Aorta aneurysm repair, Disability, going from short to long? Confused patient!

[bithead3]

I don’t have ANY experience with disability before this surgery so I’ve never been in a situation like this.

Monday will be 3 months, so short term disability runs out and I have to apply to go to to long term disability. I'm sure the insurance company will want more paperwork.

I'm 50 yo and had aneurysm repair (elective). BAV was reimplanted so I have my original valve. I was in the hospital about 10 days with various complications. That's more on me than the hospital because I went to one of the elite centers in the US for the surgery.

I made a list of symptoms I am experiencing to take stock of my situation now after almost 3 months.

1. Heart arrhythmias occur during treadmill exertion well below my previous "normal" levels
2. Some “buzzing” feelings intermittently (lightheadedness) sitting in a chair
3. Heartbeat feels like it is directly connected to my skeleton (on deep breaths)
4. Fatigue – some days I take a nap. It has improved in the last 2 weeks but 50% of the time I can’t get through the day without a nap.
5. Intermittent pain (aching) in left side of chest behind ribs sometimes goes through to back
6. Pain (aching) in chest in the morning when I wake up. It gets better as the day goes on. Cardiac rehab (lifting weights) brings it right back.

I have a call in to the doctor, but I was wondering from other patients whether you would try to go back to work on Monday if this was you? Just looking for non-medical opinions from the patient's perspective.

Thanks,
CJ

 

[dick0236]

I assume you have LTD(long term disability) insurance thru your employer and your are not referring to going on Social Security Disability. Group long term disability plans normally require that you cannot do the duties of your occupation, or, in some plans, any occupation for which you are qualified by reason of experience, education or training. Your doctors input has a lot to do with approval for long term benefits and, if approved, you will need to periodically submit evidence of continuing disability to the insurance company. Social Security disability benefits can be more difficult to get approved than private plans and the definition of disability is more complicated.

 

[clay_from_nj]

The pain would scare me (but I don't "do" pain) but the other stuff wouldn't put me off at all.

 

[ski girl]

You know what - I WOULD go back to work. I would have gone back a long time ago (I only took two weeks off my day job post-surgery). Here's why - you are currently sitting around thinking, and most likely paying very close attention to every little niggle, which you then have HEAPS of time to work up in your head as something being quite wrong.

I'm doing a bit of the tough love thing here, but get back into your normal life ASAP and I bet you will start to feel better just because you will no longer be classifying yourself as disabled. Three months off work is long enough and you're not disabled. You are FIXED. Embrace that!

 

[AZ Don]

I don't think long term disability is very easy to qualify for, and I know in my case it had to be applied for well more than a month ahead of time. If the paperwork were not submitted and approved the choice would be between working and being out on unpaid leave awaiting completion of the paperwork. I didn't apply as I was recovering well and having had an aneurysm or having a BAV is not a disability. Most of your symptoms are somewhat nebulous and I expect insurance or Social Security will want something they can quantify, especially when the vast majority of people return to work following aneurysm repair. I have #3 and it doesn't interfere with working. Your best bet might be the arrythmia, but I googled it and it looks like SS sets the bar pretty high, I expect an insurance company will also:

Listing 4.05, Recurrent Arrhythmias
The SSA discusses the qualifying criteria for arrhythmias in Listing 4.05. In order to be automatically approved for disability based on your arrhythmia, you must meet ALL of the following criteria:
Your arrhythmia must cause syncope (fainting or loss of consciousness) or almost cause syncope (altered consciousness) on at least three different occasions in 12 consecutive months.
You must have an EKG that shows your arrhythmia is related to the syncope or presyncope.
The episodes must occur despite following your doctor’s treatment, and
Your arrhythmia cannot be due to a reversible condition.
For example, patients with persistent or chronic a-fib who experience fainting despite being under a doctor's treatment may qualify for disability under this listing. If you are unsure whether you meet the criteria of Listing 4.05, you should review the listing with your treating physician.

http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/medical-conditions-arrhythmia-3.html

 

[Agian]

I thought your President was going to make important changes to the health system, so that people wouldn't have these problems.

 

[big_L]

Do you feel that you can do your work? There must be a reason that you're still off after three months. I can tell you that getting back to work got me into a 'normal' routine again with less focus on how I felt all the time. Yes, it was a bit of a hurdle, both mentally and physically. Physically, more of a stamina challenge, as I was taking a nap EVERY day.

You need to decide if you can go back. There are advantages. Getting your mind off the heart has already been mentioned. At my employer, the disability 'resets' once you get back, even for a day. This can give you some peace of mind.

 

[pellicle]

I thought your President was going to make important changes to the health system, so that people wouldn't have these problems.

http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_...illions-could-not-keep-their-health-insurance

President Obama repeatedly assured Americans that after the Affordable Care Act became law, people who liked their health insurance would be able to keep it. But millions of Americans are getting or are about to get cancellation letters for their health insurance under Obamacare, say experts, and the Obama administration has known that for at least three years.
*
Four sources deeply involved in the Affordable Care Act tell NBC News that 50 to 75 percent of the 14 million consumers who buy their insurance individually can expect to receive a “cancellation” letter or the equivalent over the next year because their existing policies don’t meet the standards mandated by the new health care law. One expert predicts that number could reach as high as 80 percent. And all say that many of those forced to buy pricier new policies will experience “sticker shock.”

 

[dick0236]

Bithead3 is referring to income replacement benefits, not medical payment benefits, that would be covered under the Affordable Care Act(Obomacare).

 

[Capt.Jim]

..................

 

[Agian]

http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_...illions-could-not-keep-their-health-insurance

Bloody politicians.

 

[bithead3]

Thanks for all the great comments everyone, very helpful. I talked to the doc Saturday morning and he said he had no problem with staying out another month. I don't think I will need that long. But one income source (50%) is pre-approved out to March 1 2014, just have to worry about the private insurance part. Will call the insurance company in the morning and see what else they need (they already started the LTD review process 2.5 weeks ago).

Mentally I'm fine, not feeling helpless or depressed or anything. I have an important job, so if there is a chance I might have to leave again after going back that would be bad......I need to be sure I'm not going to impact the organization at all..can't be a seesaw employee.

Happy holidays,
CJ

 

[scott.eitman]

You know what - I WOULD go back to work. I would have gone back a long time ago (I only took two weeks off my day job post-surgery). Here's why - you are currently sitting around thinking, and most likely paying very close attention to every little niggle, which you then have HEAPS of time to work up in your head as something being quite wrong.

I'm doing a bit of the tough love thing here, but get back into your normal life ASAP and I bet you will start to feel better just because you will no longer be classifying yourself as disabled. Three months off work is long enough and you're not disabled. You are FIXED. Embrace that!

Ski Girl beat me to it. My reply would have been very similar. It is one thing to be disabled, it is quite another to have aches and pains. I have ache and pains too, but am able to work (desk job), however I doubt I could really do a 40 hr/week physical job. So it may depend on the type of job you will be returning to.

 

[BackDoc]

I agree with Ski Girl and Scott. Everything you are describing is normal. The longer you remain at home, the harder it will be to return to anywhere near normal in the future.
Nothing in your list of "symptoms" would qualify as being "disabling".

Everyone here on this forum has gone through exactly the same experience as you. You should be focused on becoming "enabled", and not on being "disabled".
By the 3 month point you really should have the go-ahead to be doing everything with little to no restrictions.

I was back to work seeing patients in my office at the 4 week point--part time at 20-25 hours a week. By 8 weeks I was putting in a full work week. At the 3 month point I was given the green light to do anything, and immediately got back in the saddle for my favorite activity--riding my horse.

The sooner you get back to leading your life the better off all around you are going to be, both physically and emotionally.

Sorry if I come across as tough, but sometimes we all need a dose of "tough".

 

[Kozmo]

I also agree with ski girl, scott, and BackDoc. My age may have played a factor in returning to my job, as it's quite physical. I do tires for Wal-Mart and as one of my managers would call me a "Renaissance man" (practically a jack of all trades at wally world, as I'm cross trained for just about everything except for things that require certifications).

I returned to full weeks of work 8 weeks out of surgery with no restrictions, everything you're going through is quite normal and is part of the healing process mate.

It will most definitely improve with time, but the sooner you keep yourself occupied and not nitpick over every single thing (I did exactly that and my cardiologist told me verbatim that I'm literally worrying over quite a normal healing process).

But 3 months is quite long enough. I'd go back to work, and while you keep your mind occupied you'll also notice that you're starting to feel a lot better.

That's just what I would do, but of course the decision is ultimately yours.

Hope I helped, and I apologize if I came across as tough, just as the people before me. But sometimes it's necessary mate, we still love ya though