It can take a long time to get on disability and it varies by state. to be dtermined disabled, you have to be completely unable to do any kind of work. the state you live in also matters. some are notoriously harder than others and they always deny the first few times to discourage people. the more educated you are the harder it is because they will always come up with some time of work that you can supposedly do. my mother is very intelligent, educated, and she was denied 3 times. had to lawyer up after the first denial. took her over 5 years to get it and they wouldnt go back very long for back pay. here is a list of what was wrong with her at the time and yet she was denied bc they said she was smart enough to find employment, they even said she could be a toll booth attendant (she cant stand long bc of diabetic feet and bone spurs and has carpal tunnel and arthritis- but is supposed to work in a toll booth?).
Breast cancer
Arnold Chiari malformation of the brain, with spinal compression (brain surgery for this)
An aneurysm in her brain that would bleed out of her nose (almost bleed to death on 2 occasions, experimental surgery at the mayo clinic for this)
Extreme uncontrolled hypertension, despite being on 4 meds for this (with small TIA strokes)
Depression and panic attacks
Carpal tunnel in both hands (surgery in one)
high cholesteral and diabetes (which lead to diagnosis of metabolic syndrome)
30% kidney functioning from a rare kidney disease
Mytral valve prolapse of the heart
diverticulitis
ulcerative colitis
Rheumatoid arthritis
I could go on and on.... anyway, the state was North Carolina.