newbe

hi all, wondering if any of you have a rating for depression? what is the percent? dav recently put in a claim for me on depression. i'm wondering if any of you have experience with this type of claim. can you give me some advice on how to go about the claim. i've been diagnosed with it , several times at that. and have taken medication for it. thanks any help is appreciated.

Thanks for the help you guys. I was stressing out about this, and as usual your responses helped. -newbe : ) B)

Hi I've been away from the board from some time, glad to be back. I have question about home inspections, specifically home inspections for disability accommodations. My situation is simple, the VA's Chap 31 office granted me supplies that are five years old and two that are now 14 mo. old. I put in a request to replace some used and worn back supplies. I was told that a home inspection needed to be done? When I questioned the VA and said that this type of inspection was never conducted in the past nor requested of me they said, "it should have been done". I feel this is intrusive and a violation of my privacy. When I asked if they could schedule the apt. at the school I'm attending or at the specilists office they said they would need to do it where the supplies are being used most, your home. The bottom line is that the VA is forcing this home inspection thing on me and I'm beggining to feel it's a violation of my privacy. If they continue to force the issue what should I do. Also I'm wondering if anyone here has delt with such feelings before, or if you have any advice. Thank you

Mr. Tann - Berta is correct. "Medical evidence gets compensation." Also I believe her method is very effective if you are trying to obtain C&P rating. She also mentioned a "Statement of the Case" you need to review this, point by point. Then post additional questions with regard to the "Statement of the Case" outline. -good luck

http://www.life.com/Life/essay/gulfwar/gulf09.html Rockefeller chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee CHECK OUT THIS LINK. GULF WAR SYN. EXACTLY AS I DESCRIBED, NEVER KNEW SO MANY CHILDREEN WERE BORN DEFORMED! BUT AGAIN JUST AS I STATE THEY ALSO STATE, "plans no action "until the hard science is in," says an aide." Washington fighting for afflicted Gulf War families. One is Rockefeller, but in recent months he has lost clout. After last year's GOP landslide, he was ousted as chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee :P

timetowninarace thanks for the new info. when i first enlisted i like many of my friends were 17-21 and very , very healthy. i like many of us do not have a family history of such physical illness. if i were to take a random sample of 100 people from the UW campus and test for lipoma incidnese , i don't think we'd find more than a couple of people with at least 2 lipoma. take the same random sample at the VA hospital and i'm sure you'll find an abnormally high rate of incidence. i don't believe the Federal Government should issue a low priority and label such issues as non-compensatable due to lack of evidence. the bottom line in all such cases of disability resulting from Federal Employment is simple and clear: if you rent and make use of something and do not return it back in it's original condition , fix it and pay for the damage you caused. thanks for the update - nice to know that someone somewhere has also brought attention to this subject. :P

anyone know how to apply for SMC (special monthly comp.)

jstacy Yes fatty tumors. Me personally, I do not want any tumors! Fatty or not - invading my tissue. Try a Google search for "Lipoma" and click the "Image" tab. You'll see just how invasive the can become. They also said don't worry about it, year after year - and now, I have a big fatty invading my Testicle SAC. Put it this way, they grow anywhere anytime. Some docs will fend you off by saying they only grow over muscle and under fat tissue. The heart is a muscle and many other organs are considered mixed tissue. Well I don't know, I have some other concerns regarding things I've seen. Sorry for the delayed response.

Hello all~! I thought someone might benefit from my story. I’m not sure where to begin, but I do feel that sharing this information with others is important. It wasn’t long ago that I worked in the laboratory at the VA hospital. The hospital will remain nameless; however, I have an extensive science background in the cellular biological sciences. I was asked to perform review lab data directly for the directing Physician. In particular this information came to me when medical students who were taking notes on the floor had to have their work reviewed prior to being entered into the medical charts. The VA is always backlogged as you all know so processing this stuff became mundane. I noticed after about the 50th doc, that almost every veteran had the same symptom and condition. I was worried but didn’t tell anyone what I thought I’d found, nor spoke to anyone but family until now. I thought nothing of it but coincidence. The next day I processed about forty five more docs and by the end of week found one hundred and ninety one cases of this problem. This is when I began to worry. But who and what would I do about it. Go tell all VETS in the hospital? No way!!! Even though I’m aware of how to read medical docs, I truly wouldn’t have found this disorder, but was lucky enough to inquire about the sudden emergence of this problem during my last hospital visit a week earlier. The first Physician couldn’t even tell me what it was. The second knew but referred me back to my nurse who said they were lipomas. It’s a small to large fat sac that will suddenly appear out of no where on the trunk, forearms, thighs, ribs, legs and back. I was told by the primary care nurse who visits many patients day in and out that this was nothing to worry about. I beg to differ; after seeing the medical notations my self I do believe this is related to either the Persian Gulf War or to Vacinaciations given to soldiers. According to clear medical documentation I’ve read in JAMA and on the net lipomas are a primary in older patients over the age of 65 with a history alcohol use and or parents with severe alcohol use. In some cases this may be hereditary, but they are rarely and I mean rarely found in anyone under the age of 65. A genetic predisposition to such ailment is rare and for me to find this many documented cased at a VA hospital in patients under 65yo remains a mystery still. I bring this small issue to the table first, because there are so many other manifested side effects in VA patients. Side effects that are a constant in all VA medical records, I believe this and other small health things we take for granted or maybe ignore sometimes have been a common problem across state lines. What’s bothers me about this is that it wouldn’t surprise me if the VA is banking on the fact that we never figure out that there are commonalities in abundance within medical records. I hope this helps. I had approximately 3 lipomas in 1996 and then a gradual increase with a period of spurious growth in 2000 to 35. I’ve had one removed because it became so large; another biopsied (neg for cancer) because they weren’t sure why so many showed up and rapidly. I’m way under the age of 65 and way too young to see anything like this ruin my life. I hadn’t thought there was anything to this whole thing until I found my 36th lipoma in 2001 fully invading my testicle sac. The VA said it would go away, I have no children – so I’ve been praying and hope this sh%t goes away. -Thanks :P

frosty69 - yes i see part B but even if we all know exactly what part they are ignoring, how do we get them to consider this if we believe they are avoiding this section? curious.

nice post.

Ohhhhhh, I amend that last comment. I did have an auto accident a few years back. which caused more back damage. I submitted this information to VA. I guess head trauma affects the back and spine. Didn't think about that. But I'm just a little worried because i know the VA takes short cuts with health care issues. oh boy. he, he

Thank you all for the replies. I DON'T MEAN TO RUN ON BUT B) I) You see, I recently received a Denial Letter from the RO. He states that I have an open appeal for Back and Feet. I appealed when they denied me in 2003. Forgot about it, and then applied for I.U. You're right the Appeal timeline is great. But I'm wondering what to do with this open Appeal. I figure I'll just submit more medical documentation to support the 2003 pending Appeal So they can make a decision of higher rating or not; in the next couple of months. Then Appeal the I.U. decision within 12mo of Denial for that claim. What do you guys/gals think about this? Is this the best way to go about it? II) I've read some postings about Neuropsychological testing! I've picked up some clues that the VA tries to figure out if you’re Malingering? What is that? Do they mean because of Drug use or something. Not sure what this about. And I was told by my VA counselor that there is evidence of head trauma? I've never used drugs and no history of head trauma. Boy did I laugh when they told this to me. They aren't doctors and I have never had any incident noted in my medical chart regarding "Head Trauma". So I don't see why I should even take this exam! Does anyone know what this test is Really for? Is our government that cheap that they can't pay for damage to those whom paid the price for FREEDOM?

WOW GREAT POST!!! YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF. B) B) WOW GREAT POST!!! YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF. B) B)

hello again. sorry for the delay. i'm 50% spinal back condition. no SSI. Is SSI needed before a vet can get IU?