How bad before retirement or disability?

I have multiple issues for disability and it took me 4 years of fighting through the courts.  Fibromyalgia was one of the disabilities the judge approved.  It was not the reason I initially filed.  I had to stop working, there was no choice.  My health issues were too dramatic and affected my work in a huge way.  I think I might have been able to delay it for a while but my boss was a jerk.  I apparently had a stroke and one of the issues he complained about was I didn't smile.  Duh.  Anyway, I suggest you wor****il you can't work any longer.  It can be financially devastating as you can imagine. 

I had to stop working 8/2009 when I got part way down the hall and could not move.. I have fibro, artheritis in back, hands, knees and feet,  burcitis shoulders  bilateral severe Valgus ( basically walk on my ankles) had to walk with a cane.  It took 6 months for SSD and 7 months for the retirment disability to kick in ( brought my retirement up $80 a month.  I had gotten to the point I was so tired and in such pain I had to talk myself into going in each day and so tired I had to stop to take a short nap on the way home two to three times a week ( my comute was 30 minutes.  I worried about falling a sleep driving someday ( parttially due to the medications)  I tried to move some of my meds to bedtime so I would be more awake during the day ( worked 3-11)  I had peolpe double check me on many things so I would not make a mistake. 
When I stopped working I slept 12 or more hours a day for weeks untill I got caught up a little.  When I feel lonely and want to go back to work I try to remember how I felt that last month and how I never want to feel like that again.  Talk to your doctor, see a Rheumotolgest, go to a fibro clinic They can help you decide.  My Rheumotolgest told me " your body is ready when your head and heart are let me know"  I did and he helped me with all the documentation needed as he had ordered the xrays , MRI,slab work even before my mind and heart were ready. 
I had co-morbidities of asthsma. artheritis, hypothroidism severe valgus so I did not need a lawyer and got approved the first time,  if you are in doubt contact a disability lawyer he will know what you need to get approved.
I am now feeling so much better with the ability to paced myself as I need I am glad I am retired on disability at 57 in two years I will be able to get medicare until them I pay $830 each month for health Insurance.  I just found out that I will not need to pay for my life insurance after I get paperwork filled out as I have a disability rider on that also !!
Good luck, hope you feel better
Lyn