Aplastic Anemia Overview
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Aplastic anemia is a disorder in which your body produces insufficient new blood cells. You will feel exhausted and are more susceptible to infections and uncontrolled bleeding as a result of the disease. Aplastic anemia is an uncommon and deadly disorder that can strike anyone at any age. It might strike suddenly or gradually worsen over time. It can range from minor to severe. Aplastic anemia may be treated with drugs, blood transfusions, or a stem cell transplant, sometimes called a bone marrow transplant.
Aplastic anemia may be asymptomatic. When signs and symptoms are present, they may include the following:
- Fatigue
- Breathlessness
- Heart rate that is rapid or erratic
- Skin tone is pale.
- Infections that occur frequently or for an extended period
- Bruising that is unexplained or is easily bruised
- Bleeding noses and bleeding gums
- Excessive bleeding from cuts
- Rashes on the skin Dizziness
- Headache/Fever
- Aplastic anemia can be transient or chronic. It can cause extreme pain or be fatal.
In the bone marrow, stem cells generate blood cells – red cells, white cells, and platelets. Aplastic anemia damages stem cells. As a result, the bone marrow is either completely devoid of blood cells (aplastic) or has a small number of blood cells (hypoplastic).
Aplastic anemia is most frequently caused by your immune system attacking the stem cells in your bone marrow. Additional variables that can harm the bone marrow and impair blood cell formation include the following:
While radiation and chemotherapy are effective at killing cancer cells, they can also harm healthy cells, including bone marrow stem cells. Aplastic anemia may occur as a transient adverse effect of several medications.
- Exposure to harmful chemicals – Aplastic anemia has been connected to toxic chemicals such as those found in pesticides and insecticides, as well as benzene, a component of gasoline. If you prevent repeated exposure to the substances that caused your disease, this type of anemia may improve.
- Particular medications – Such as those that are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and certain antibiotics, have been shown to cause aplastic anemia.
- Autoimmune disorders – When your immune system targets healthy cells, stem cells in your bone marrow may be involved.
- A viral infection – Infections of the bone marrow may contribute to the development of aplastic anemia. Hepatitis, Epstein-Barr, CMV, parvovirus B19, and HIV have all been related to aplastic anemia.
- Pregnancy – During pregnancy, your immune system may assault your bone marrow.
- Unknown causes – Often, doctors are unable to determine the etiology of aplastic anemia (idiopathic aplastic anemia).
Applying for Disability with a Diagnosis of Aplastic Anemia Requiring Bone Marrow or Stem Cell Transplantation
Section 7.17 of the Blue Book discusses aplastic anemia. The Blue Book is the Social Security Administration’s manual that details the conditions that are frequently approved for Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income, as well as the criteria used by SSA adjudicators in determining whether or not to approve disability benefits.
Individuals who have undergone stem cell or bone marrow transplantation are evaluated similarly to those who have undergone organ transplantation. As a result, they are considered disabled for one year. Following that, their condition must be monitored on a regular basis (typically annually or every three years) to assess whether their condition has improved sufficiently for them to resume productive employment.
Simply put, you should have minimal difficulty qualifying for Social Security Disability benefits if you have this disease, but you will need to be re-examined on a recurrent basis.
When you apply for Social Security Disability payments, you must ensure that all blood test results and bone marrow biopsies are included in your medical file, as well as that the transplantation procedure is documented. This is usually adequate to establish aplastic anemia and qualify for benefits, though you should be prepared to supply any additional proof requested by the SSA.
Your Aplastic Anemia Disability Case Involving Bone Marrow or Stem Cell Transplantation
It may be tempting to believe that if you have aplastic anemia with bone marrow or stem cell transplantation, you do not require a Social Security Disability lawyer because your disease fulfills the requirements for disability. This is not always the case, though.
Numerous claims that should be authorized are denied because to inaccurate paperwork, missing information, or inadequate medical records. When done correctly, there should be no cause to deny any claim for a person who has undergone transplantation, however claims are frequently not put together effectively. This results in significant delays in the receipt of your benefits.
Additionally, having a Social Security Disability attorney or advocate represent you now may benefit you in the future if you need to re-establish your disability status during a re-examination. When confronted by the SSA, it is always prudent to retain legal counsel who is already familiar with your situation.