After six years at my present job in health care marketing, and increased demand for doing more and more work, I finally had to face that I can no longer manage the job. I turned in my one month resignation notice on January 1st, and asked for papers to file disability through my employer. My boss is very supportive and all will be in the hands of the company's medical management folks to approve or deny. I guess it is also possible that the CEO could try to stop it, but it doesn't appear that he will.

Has anyone "out there" gone through their company for medical disability? I'm told that if I ever get SS disability, that would be subtracted from my work disability money... so one doesn't make any more money. Another question: is it advisable to also file for SS disability, even if one is awarded disability via an employer?

I have RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) and other focal dystonias in addition to both AB & AD/S.D. I'm no longer able to drive without liability to myself and the company because of unpredictable spasms in the feet and toes, as well as warnings about side effects from the Requip and Klonopin I take. That doesn't even begin to describe the struggles we all face in the ups and downs of professional voice usage on the job (and periods of good vs. bad voice entirely dependent on Botox injections).

Hope to hear back from anyone who has tried the work disability route prior to federal disability. I need advice and help.

Thanks!

I'm not an expert at this, as I took a corporate retirement when I couldn't talk. A decent "early-out" (when the company was downsizing) was available and I blamed myself for my bad voice and the docs said the same thing for several years ("she's under stress...she's nervous, etc.") before I finally diagnosed myself with SD several years later when the specialists couldn't.

Sorry to hear you're in this current position.

Regarding your situation, it's my understanding (based on others' experience as well as my background in HR) that it is usually a good idea to take your company's disability plan, prior to filing for SS Disability. I don't think you can do them both at the same time. Not sure. Yes, there is a pay-back but taking your company's LTD plan makes it *much* easier to get SS Disability later, if you can't be re-trained. The SS Admin always wants to try to re-train you and they prefer you go through your company first. Makes you look better. That's what I've been told.

Also, I can give you a referral to somebody who has been through something that sounds somewhat similar, but she spent her career in one company and one career at that company.

I've found, in pursuing my own SSD case, that no two cases are the same, even if we all have SD. Many things make them "dis-similar" but one is that you would work with different offices (SS Admin) than other people. Other dis-similarities are: the severity of our cases, different jobs and different vocal demands and different *receptivity* from our employers, regarding our vocal disorders. Etc. etc.

The decisions you are making at this time are crucial. Other than collecting case-histories off this BB, the best thing you can do is read all the information your company provides on its LTD plan, as well as information Social Security provides. An attorney specializing in SSD may be helpful but there is alot to be done before you get to one.

Write me off the BB and I'll share my experience so far. Some of it is rather odd. For example, yesterday I got a computerized call to my VM from the SSA asking me to show up at some office (they didn't say which one or what time) on December 16th. Wasn't yesterday January 11th? Sure couldn't figure that one out. Doesn't surprise me though.

Good luck and write me off the BB.

--Lynne (AD/SD; Northern California)

I also have RLS and have to take quite a bit of medication to sleep.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks again to all my wonderful friends for the help and advice and support! (Lynn, I'm going to write you off the BB for more info.)