BiPolar on Texas SSDI and want to work

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Specializes in L&D,surgery,med/surg,ER,alzheimers.

I am thrilled to find this forum as I really need guidance.

I have been diagnose with Bipolar Disorder and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy since 1996. I Had been working as an RN for 6 years, doing really well, was actually a DON. But I did not know what was wrong and i crashed and burned.

I have been under a doctors care since then, go to my appts. and take my meds as ordered: Topamax, Lamictal, Trileptal and Seroquel. I have been on these meds for a long time with no changes and feel very stable. I'm a very good patient. I live in poverty now, live off the land raising goats and other animals to sustain us. I raise our food. I recieve a tiny tiny SSDI check and I want so much to earn my own money and to help people and feel like a person again.

I want and need to work. I have kids and grandkids and responsibilty. Also, I LOVED nursing and the comraderie. I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. When I stopped working, and it was my choice, I was not fired and I did not lose my license, I was in good standing. Actually, I was DON at one facility and working part time ER at another. I loved nursing and people were shocked when I quit. I guess I hid my anquish well.

I have let my license go delinquent for over 10 yrs now and have to jump through hoops to get it back. In Texas if you are BiPolar you have to do the whole TPAPN thing and I HATE the idea of that.

So I would have to contact TPAPN and go through at least 2 yrs with them...meaning i could not even drink a cold beer on a hot day in Texas...what the heck??? They lump you in with drug and alcohol abusers and I did not abuse substances, I am Bipolar. So why random drug screens and why would i get kicked out of TPAPN if alcohol showed up in my UA? And I rarely drink, just want the freedom to. The whole thing seems scary and invasive. I am a private person, that's why I live in the remote woods.

Also, I would need a refresher course...a whole semester to a year. Also 20 hrs CE and CPR of course.

I no longer have a drivers license, it was surrendered by me, not taken away. I was diagnose with epilepsy and was trying to be "good" as I was an ER nurse and saw so many victims of motor vehical accidents. But I no longer have seizures. I need to get my drivers license renewed and the case worker at MHMR is very willing to help me. I have no car and live very rural and remote.

I have no scrubs or nurse things anymore.

It is an uphill climb and I want it so much.

I know I can do it but would love to hear from others who have faced the same....particularly Bipolar Texans who may have gone through TPAPN. Thanks.

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Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
I am thrilled to find this forum as I really need guidance.

I have been diagnose with Bipolar Disorder and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy since 1996. I Had been working as an RN for 6 years, doing really well, was actually a DON. But I did not know what was wrong and i crashed and burned.

I have been under a doctors care since then, go to my appts. and take my meds as ordered: Topamax, Lamictal, Trileptal and Seroquel. I have been on these meds for a long time with no changes and feel very stable. I'm a very good patient. I live in poverty now, live off the land raising goats and other animals to sustain us. I raise our food. I recieve a tiny tiny SSDI check and I want so much to earn my own money and to help people and feel like a person again.

I want and need to work. I have kids and grandkids and responsibilty. Also, I LOVED nursing and the comraderie. I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. When I stopped working, and it was my choice, I was not fired and I did not lose my license, I was in good standing. Actually, I was DON at one facility and working part time ER at another. I loved nursing and people were shocked when I quit. I guess I hid my anquish well.

I have let my license go delinquent for over 10 yrs now and have to jump through hoops to get it back. In Texas if you are BiPolar you have to do the whole TPAPN thing and I HATE the idea of that.

So I would have to contact TPAPN and go through at least 2 yrs with them...meaning i could not even drink a cold beer on a hot day in Texas...what the heck??? They lump you in with drug and alcohol abusers and I did not abuse substances, I am Bipolar. So why random drug screens and why would i get kicked out of TPAPN if alcohol showed up in my UA? And I rarely drink, just want the freedom to. The whole thing seems scary and invasive. I am a private person, that's why I live in the remote woods.

Also, I would need a refresher course...a whole semester to a year. Also 20 hrs CE and CPR of course.

I no longer have a drivers license, it was surrendered by me, not taken away. I was diagnose with epilepsy and was trying to be "good" as I was an ER nurse and saw so many victims of motor vehical accidents. But I no longer have seizures. I need to get my drivers license renewed and the case worker at MHMR is very willing to help me. I have no car and live very rural and remote.

I have no scrubs or nurse things anymore.

It is an uphill climb and I want it so much.

I know I can do it but would love to hear from others who have faced the same....particularly Bipolar Texans who may have gone through TPAPN. Thanks.

The Social Security Administration, which is responsible for SSDI, instituted a program, in 2001 I believe, that helps people to return to gainful employment. It is administered by individual agencies in each state. Go to the SSA.org website for information regarding it. Also, get in touch with the Texas Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. They might be able to help you out with a refresher course and payment for it. Here, in Florida, many of our county schools of voc-tech offer a refresher course lasting a semester. It cost appropriately $600. You could check with your local voc tech to see if Texas vo-techs offer a similar program.

I suffer from a seizure disorder as well as bing bipolar. I have been diagnosed as bipolar since 1967. It was never a bar against me getting any employment. My seizure disorder, as well as my qualifying for SSDI, was the result of being hit by a big rig, on January 30, 1989. In 2000 I went back to graduate school seeking an advance degree in nursing. Unfortunately I suffered health problems, in July of 2003 and had to drop out of my program. I wish you the best of luck. I do not know what the law is, in Texas, but Florida demands you be seizure free for two years. And New York, where I returned to graduate school, required I be examined by a neurologists and be followed by him for two years. Shortly before dropping out of school, I received a letter from NYS telling me I was no longer under that restriction.

Woody:balloons:

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here is the dvr website address for texas.

texas department of assistive and rehabilitative services - division for rehabilitation services

4900 n. lamar blvd

3rd floor

austin, tx 78751

phone: (512) 377-0800

toll free: (800) 628-5115

url: http://www.dars.state.tx.us/drs/index.shtml

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..

It is an uphill climb and I want it so much.

I know I can do it but would love to hear from others who have faced the same....particularly Bipolar Texans who may have gone through TPAPN. Thanks.

I'm rooting for you!

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Specializes in L&D,surgery,med/surg,ER,alzheimers.

Thanks...I am really trying to do this thing. I feel like new life has been breathed into me and this is my new path.

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
Thanks...I am really trying to do this thing. I feel like new life has been breathed into me and this is my new path.

So tell us what has transpired since you wrote? i am excited for you :)

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Specializes in L&D,surgery,med/surg,ER,alzheimers.

Thanks yall. All that has transpired so for is that I am researching all my options. I want to know everything about everything before I get my feet wet, that how I am. I see my psych doc in a few weeks and will discuss with her. I will will study the DVR website and refresher course websites as well.

I am mostly perplexed by threads such as this where so many Bipolar nurses never mention TPAPN:

https://allnurses.com/health-stress-management/anyone-bipolar-192005-page8.html

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
Thanks yall. All that has transpired so for is that I am researching all my options. I want to know everything about everything before I get my feet wet, that how I am. I see my psych doc in a few weeks and will discuss with her. I will will study the DVR website and refresher course websites as well.

I am mostly perplexed by threads such as this where so many Bipolar nurses never mention TPAPN:

https://allnurses.com/health-stress-management/anyone-bipolar-192005-page8.html

I guess there are just not any TX nurses involved w/ TPAPN who are reading or replying to this thread!

There aren't too many nurse NATIONALLY and world wide who are responding to this thread. has nothing to do w/ the topic, just, who is reading.

xo

I had lost your post and tried to reply on another thread, I am so confused sometimes lol...

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Hi,

I'm new to the forum and would like to know if you have any news about your situation.

I am currently on SSDI (Bipolar) but also have chronic pain/back injury on pain management w/opiates. I would classify my condition as stable and "non-addict". I go to all my appointments and take ALL meds as prescribed.

I am wanting to re-enter the workforce and pursuing a nursing program through the Ticket to Work program through the SSA. The program begins next August (2010) and I chose nursing since I already have an extensive work history/education in health care and medical devices. I also live in Texas.

So, I am interested in hearing any updates to your situation.

Thanks! Bug

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
Hi,

I'm new to the forum and would like to know if you have any news about your situation.

I am currently on SSDI (Bipolar) but also have chronic pain/back injury on pain management w/opiates. I would classify my condition as stable and "non-addict". I go to all my appointments and take ALL meds as prescribed.

I am wanting to re-enter the workforce and pursuing a nursing program through the Ticket to Work program through the SSA. The program begins next August (2010) and I chose nursing since I already have an extensive work history/education in health care and medical devices. I also live in Texas.

So, I am interested in hearing any updates to your situation.

Thanks! Bug

Hi Bug, how are you doing? Glad to hear from you and to know you are doing better, YAYY! There are a couple other forums, one is called something like "Anyone Bipolar?" and another is called "Nurses struggling with mental illness." - there aren't too many Texans with mental illness I guess based on the response to this thread (ha ha, I am just teasing, I know "we" are EVERYWHERE!)

xo

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Specializes in L&D,surgery,med/surg,ER,alzheimers.

Hello everybody.

It is January 2010 and I have done nothing to get my license reinstated.

I did talk to my pysch doctor about going back to work and she gave no response really. It was not what I expected and I felt silly for even thinking I could go back to work. She is old and old school and is stuck in a rut herself IMO. I go to MHMR and I am pretty downed out about it. But I am stable in my opinion, I stay on my meds ALWAYS, taking them perfectly and I have not had to be hospitalized or anything. I do not drink or take street drugs.

I come to this forum and get pumped up and then feel like it can't be done (getting my license reinstated) when I talk to those in real life.

I was a very good and highly skilled nurse. I worked in Labor and Delivery at a high risk hospital. Also ER and ICU. I did a year as DON at an Alzheimer's facility and also a year at a LTC facility but those were not satisfying to me after the adrenaline-filled jobs I had had before them.

I feel like now I do need something low-stress but I am experienced in many areas of hospital work and would not be happy with nursing home for example. I prefer nights but I should probably do days with the meds I take.

Thanks for letting me ramble.

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
Hello everybody.

It is January 2010 and I have done nothing to get my license reinstated.

I did talk to my pysch doctor about going back to work and she gave no response really. It was not what I expected and I felt silly for even thinking I could go back to work. She is old and old school and is stuck in a rut herself IMO. I go to MHMR and I am pretty downed out about it. But I am stable in my opinion, I stay on my meds ALWAYS, taking them perfectly and I have not had to be hospitalized or anything. I do not drink or take street drugs.

I come to this forum and get pumped up and then feel like it can't be done (getting my license reinstated) when I talk to those in real life.

I was a very good and highly skilled nurse. I worked in Labor and Delivery at a high risk hospital. Also ER and ICU. I did a year as DON at an Alzheimer's facility and also a year at a LTC facility but those were not satisfying to me after the adrenaline-filled jobs I had had before them.

I feel like now I do need something low-stress but I am experienced in many areas of hospital work and would not be happy with nursing home for example. I prefer nights but I should probably do days with the meds I take.

Thanks for letting me ramble.

If it's something that YOU want then go for it! God and see your voc. rehab people which you should be able to connect with through Social Security - ask for someone in the Ticket to Work program, they will help you.

Also check out some other forums here, https://allnurses.com/nurses-disabilities-forum/

there are other threads pertinent to mental illness and others about getting back to work on SS period. I wish I knew more about TX specifically but I don't :(

good luck!

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