Incapacitating episodes

[bigoc]

Interested in C&P experiences with incapacitating episodes.  

I had a C&P for an increase of psoriatic arthritis of the hands and feet.  The examiner asked if I had missed any work due to my condition.  I responded yes to 5 days in the last 6 months.  The examiner set the time frame of the question.  He did not inquire further if it was bed rest ordered by a doctor.  I have learned not to interrupt this doc when he is documenting.  I basically spend 1 1/2 to 2 hours with this guy and talk about 5 minutes of the time a most.  I have been surprised by this guy in the past in a positive way.  He is kinda rude but tends to give me favorable exams that are used for favorable decisions.  I could care less about his attitude since the exam is helpful for my claim.  I wonder how common this is to have a rude examiner that give favorable exams that are basically inferred and not confirmed.  Meaning he just puts things down that I did not necessarily say but could be interpreted.     

My question is, is this a way examiners document incapacitating episodes?

I understand it seems a little short of meeting the criteria. I also know the examiners sometimes do their own thing.  Will this possibly be accepted by the RO as incapacitating episodes?

[Guest]

25 minutes ago, jonnyohio said:

I know this is old, but I keep seeing this misunderstanding, and the definition applied incorrectly to 5002.

"Did the doctor order bed rest?"

Under 5002, bed rest would be contraindicated for inflammatory arthritis such as PSA and RA, as activity is the usual recommendation to prevent a joint from locking up.  Bed rest would only make it worse.  For the purposes of 5002, there is no set definition but it usually means that the patient isn't able to do what he/she normally can do as a result of the inflammatory arthritis or required time off work to see doctors.  I get to work all the time with joint pain and stiffness because if I give in and stay home and lay around it only makes it worse.  Being unable to get up and clean the house or unable to do social activities because one is in so much pain and has fatigue is a good example of a totally incapacitating episode.  Having to take time off work to go to the doctor for followups and blood tests because one is on multiple drugs to try to slow or halt the disease process would be a totally incapacitating episode, because the person is unable to earn income like a normal person does because they have to take off work to go to the VA doc.

Yes, you should start your own thread. Doctors don't normally prescribe bed rest.  The closest I have heard is my rheumatologist tells me to go at my own pace and make sure I don't over exert myself.  He did recommend I quit working.