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Navy4life

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Navy4life last won the day on January 26 2019

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About Navy4life

  • Birthday February 19

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  • Interests
    Football, exercising, hanging out with friends and traveling

Previous Fields

  • Service Connected Disability
    90%
  • Branch of Service
    USN
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    Love Life!

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  1. I am not speaking in layman terms when it comes to medical opinions provided by two VA medical doctors who are knowledgeable in their fields. You continue to say that fibro does not come from PTSD or IBS. I know that....aggravation doesn't mean something comes from it. It means that that contention has been aggravated by the current s/c contention. That is plausible. The attached findings speak volumes with regards to MST among WOMEN VETERANS with FMS Page 4 of 5 bottom of the page, there are two questions asked of the WOMEN VETERANS regarding MST: Question 1. When you were in the military, did you ever receive unwanted, threatening, or repeated sexual attention (for example, touching, cornering, pressure for sexual favors, or inappropriate verbal remarks)? Question 2. When you were in the military, did you have sexual contact against your will or when you were unable to say no (for example, after being forced or threatened or to avoid other consequences)? My answer is YES to both. Page 4 of 5 - Study completed on WOMAN VETERANS and found that the majority reported MST, most screened positive for FMS. It's important to point out that this small study ONLY evaluated WOMEN accessing VA services. In conclusion, if the VA has already evaluated WOMEN with PTSD/MST and found them to have both PTSD and FMS, how can the VA deny my claim? MST among Women Veterans with Fibro.pdf
  2. Here is the issue with the second article. I have read that one but it is a study of patients who suffer with FMS and looking at PTSD not the other way around. "The article presents an overview of the study results available on the prevalence of PTSD in FMS patients, the known and proposed mechanisms of their association, and the impact of PTSD on FMS outcomes" I need to prove the opposite..... Now the other article is of some interest since it is talking about MST/Fibro....
  3. I am agreeing I am going to be denied but if they do not address the aggravation in the denial then they have not done their job and failed to do my claim in a complete fashion. Most likely I will file an NOD under the RAMP HLR with my rep. A CUE while tough to get approved, goes back to the same folks that did the denial and I don't want to do that. You are mistaken about aggravation. I have my VA Mental Health Doctor and VA RA doctor both stating aggravation for Fibro/PTSD. There is a lot of literature out there but it means nothing if it doesn't pertain to me. The point I am trying to make is that the VA is only considering causation and not refuting the aggravation medical opinions that were positive and provided and the rater specifically asked for review/clarification and the most recent medical opinion overlooked aggravation yet again. Thanks for the dictionary terms of causation/aggravation but I know what they mean. Medically speaking, Fibro has been s/c as secondary to PTSD, especially women with MST, which I am also diagnosed with.
  4. Never said Fibro "comes" from either IBS or PTSD. There is known facts of aggravation which is why both my RA and MH doctors wrote their medical opinions on my behalf. And yes, if they fail to not look at aggravation and in the denial make no mention of denying due to aggravation, that is a CUE because my claim asked for them to consider either causation or aggravation. There is a lot of medical literature and other veteran claims at the BVA that have in fact service connected a non-service connected Fibro to PTSD, as well as other contentions.
  5. I think it will too but if they do not address a denial taking into factor Aggravation there is a CUE here. I’m sure it will be denied based on no causation. So frustrating.
  6. I am beyond frustrated right now!!!! My claim is now preparation for decision and my fear is that it will be denied and I will have to appeal. I filed for my non-service connected Fibro as caused or aggravated by the service connected IBS and/or service connected PTSD on an as likely as not basis. See my screen shot attached of my original claim in July 2018. I had my first C&P exam in September 2018 and it was negative based on the examiner stated there was no causation of my s/c PTSD to my Fibro. See the screen shot below. I will note that he did a separate C&P exam for Fibro and agreed I had Fibro. Never looked at aggravation and never looked at the possibility of IBS. I sent a statement in support of claim pointing this out to the rater. I get another C&P exam in December 2018 BUT by now I have THREE positive medical opinions from BOTH my RA and MH doctor. Both state my Fibro is aggravated by my PTSD and my MH doctor also states my Fibro is aggravated by my IBS. SEE ATTACHED 2 of the 3 letters. When I went to the second C&P exam, it was with the same doctor and he refused to look at the medical opinions. He also once again did not look at aggravation. Again a negative C&P exam. Then the rater asked for clarification/review of conflicting medical opinions. Here is what the rater asked, Per III.iv.3.D.3.a. and III.iv.3.D.3.d. We need clarification/review and reconciliation of conflicting evidence for claim for fibromyalgia secondary to SC PTSD. Negative MO received on 09/28/2018 (TAB A) stated that fibromyalgia was not secondary to PTSD. Received positive MO on 12/05/2018 (TAB B) relating fibromyalgia as secondary to SC PTSD and IBS. Negative MO received on 12/05/2018 (TAB D) stated that fibromyalgia was not secondary to IBS. Examination dated 12/05/2018 (TAB C) shows a diagnosis for fibromyalgia. Per reference please request clarification of conflicting MO for fibromyalgia as secondary to PTSD and IBS with rationale. This medical opinion was done last week w/o me present and once again the medical opinion was negative and doesn't address anything the rater asked. In fact, his statement is laughable. While he states he reviewed conflicting medical evidence, he sites PT notes and doesn't refute the positive medical opinions. Here is what it says: I HAVE REVIEWED THE CONFLICTING MEDICAL EVIDENCE AND AM PROVIDING THE FOLLOWING OPINION:All medical records were reviewed. Physical therapy note on 8/15/2018 by XXXXX documents diagnosis of fibromyalgia and PTSD. The exact cause of fibromyalgia isunknown but has associations with IBS, temporomandibular joint disorder, interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, and tension headaches. Literature review reveals fibromyalgia along withits associated pain syndromes are clearly different and separable from depression and anxiety. The claimant's fibromyalgia is not secondary to the claimant's claimed PTSDcondition. The VA continues to miss the fact that I asked in my original claim either causation or aggravation. So on Monday, when I went to PFD, I sent the attached statement and uploaded in Ebenefits pointing out once again they are not looking at aggravation. My rep said if it comes back denied, which I am sure it will, we will file an NOD pointing out the fact that they are missing aggravation. MH positive opinion.pdf RA positive medical opinion.pdf
  7. I am digging up an old thread here but wanted to post. My husband is currently at 90% overall and STUCK here b/c of the incompetence of the VA. He is an OIF/OEF Veteran and is having a lot of difficulty getting Fibro and CFS service connected. Right now he has an NOD since November 2018 for about 12 contentions to include the Fibro and CFS issues. We reached out to Dr. Ellis via our rep who is well known with a lot of Veterans and owners of this site. Our rep has steered us right for years and I can't imagine not using him for my hubby. So we reached out to Dr. Ellis' team and we filled out all the paperwork and put together in a binder. We have him reviewing 7 contentions. They said that the hips are considered one so we only have to pay for 7 not 8 contentions. They received the binder last week and said their team will review it and get back to us in about 2 weeks to go over it and if they need anything additional they will let us know. Then we schedule the appointment and pay the $800 ($500 for 4 contentions/claims and $100 for each additional) and go see Dr. Ellis. We should be going to see him in March and we are traveling from Florida. I think having his IMO's will be very helpful for my husband's claims.
  8. Okay, so unless they have found significant improvement you won't be reduced because of one C&P exam. Your MH therapy records, along with the C&P exam will be reviewed. I wouldn't put too much into just the one factor of the Occupational and social impairment box that was checked. The entire C&P exam is taken into factor. Do you have a copy of it you can redact personal information and post here? You have to keep in mind, anytime you file for an increase, you do risk the chance of a decrease. Remember this...if they propose a reduction, you can fight it. Right now you are 70% and getting to 100% is a very difficult task.
  9. You will only receive ONE MH rating. I am service connected for PTSD/MST and MST is related to personal trauma. You can have many other MH issues but again only one primary MH rating. I read your success story, so you were granted an increase in June 2018 to 70% for your MH rating. Most likely all they are doing is confirming if you meet the criteria for MST/Personal Trauma.
  10. The OP is referring to the C&P exam box that was checked for Occupational and Social Impairment. The C&P exam is just one component of the entire claim. You will need to wait to see the end result of the claim. What are you currently rated for regarding your MH %?
  11. CUE's are VERY VERY hard to prove and while a Veteran may think they have a CUE, the law differs.
  12. Berta; https://helpdesk.vetsfirst.org/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=1874 this is where I got the language. I value your opinions and see what you are saying but this is conflicting information so maybe my source is bad?
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