k5one

I am rated 40% for fibro and 60% for CFS. You can definitely get rated for both. You just have to be diagnosed with both.

I haven't done very much research on menstrual disorders, because I am a guy. You need to focus on the undiagnosed part for any Gulf War Claim. The condition has to be: A: an undiagnosed illness (within the set of symptoms) (or) B: a diagnosable but medically unexplainable condition. examples are IBS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia... So are your menstrual issues undiagnosed, or do you have multiple providers who have diagnosed you with different conditions(none of them agree that one specific condition is the cause of your issues). If your issues are diagnosed and a provider can explain them then you are going to have problems getting gulf war connection. I have had test after test for more than 20 years, and every provider says my symptoms are explainable, or diagnosed me with something that the other providers disagree with. C&P examiner said there was nothing wrong with me. I was finally diagnosed with IBS, CFS, and FM, by my local provider, not VA providers. I was service connected after my provider completed and I submitted DBQ's.

40 % is the max for Fibromyalgia, so you are good there. You may want to look into Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. There are a lot of similarities between FM and CFS, there are some key differences. I am rate 30% for IBS, 40% for FM and 60% for CFS, all connected to Gulf War. All you need is a diagnosis and DBQ from your provider. You don't have to prove service connection, it is presumed.

Still haven't got the BBE, but I woke up to a 6 figure Bank account. 2 days short of 1 year from the date they closed my appeal. I printed the letter from Ebenefit, and they rated me 80%, which is what it should have been. Glad this part of the journey is over. Now I just have to work on 100%

I am still waiting for the BBE. How long should I expect this to take? So far all I have is information from vets.org. Closed Granted Service connection, undiagnosed digestive condition Service connection, undiagnosed condition related to systemic disease Service connection, undiagnosed condition related to musculoskeletal disease

I have not been around a lot lately. I got a little burned out on the whole process. I started a claim in June 2013. I found out yesterday, that they finally granted service connection for IBS, CFS, and Fibromyalgia. Now I'm waiting on the decision letter. I will update with more information when I recieve the BBE.

http://www.ngwrc.org/docs/2016 SelfHelp Guidedraft.pdf this is a really good resource. read it.

The examiner does not know how to do Gulf War C&P's. He is not supposed to give his opinion of whether or not it is related in Gulf War Claims. He is only supposed to look at the evidence of whether or not you were diagnosed, and the severity of your symptoms. Unfortunately most C&P providers do not know what they are doing. If you are denied, due to that then the person deciding the claim, also does not know what they are doing. Send in a NOD explaining that your diagnosed/undiagnosed conditions are presumed, so the C&P examiner's opinion of less likely than not does not matter. The only thing that matters is you are diagnosed, you were there, there is no known cause for your conditions and symptoms appeared before the deadline(which I believe is currently December 2016 but I expect it will be extended).

Push your provider for a diagnosis for CFS and IBS if they are treating you for it.

http://www.ngwrc.org/docs/2016 SelfHelp Guidedraft.pdf

Thank You Asknod for all you do. I always enjoy your explanations. They are usually humorous as well as informative.

Mine took less than a month from Atlanta. That was about a year ago.

The DBQ needs to be completed by your physician. You can not complete it, if you haven't already found that out.

Systemic Therapy is using drugs that affect the entire body. Most people use a topical cream or ointment such as cortisone. It only affects the area directly contacted by the cream/ointment. An example of a systemic treatment is a pill you take. It affects the entire body, not just the spots where the eczema is. In Cancer, Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment. It affects the entire body, not just the cancerous area.

The guy who wrote this NOD is an expert in Gulf War claims. He is a disabled Gulf War Veteran and has testified in congress. He has helped change the laws concerning Gulf War Claims, and represents Gulf War veterans. He runs the website I linked above. I learned a lot from his website, and from information he has written in forums. Cut and paste it, and then change it to make it fit your situation. The top part of the NOD will be the same for any fibro claim. When you get to this part, The DBQ showed that I am diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and that the tests show mythyroid is fine. I have had all of the other test needed as well. I am on medicationand I am still in pain most all of the time. As per the rating guidelines I have metthe 40% rating. Change it to fit your circumstances. Every NOD will be different at this point, because everyone has different symptoms. I have also been going the private route with my claim. I have had too many problems with the VA, always trying to explain it to make sure I can't get service connected. My private physician looked at my history, and listened to my story. He did some research, ordered tests, and diagnosed me with CFS, Fibro, and IBS. Everything has been submitted, and now I am just waiting for the VA. I am now working on getting everything completed for my breathing problems, I do not have COPD or Asthma, but I have shortness of breath and other breathing issues, which my physician believes are neurological. When my current claim is completed, I am going to file for my breathing problems.