living in a nightmare.  I have been slandered in the press and fear I will never get my name back.  I was surprised by the media attention for such an insignificant person like myself.  Many people do not understand this illness.  Although this in no way comes close to what Jesus suffered, as a Catholic, I have a better understanding of what he endured.  I also have a new perspective on folks who are charged with crimes.  I always thought a person was innocent until proven guilty in this country.  It is frightening that a person can be charged with a crime in this country due to lack of understanding of an illness and for literally shopping, and spending time with my children.  I never claimed to have any physical restrictions and have in fact been encourged by my Rheumatolgist to try and exercise as best I can.  I stated on my application for disabilty that I have great difficulty with a list of actvities of daily living as well as how they relate to a work day.  I stated I could not do these things "without pain", which is significantly different than saying i can not do them.  Unfortunately just activities of daily living i.e., grocery shopping, taking my kids out occasionally for some fun are quite taxing as we all know.  I too am very embarrassed when I get caught off guard by a knee that gives out etc.  I have severe anxiety and try not to call any attention to myself especially when I am in pain.  My sister was also a journalist for a major american news network and she is outraged by the article and its absence of journalist integrity, and ethics as well as other issues.  I have been struggling to understand why this has happened to me and keep thinking perhaps it is to help raise awareness of FMS.

Thanks!  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I would think you could sue them for privicy infringement and defimation of character, I have Fibromyalgia, CFS and RLS. Too many people who never had to deal with illiness or pain do not understand how it is to live with a illiness. I try to walk, and go to the pool with my grandkids, and the little I do , do ,  could also be misinterpreted. what they don't see, is later that evening I am crying because I am in such pain for over exerting myself. Because while I am bennifiting from the help of pain pills, I try to do things like normal people and pay for it later, where I am in such pain, I contiplate suicide as an option out. which I know is not really the way out of this nightmare. But sometimes you feel you are at your end,  because family and friends and many doctors don't believe you and you cannot communicate to them how much pain and exhaustion you are really in. Problem is many of us try to hide it and soldier on.   I recently had an embrassing experience at the grocery store.  I use a cane to help walk, but even with the cane I often fall, I fell walking from the car to the enterance of the grocery store. And because my legs are so weak, once I fall I cannot stand back up, unless I can grab onto something to pull myself back up. SO I had to crawl to the curb and grab onto a sign post (outside the front of the store) I was so embrassed, people stared and looked at me, yet no one offered to help me. They all looked at me like I was drunk or something. Once back on my feet , I turned around and went back home and cried, I did not leave my house for almost a week. People just don't understand.   I will keep in my thoughts. could you let me know the reporters name who wrote the horrible article.  I use to write and have been published many years ago and still know many editors, I would like to write him and give him a piece of my mind.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I feel so bad for you.  you are having the nightmare we all fear.  I currently am appying for ss disability and despite all my doctors notes i have to see there physician on friday.  I have alot wrong besides fibromyalgia but i just know that people think i am just faking it when i c/o being tired and achey.  hubby just walked in with neighbor and they want computer so... will keep you in my prayers and thoughts.  Do you have a lawyer.  is there another newspaper that may be willing to give your side od story?
Helpful - 0
747493 tn?1249589956
I am so sorry to hear all that!  I'm in Canada so I'm sorry I can't be much help but I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers...

Helpful - 0
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