I am 52 and have had permanent LAF for the last 2 years. The year and a half before that were spent about half in and half out of either Atrial Flutter or Afib. I have just completed another ablation (my fourth - only one gave me some relief) which doesn't appear to be sucessful. I've had no luck with drugs. I have tried to be stoic and "work through it", but I'm getting to the point where I just feel too tired, stressed and depressed. My job is mainly a desk job, but entails some field inspections and lots of deadlines and stress (like most jobs). The job just drains most of my strength. I often feel like I'm not really performing the way I should be. I do have 2 long term disability policies, one personal and the other group which I get through work. I am now considering making a claim for disability.

I'm wondering if anybody else has reached this point and taken this step, and what kind of response they got from their insurance company.

Doug - I also just had my 4th ablation. When I asked my regular EP if he thought I should quit my job because it was so stressful, he said "No, just take 2 weeks off. " I had been working 5 1/2 months at this job. When I told them what the doc said, they said I would be kicked out of the system after being absent one week. In other words, they were laying me off. I applied for unemployment, but didn't receive it--didn't have enough hours.

It would be very interesting to see if this would qualify as a disability. I imagine you could qualify with the right letter from a doctor, an open insurance company, luck, and lots of patience.

I understand your wondering. Because when I started this job I had finally been back in NSR for about 3 months. After about 2 months into the job, I went back into afib. Doc said antibiotic I was given by primary care doctor could have put my over the edge back into afib.

Anyway, I haven't worked since August 4th. I am waiting to get the all clear
before I start looking again. But I really don't want to rock the boat if I am back in NSR.

Good luck, njb

I applied for and was approved for social security disability for A-Fib/A-Flutter

When I was out of work for 3 months due to AF I applied for my private policy and for the SS policy.I would have been approved for a partial benefit(had I not gone back to work after my ablation) due to the fact that I was still able to work at home and continue to make money that way.If your doctors are on your side and will send the right info to your officers then I`m pretty sure you can get the disability payments-That is after the 6 month waiting period that SS has before you see anything..Either way it`s a bit of a hassle getting them on the phone and making it happen.

Debbie: I'm surprised at social security. Good for you. Did you have to document a certain frequency of episodes or what documentation did they require. I am on SSD also, but mine is because of a frontal lobe stroke following my ablation, and subsequent short term memory dysfunction. It has taken a year to get through all the red tape, and to be tested by 3 of their clinical psychologists.

Pam

Pam, it took 3 hospital visits and 3-5 er visits and testing done by their doctors. It took me 9 months, but by then I hadn't been able to work long enough to accrue enough work credits, so they put me on SSI. Am now in the process of trying to show I couldn't work during the times they said I could. What a pain in the butt they can be.