Meds And Iu

[erico541]

i have recently applied for iu and ssdi my va psych doc has me on fluxotene and lithium do the meds you are given have any weight in a iu or ssdi decision? i have not worked in 4 months at all either i am rated at 90% and 170% by regular addition... does that carry any weight? thanks

[Pete53]

Some medications can make you unemployable. Hard to be a heavy equipment operator and take meds for pain at same time. My xanax says I should not drive car when I take xanax

[erico541]

understand about the meds and equipment i did farm work and property mgmt. but being on prozac,lithium, gabapentin ,vicodin and diazepan does not make this too safe. will the meds matter for ssdi?

[john999]

Yes, if your meds make you unable to do any kind of work then it will matter for SSD. SSD has a very high standard for being disabled. You pretty much have to be unable to do anything useful. Just keep information about yourself to the VA limited to SC conditions. If you have NSC conditions that affect your ability to work keep that to yourself if you are going to use SSD records for VA purpose. To get IU from VA your inability to work must be solely due to SC condition. Don't volunteer information about NSC conditions to the VA. They may use it to deny IU.

[darkhorse]

Yeah especially if you're having side effects from your medications. Sometimes the side effects alone will make you umemployable.

DH

understand about the meds and equipment i did farm work and property mgmt. but being on prozac,lithium, gabapentin ,vicodin and diazepan does not make this too safe. will the meds matter for ssdi?

[Berta]

If the side affects of SC meds you take hinder employability by all means make sure the VA knows that.

They can be referred to on Question # 25 on the TDIU form that a separate page is attached regarding what you take and the known side affects-

The side affects can be found on the inserts that come with the meds or googled by medication.

Meds can cause confusion, lack of sleep or too much sleep, irritability, some side effects say Do not take and drive ,or do not operate heavy equipment while taking this med- any and all of these side affects can hinder one's employability.

[erico541]

ok thanks for the info. yeah the prescriptions make it very difficult to drive and impossible to keep a job. im glad that would be considered on unemployability. the fellow from voc rehab told me today that he is drafting a letter to mail to me stating i am not stable for work or school at this time. will that help my case?