ptsd Retired Bdd Program Question On Temporary 100%

[Proudvet]

My apologies for chiming in on your thread. I have a question hopefully someone can answer. I retired from the U S Navy in June 2010. I went through the BDD program to start my V A Disability claim process. One of my complaints was headaches that was recorded through out my SMR for 20 of the 23 year years I was in. I was electrocuted in 1988 on a living barge while my ship was in overhaul. I obsorbed 440 volts of electricity and was seriously burned with second and third degree burns on my arms, chest and face. The V A Doc who examined on my Benefits Disability at Discharge told me, the VA doesn't award for headaches. Well, I went and settled down to my home of records and went and seen the docs at my local VA Medical Center and they conducted tests and reveiled I had Communicating Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. I had surgery February 2013 to have a shunt inserted to relieve the fluid build-up in my skull. I explained the above at my C & P exam in September 2013 and was awarded 100% Temporary disability but haven't received any payment yet.

Can anyone tell me how long it takes to receive temporary 100% diability award payment from the VA?

normal pressure hydrocephalus (New), Temporary 100 percent (New), multiple digestive disorders to include gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus (Increase), post traumatic stress disorder (New), depression caused by PTSD (New)

Thank-you.

U S Navy Chief (Ret)

[Navy04]

Great news if you have dependents you will get $1782 a month, not too bad at all. Now you can rest and have a good week.

[Proudvet]

I started to have the same symptoms return about a month ago, concerning my Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, real bad headaches. heaviness in my feet and heartburn. I made a VA medical appintment and was seen by the Houston VA Neorologist who did my surgery by implanting a draining device in my skull to relieve the excess cereberal fluid building up. The doc, did alot pushing on the shunt (which didn't feel good), and stated my shunt is failing, which is probably causing all my original health issues to arise again.

He made another appointment to have a full scale MRI to see if the "shunt is cracked, stopped working due to protein bulld-up clogging the tiny port holes not allowing drainage", abdominal x-rays, "to see if the drainage tube that dumps into my stomach is damaged or disconnected.

If it failed, I'm for another revision to have this done all over again, It has been 1 year on February 17 since my last surgery,

I was rated 70% for PTSD and 10% hearing loss, 10% for each of my knees and 0% for Normal Pressure hydrocephalus which was caused from electrical explosion while active duty in 1988.

Should I resubmit for an increase now, for an increase on my 0% for Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus or just wait it out and see what the next medical appointment says about my current medical problems?

I really appreciate all the solid advice given in the past that you all given

[meghp0405]

what diagnostic code did they use for your hydrocephalus. With a shunt installed I would think it would be more than that.

I'd like to do some research on this topic, thanks!

[Proudvet]

Good afternoon meghp0405,

Idiopathic Normal Hydrocephalus

ICD-9-CM Diagnostic Code 331.5

Communicating hydrocephalus, also known as non-obstructive hydrocephalus, is caused by impaired cerebrospinal fluid reabsorption in the absence of

any CSF-flow obstruction between the ventricles and subarachnoid space. It has been theorized that this is due to functional impairment of the

arachnoidal granulations (also called arachnoid granulations or Pacchioni's granulations), which are located along the superior sagittal sinus and is the

site of cerebrospinal fluid reabsorption back into the venous system. Various neurologic conditions may result in communicating hydrocephalus, including

subarachnoid/intraventricular hemorrhage, meningitis and congenital absence of arachnoid villi. Scarring and fibrosis of the subarachnoid space following

infectious, inflammatory, or hemorrhagic events can also prevent resorption of CSF, causing diffuse ventricular dilatation.

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a particular form of communicating hydrocephalus, characterized by enlarged cerebral ventricles, with only intermittently elevated cerebrospinal fluid pressure. The diagnosis of NPH can be established only with the help of continuous intraventricular pressure recordings (over 24 hours or even longer), since more often than not instant measurements yield normal pressure values. Dynamic compliance studies may be also helpful. Altered compliance (elasticity) of the ventricular walls, as well as increased viscosity of the cerebrospinal fluid, may play a role in the pathogenesis of normal pressure hydrocephalus.
Hydrocephalus ex vacuo also refers to an enlargement of cerebral ventricles and subarachnoid spaces, and is usually due to brain atrophy (as it occurs in dementias), post-traumatic brain injuries and even in some psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia.[citation needed] As opposed to hydrocephalus, this is a compensatory enlargement of the CSF-spaces in response to brain parenchyma loss - it is not the result of increased CSF pressure.

[armorer]

On 10/28/2013 at 4:14 AM, Proudvet said:

I was diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus in May 2012, and had a shunt installed in February 2013. Now it's October 2013 and I am experiencing the same symptons I did before the surgery. Gait (heaviness in my feet, headaches, memory loss, etc.) I filed a claim for disability increase as I have Acid Reflux (Barrets disease) and having this surgery aggravated the Barrets disease as the tube running from my right venticule to my abodomin has irritated the barrets disease. I am scheduled to go back to the doctor who performed my shunt surgery next month. What do you think they'll do? Thank-you for your advice and assistance.

 

Respectfully,

 

Proudvet

That's  a bummer. I used to see people in the hospital with NPH shunts when I had RN clinical's in school. 

So there is no difference after you get a life-changing operation that is based on subjective Dx? So if they cannot prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt, it sounds like their secondary Dx will be good enough for me.

That REALLY deserves to be a 100% Plus all the extras you can get! And I'd even get that lawyer that sues the VA (or whoever did the Dx and operation if they did the Dx and operation, both) if it in fact did not help. You can't go back now.

God Bless, and you are lucky because you have a family!