SEIZURES & DISABILITY BENEFITS

Epileptic seizures or epileptic-like seizures sometimes called "pseudo-seizures) can be disabling under Social Security's rules.  These seizures are generally classified as convulsive or non-convulsive.  The following are key considerations to being approved for seizures.

1)  You must be under a doctor's care for your seizure disorder.  Your doctor must be prescribing anti-seizure medication and monitoring your compliance with regular blood tests.  The doctor must have an opportunity to change the medication or adjust the dosage to try to control the seizures.

2)  You may get a benefit if you have been under a doctor's treatment for at least 90 days and are still experiencing at least one seizure per month.

Social Security may ask you to describe what happens during a seizure:  loss of consciousness, falling, convulsing, tongue biting, urinary or bladder continence, etc.  

I recommend that you try to keep a journal or diary which records the date of each seizure and have a family member or someone describe the seizures.  

Basically, Social Security may pay benefits for a seizure disorder if the seizures cannot be controlled with medications and they significantly interfere with your ability to perform work activity on a full-time basis. Your doctor will have to provide medical evidence to support your claim.