Do you have any disability benefits r... - Functional Neurol...
Although I do have a brain injury as well as FND and Permanent severe Nerve damage that covers the majority of my left side of my body from my shoulder, arm ,waist and back from a spinal injury as I cracked 2 discs C4 & C5 in my neck. Also unable to feel or use my fingers.
Yes, although despite being told i have CD, it is not officially diagnosed, so i am Hemiplegic NOS. In New Zealand we are very lucky at the ability to get the disability benefit, for any disability, physically or mentally, although they are starting to tighten the criteria!
Thanks, good for NZ patients your health care system is reasonable.
Yeah! As long as we can produce a medical certificate from our GP every 4 weeks to say we are unable to work, we are able to get the disability benefit. o we have to see our GP and be reassessed each month. However the rest of our medical system is becoming extremely flawed now! (recently got told by a specialist theres no point in receiving PT or OT as im never going to walk again so he cut these services!). If its CD as they claim, what grounds can they tell me ill never walk again! I guess each country has strengths and weaknesses!
Here is how the situation looks for me in my country (Russia): since CD/FND is a "disorder of a psychological origin", then it is "up to the patient" whether he or she will feel better or not. I was told that if I got disability benefits it would demotivate me from getting well! "You should work, socialize and not think about disability". Here I am - getting about 30 meters on crutches, hardly able to drive (with a V-Grip device) - all this being on anticholinesterase inhibitors which boost the nerve-muscle conduction. I go to work every day like this. Without the pills I am barely mobile at all, completely wheelchair-bound (being unable even to push the wheelchair myself), unable to stand, having difficulties sitting, eating etc. and the weakness is progressing continually. I get no aid whatsoever... All PT services, medications, hospital stay come from my own pocket. I am very glad that other countries are better than mine in their attitude, this is inspiring.
I can relate....neuro told me I should be glad that there is nothing really wrong with me psych said symptoms would go away if I accepted that I had a mental illness...4 years later I'm worse not better
Where are you from, Karen? Do you finally get any disability benefits from your healthcare system?
I live in the UK, but obviously my user name gives a good clue I'm a kiwi and I'm from New Plymouth originally, where are you from guardian-angel91? Didn't realise that this site spreads over the whole world thought it was just UK?
50 countries now!
Oh no! that's not good toughening the criteria can't be a good thing for those of us who rely on the disability benefit as main income to survive on. As obviously like my user name like mine 'krazykiwi' I'm a New Zealander whose a little bit krazy for living in the UK since 2002, I will be returning to New Zealand's shores to my homeland of Taranaki, New Plymouth city next year in February 2015. I have had a financial settlement from my car accident 5 years ago finally and I now wonder after seeing your comment how difficult it will be to retain my compensation for my future in case I really need it in emergencies? I would hate to think that I would have problems getting the disability benefit even though I have been diagnosed with FND in the UK.
Yes, but no FND diagnosis at time. And had advanced arthritis in addition. My downhill was also started by such a rapid change in energy that had a pulminary embolus, which also helped. (Only underlying cause that fit me was rapid change in lifestyle energy outputs). Think I was also very fortunate in the GP that assessed me for the sickness benefits department on appeal. (Pretty much standard to be turned down on initial application, Back then were, at least in my case, very fairly accessed, though many had more of a struggle). Harder now.
I am blind and have FND. I only receive benefits for the blindness. In Colorado, they take the disability that costs less and give you the amount for the cheaper one. They also like to pay for the first disability. I am blind from birth, so I have benefits for that but with the FND coming at age 19. They have denied me many times.
It was a traumatic process, but compared to most it seems I was remarkably lucky in how quickly I was approved for benefits. It was not called FND or CD. I was diagnosed with anxiety and panic syndrome. I've a couple other complications, diabetes type two and lower back issues. And I'm sixty. I was told the closer you are to sixty two the more likely they'll grant benefits, but that's just hearsay on my part.
