Some lupus victims may be able to work. But if working is not possible for you, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits can help you pay your medical bills. The Maximum SSDI benefit amount per month is $3,627 in 2023. If you are approved for SSDI, then you may be eligible for federal Medicare benefits.
Are you considered disabled if you have lupus?
How Lupus Qualifies for Social Security Disability. Social Security maintains a list of official qualifying diseases, called its ‚ÄúBlue Book,‚Äù and lupus is included on the list. For Social Security’s purposes, lupus qualifies as a disability when it meets these conditions: It involves two or more organs or body systems.
What category of disability is lupus?
Social Security maintains a Listing of Impairments for each of the major body systems. Lupus is listed under Immune System Disorders in section 14.02.
Can you work if you have lupus?
Many people with lupus are able to continue to work, although they may need to make changes in their work environment. Flexible work hours, job-sharing, and telecommuting may help you to keep working. It may be helpful to begin to make such arrangements soon after you have been diagnosed with lupus.
How much disability can I get for lupus Related Questions
What jobs to avoid with lupus?
Many lupus patients aren’t able to do intensive physical work, like waitressing or working in a grocery store. Jobs that involve standing for long periods, like working a cash register, greeting customers, or being a hostess at a restaurant, can be physically tiring as well as rough on the joints.
How do I claim lupus as a disability?
Your doctor cannot “declare” that you are disabled. You and your doctor must provide evidence that proves lupus prevents you from engaging in any substantial gainful employment and that this condition is expected to last for a continuous period of at least twelve months, or result in death.
What organs does lupus affect?
It can affect your joints, tendons, kidneys, and skin. It can affect blood vessels. And it can affect organs such as the heart, lungs, and brain. It can cause rashes, fatigue, pain, and fever.
Is lupus serious?
The seriousness of SLE can range from mild to life-threatening. The disease should be treated by a doctor or a team of doctors who specialize in care of SLE patients. People with lupus that get proper medical care, preventive care, and education can significantly improve function and quality of life.
Is lupus life threatening?
The vast majority of people diagnosed with the condition will have a normal or near-normal life expectancy. However, some people with SLE are still at risk of life-threatening complications as a result of damage to internal organs and tissues, such as heart attack or stroke.
Can you get disability for RA or lupus?
If rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or Lyme disease is causing symptoms that prevent you from holding down a full-time job, you may be entitled to Social Security disability benefits, either under a listed impairment or through documentation of your functional limitations.
Is lupus a comorbidity?
Lupus is a complex autoimmune disease with many possible complications and what are known as comorbidities. Comorbidity is a medical term that means a person has more than one medical condition. A complication is slightly different. A complication is a health problem that occurs as a result of the disease.
What is lupus pain like?
Muscle and joint pain. You may experience pain and stiffness, with or without swelling. This affects most people with lupus. Common areas for muscle pain and swelling include the neck, thighs, shoulders, and upper arms.
Can I live a normal life with lupus?
With close follow-up and treatment, 80-90% of people with lupus can expect to live a normal life span. It is true that medical science has not yet developed a method for curing lupus, and some people do die from the disease. However, for the majority of people living with the disease today, it will not be fatal.
How much sleep do lupus patients need?
It is vital that people living with SLE practice these habits along with getting 7-9 hours of sleep (a little more for children) in order to prevent lupus flares, limit fatigue, and keep the body’s mechanisms healthy, especially the immune system.
Does stress trigger lupus?
Although doctors haven’t proven that stress is a direct cause of lupus, it’s known to trigger flare-ups in people who already have the disease. Stressful events that can make symptoms worse include: A death in the family. Divorce.
What makes lupus worse?
Overwork and not enough rest. Being out in the sun or having close exposure to fluorescent or halogen light. Infection. Injury.
What triggers lupus?
Exposure to certain factors in the environment – such as viral infections, sunlight, certain medications, and smoking – may trigger lupus. Immune and Inflammatory Influences.
What vitamins are good for lupus?
Vitamins. Vitamin E, zinc, vitamin A, and the B vitamins are all beneficial in a lupus diet. Vitamin C can increase your ability to absorb iron and is a good source of antioxidants.
Can lupus leave you in a wheelchair?
“Not every patient with lupus has that degree of severity but when you have your immune system attacking your kidneys or your heart or your lungs, that can be life threatening.” At one point Williams lost 50 percent of her muscle mass and was unable to even move, confined to a wheelchair.
Does lupus affect your eyes?
The effects lupus may have in and around the eyes include: changes in the skin around the eyelids, dry eyes, inflammation of the white outer layer of the eyeball, blood vessel changes in the retina, and damage to nerves controlling eye movement and affecting vision.