I was given a "Ticket to Work" by social security when I was awarded disability. Their goal is to get you off disability so if you are able to work a certain number of hours, off you come. Was never able to work so I don't know number of hours that is. But if you are able to work some you are not penalized. My disability turned into regular ss when I reached retirement age and their is no earning restrction. I was awarded disability on the first try.

@A myRAteam Member Dont hire a lawyer. They will get 40% of your recovery. Your Congressman will help you for free. It's part of his/her job! Social security can not be rushed by a lawyer. They just milk your money. Unless you have a free one and dont mind waiting. They pay you back pay to the day you first applied. Good luck. I hope you are doing okay.

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A myRAtea...

@A myRAteam Member I did. It was a once over and what problems do you have. It took about 2 yrs to get my disability. I had to go to my Congressman for help. He made a phone call and found out it had been approved and got them to issue me a check against what they owed me. They pay you back to the day you applied. If they say no do not hesitate to appeal. Many people have told me they were denied then appealed then approved. I think if yo u look fit as a fiddle walking in they say oh they are ok. It wasn't even a rheumatologist who did my medical exam. It was a neurologist. He questioned me about my wrist. I had some numbness in my hand and shooting pain in the wrist.
And once after I was approved they mentioned me getting a yearly exam. I wrote them a letter saying WHY do you think I will miraculously heal? I used a few expletives to ask them if they knew of a cure for ra? I told them this isn't a temporary flu. Its forever. I wanted to know if there was a cure and why hadn't I been told? Doctors had told me I may have periods of remission as I did in my child bearing years but there is no cure. Back then they treated symptoms. I almost had the feeling that ss thought I was faking. Even though blood work had confirmed my diagnosis at age 14. I very explicitly explained what it felt like. I offered to run over them with a concrete truck and pound them with a sledge hammer just so they could share my pain. I had no patience with them. Luckily for me Charlie Wilson was my Congressman. He used his power to push my application through for me. He said millions were applying. So I guess there process was understandable. Not.

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A myRAtea...

As a follow up to my answer - According to social security I need to be recertified as disabled every 3 years.

I had to go for a medical exam. It was really dumb. Took x rays and looked at my meds. 1 month later I as approved. I also have diabetes in addition to RA.