Long Term Disability

[Yzinger]

Hi folks, really starting to ponder some help here.

Quick summary - dx'd August 2023 with metastatic PC. I never stopped working as at the time I thought I didn't need to and being busy would keep my mind off of things.

I have gone through chemo and radiation and of course started with Casodex, then 3mth Lupron shots, a 4 pills daily of Nubeqa...

Fast forward to now and I am really struggling with brain fog, emotions, pain, fatigue etc...my work is IT based and I am starting to have trouble with this technical work.

I said a lot but my question really is do any of you have any good comments/advice for me in going down the road of trying to get coverage for short term and then long term disability benefits?

I am in Nova Scotia, Canada. I have coverage for both STD and LTD through my employer.

Thanks for any insight.

[erjlg3]

Wishing you well with getting help financially while you're going through such trauma. You can find many other ways to stay busy😊🌻

[StayPositive1]

In the US I think it’s advisable to get a lawyer. Good luck with it.

[Leaffan57]

have your Dr fill out the forms, I had no issues with getting it.

[Yzinger in reply to Leaffan57]

STD and LTD or only short term?

[Leaffan57 in reply to Yzinger]

Std then it flowed into LTD after 6 month in Ontario. You have to go with the stress and depression from the diagnosis. I got more radiation and that just exhausted me. They won’t have an issue with cancer.

[Yzinger in reply to Leaffan57]

Thanks so much for input.

Pumped for Leafs to start tomorrow night although I wish we could just fast forward to the playoffs.

[Leaffan57 in reply to Yzinger]

Who is your insurance carrier at work

[Yzinger in reply to Leaffan57]

Blue Cross

[DrFeeelgood]

I had no issues. Stage IV doctors note and they approve in U.S.

[Brendan1904]

I am in UK and see you are relatively very young. I would say go for them both. I stopped work within few months of diagnosis as stress of work made me worse. If you can manage on benefits then great. Push as hard as you need to - gentle requests at first and then adapt if necessary as they respond. I cannot see why they would refuse but obviously depends on how doctors communicate with each other. Good luck and you were right to initially try and carry on but you also need to be able to adapt as things change.

[j-o-h-n]

All Great Advice...... I'll add my simple advice, Keep Posting!!!

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[Yzinger]

just an overall reply, thanks so much for replies Warriors.

[Chipnick]

We used a lawyer in US for both ssa and private (self funded) insurance plan. The side effects were similarly disabling to have the energy, concentration and fast enough mental processing for DH's IT role. It was a difficult decision, but a year later it is clear it was the right decision. Best wishes.

[SteveTheJ]

Totally understand. I cannot help you with your main question but I can suggest you ask your oncologist about Provigil. It can help with fatigue, focus, and fighting brain fog. Best of luck.

[32Percenter]

Hey Yzinger, metastatic with triplet therapy in Ontario here, similar situation to you I think but I didn't have radiation. I've discussed the LTD option with my union rep in case I ever need it, and it's a little convoluted. It really depends on which company is providing your coverage.

Under the terms of my plan with Canada Life, they'll provide me with a year of coverage for my specific employment/position. But in the second year, you need to be disabled for "any" employment/position for coverage to continue. The idea is that in that time the employer and/or employee needs to be seeking a job or position that they can actually continue in, not fleece the insurer with a 15-year vacation/bridge to retirement. After two years the coverage ends. Additionally, my STD plan is about 4 months/18 weeks, and that covers the 17 weeks of no income needed before LTD kicks in (the waiting period).

I chose to go back to work, and save LTD for when it's really needed (recurrence, harsh treatments, surgeries, etc). I've definitely made some adjustments to my work style and what I'll put up with - for example NO overtime of any sort! I won't volunteer for it, and if they try to impose it on me I can flat out say no and pull the health card. They'd rather have me there and producing (even if not as productive and versatile as a healthy employee), than have me throw my toys and easily go on STD or LTD.

If you're wondering, I work in policing. From November to June I went back to taking calls and emergencies with all the young & healthy coppers on a fixed day shift. I could've probably continued but it was tiring, especially when the summer workload started to hit. I've since moved into community policing, which is still ridiculously busy but doesn't involve emergencies or the volatile or chaotic environment of patrol work (and provides steady hours). I've also been instructing classes of new recruits part-time since April, for a break from the operational side.

[Yzinger in reply to 32Percenter]

Thanks so much for your comments. Continued good luck.

[Yzinger]

Hi guys, thanks again all for your comments. I have additional questions now that I am on STD

Blue Cross has called to check in they ask lots of questions and to me i was really feeling weird about "why cant you work, or what needs to occur before you can work again..", doctor asks same type of things for the paperwork. And listen I get it, they need to know, But, i had trouble answering maybe jjust as man or maybe cause work ethic was instilled in me.

I also have no desire to take ANY more drugs to manage.....so, did you all have these same struggles or did you just say stress and depress and all was good?

Thanks