Applying for Social Security Disability with Diabetes

Diabetes is a medical condition wherein an individual’s blood sugar or glucose levels are too high. Glucose is the body’s main source of energy. Insulin helps to break down the glucose into energy for your body. Oftentimes, your body either produces too much insulin or not enough insulin. In those cases, the glucose is not broken down into energy.

There are two types of diabetes: type I and type II. Type I diabetes occurs when the body does not produce insulin. This type of diabetes is generally diagnosed in children and young adults. To treat this condition, you will need to take insulin daily. The second type of diabetes is type II. This condition occurs when your body may produce insulin, but it does not produce it well. Meaning, your body may be producing too much insulin or not enough, but it does produce some. This condition is the most common form of diabetes and can be diagnosed at all ages — although it is commonly diagnosed in people who are middle-aged to older.

Unbalanced insulin levels or high glucose levels, while treatable, may cause over time secondary symptoms related to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye problems, dental disease, nerve damage, or problems with your feet. These secondary symptoms may cause difficulties both physically and mentally that could prevent you from working. If this is the case, social security disability may be the right program for you.

Complications from diabetes include:

-nephropathy (kidney disease)

-neuropathy (nerve damage) in feet or hands that disrupts your ability to stand, walk, or use your hands

-retinopathy (eye and vision problems)

-cellulitis and other skin infections

-hypertension (high blood pressure)

-heart disease

-stroke

-gastroparesis (a type of nerve damage that interferes with digestion)

-peripheral arterial disease (reduced blood flow to your limbs)

The SSA used to evaluate diabetes under listing 9.00. However, this listing was removed in 2009. Currently, there is no exact listing for diabetes. There are other listings which may qualify you based on the secondary effects of your diabetes. Following are some listing that people with complications from diabetes (hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia) often suffer from:

Poorly healing skin and bacterial infections (Listing 8.04).

Diabetic nephropathy (Listing 6.06). 

Diabetic peripheral neuropathies (Listing 11.14). 

Diabetic retinopathy (Listing 2.00).

Cardiovascular problems. Diabetes can lead to coronary artery disease (listing 4.04), chronic heart failure (listing 4.02), peripheral vascular disease (listing 4.12), and an irregular heartbeat (listing 4.05).

Amputation of an extremity (Listing 1.05).


You can make your case stand out by reporting to your doctor about symptoms and limitations that would make it difficult for you to work. Common “work activity” limitations for diabetics include irritability, occasional to frequent distorted vision, occasional to frequent numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, depression, fatigue, frequent urination and excessive thirst which interfere with concentration. Do not exaggerate your symptoms but report them consistently and follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations. You want the Social Security decision maker to conclude that you experience significant work activity limitations despite your best efforts to follow your doctor’s treatment regimen.

If you need helping applying for Social Security Disability or SSI, please contact me at joshben99@gmail.com. I have over 20 years experience with Social Security Disability cases.

Location: Michigan, USA

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