Failed Back Syndrome and Social Security Disability 

This situation is so me. I had the surgery left April 2012 but I'm still having pain of a different sort. I'm currently on work comp and just received a letter stating that they can no longer hold my job open for me. I'm so upset but I still have hope that I will get better and return to work. Very depressed :(

Thank god i was approved for ssdi on novemebr 2015 and i received my backpay and first months payment in December 2015, i was very lucky for getting it fast after my approval. I had my second spinal fusion on October 26, 2015 due to a failed back surgery. The screws in my rods became loose and my surgery area became unstable and my back started to hunch again slightly. Well my surgery was corrected and extended 2 levels down to the L2, so now I'm fused from T8 to L2. The doc removed a lot of scar tissue I had accumulated and my nerve pain on the left side of my back is virtually gone. My new issue is a lot of lumbar pain and nerve pain in that area along with a lot of numbness and stiffness in the lumbar area. Overall I can say I'm going in the right direction after my 2nd back surgery and I hope I continue to heal and hopefully I can get back to work in the near future. Best wishes to everybody.

So many patients get surgery to stop the pain even though surgeons don't expect to resolve most pain issues. Perhaps numbness and tingling in an arm or a leg is helped but deeper more chronic debilitating pain is not often cured with surgery. I agree wholeheartedly with the attitude advice, especially in building a doctor - patient relationship.

TY....TY.....TY sooo very much....this hit the nail right on the head 4 me....my mobility is pretty much shot 2 hell since that surgery,meds help BUT don't stop the pain & I can only turn the DCS up so high after a while...again thank u Mr. G.....your videos are XTREMELY helpful.

Thank you Jonathan...your video is informative and right to the point. You are very knowledgeable and have excellent tips on this condition. Very well presented. You are definitely very wise, and have they ability to understand another person's experience, emotions, and how to assist them in the most human way. Great advice, and highly recommended.

I just wanted to drop a thumbs up for Jonathan's package of information he has available. The process and steps for applying for disability become much clearer after reading it. The "language" that the SS forms require are in need of translation from the common terms most use to describe their painful situation. Especially guys(some gals too) that have issues with expressing feelings of anguish or writing about their experiences at length and in detail. I actually found the process of writing about personal pain quite cathardic and gave me a footing to talk to others about it too. One last thing I will mention is that the information he provides gives a good background on creating an administrative record of the seemingly non-ending treatment protocols, both mainstream and alternative, that have been tried and exhausted. If you are starting on this journey, get his informational package. I was, and am, glad I found it. Even though committing to the money up front was in itself painful, rhe help it provides can be the difference between award and appeal. I completely rewrote my application after understanding what it was I needed to convey.

John, I know this is one of your older videos, but hope you will reply. My situation....in 2015 started having crippling sciatic pain. Imaging showed bulging discs, stenosis and a congenital small spinal canal. Underwent a year of epidural shots and they helped for a year or so. When the effectiveness of the shots started to lessen I Consulted a neurologist who recommend a laminectomy and facectomy from l2 to s1 to open. The spinal canal and relieve the effects of inflammation. Had the surgery in Sept 2016. After being. Home from hospital for 3 days I had to return for emergency surgery due to them sending me home with a dural tear. Leaking spinal fluid caused nerve damage and caused me to have neuropathy in my right foot. I recovered from surgery and went back to work and take meds for nerve condition. It was tolerable for a year then progressively increased to the point I can no longer stand it. I work in an industrial type setting and my employer put me on std for 6 Mon to try and rehab. If that fails I will be put on Ltd (have employer provided insurance) and then file for said. I have worked my job for 25 yrs. I hate this! I have 2 month of std left and rehab not helping. I am 54 yrs old. Should I get in touch with counsel now or wait till Ltd. Starts? How strong do you think my case is? Thanks for all your videos. They really are a huge help for people who find themselves in this horrible circumstances

Hi Dr my back surgery L4,5 S1 in 2014 My pain level makes me cry all the time I’m a positive getting help anxiety Bipolar disorder I can’t even stand couple of minutes I start using Tens therapy that really help opioid quitting due to constipation

You give great advice, wish you were in New York.

it doesn't matter how bad U R after or before surgery when ur on compensation, THEY will always send U back no matter the extent of the pain, They can't feel other ppl's Pain and Their job is to GET ppl BACK to work. I initially did get a great deal of relief from surgery, but unfortunately it didn't last. U just have 2 SUCK it UP! YOU R JUST A NUMBER, AND EASILY REPLACED!!

What if I want to try and work I still feel pain I wanna work it seems like if I stay moving I feel better and trying to lose weight they said this will help me tremendously. I try and stay in therapy and the pain meds is horrible feel like a drug addict

This is me to a T! Ssdi sending me to doctor for anxiety and depression since I don't have dr for this. I'd love to be able to walk again.

You got to be kidding me, you need to learn a lot more. Better yet talk about how you help. Maybe some successful case names. Your wins. Most of us already know we have failed back surgeries. But Doctors get what they want money and then there done with ya. We need to have Doctors telling the truth how many patients are saying AM in PAIN and do a report then will all see majority of back surgeries are failed back surgeries. And then you get 25% or more of our money. Wow

Thanks for the video. Thumbs up!

You just described me 5 back surgeries later.

This is me to a T. yeah they used that enfuse on me as well .

OMG!!!!!....this is EXACTLY what I am going thru right now, (hurting as I type).....I wonder if there is EVER gonna be an end 2 the pain levels I experience on a daily basis...DCS surgery.

Does this also apply to cervical fusions? I am having more problems at 6mo after fusion and my doc said I need to get depression and pain under control. The fusion is helping according to the doc via xray but I am in more pain as the bones fuse

+Jonathan C. Ginsberg What if you have had many health issues over the years, or long periods of unemployment that cause you to not accumulate enough points to qualify for SSD... but your spouse makes too much for you to qualify for SSI?

Is this degenerative disc disease? I have 6 discs that have failed.

I just had back surgery July 20, 2018 it’s been a month after my surgery and I’m in worse condition than before I had the surgery I cannot walk or use the bathroom 🚽 shower 🚿 without assistants I’m starting to get depressed.

I have fused hip...how winning would it be...is it easy to win cases?

Typical Lawyer. Him and the doctors are all full of it. Don't listen to HIM. he made one point. Get Off the MEDZ..at least the Hard hitting onez. Scar Tissue. yah that;s is what we all wish we had. Right ? some have cages moving . failed hardware. loose screwz, cut tendonz. and Real issuez ! The answer UR IN PAIN. always going to be in PAIN. it's life. Get Angry, and use that anger to snap out of it. THen heal, then Help someone Else who is where u once were. But stop listening to peepz like this

Thank you very much!