Intro from NC

[pumibel]

Hello fellow Vets,

I have been viewing this forum for a while as a guest, but I think it is better to be a member when one is reading so many personal accounts. Otherwise, I'm just a creeper. I am a single mom and caregiver to my own mom. I was on active duty with the USAF for 12 years, separated honorably from Bolling AFB.  DC did me in, but when I separated in 2004, I really did not think that I would ever file a claim for anything because I had no faith in doctors and no time machine to realize that my health problems would get so much worse within the decade. Anyway, I would like to say that I am not in the same boat as a lot of traumatically injured members here, but many friends and family members have encouraged me to file for compensation because they have seen my physical and mental capacities decline (I am only 42).  Everything started while I was in the military, but the docs would blow me off almost every time I went in for answers. Funny, if I wanted drugs, they were more than helpful, but to press for tests to find out what was wrong- nope. You can't tell them anything, either. 

I only filed my claim a month ago, and I am already sure I did it wrong or back asswards, so I know I have some time to wait. I look forward to discussions here, and thank you all for your service!

[pumibel]

Unfortunately, all of my blue button notes have "SA: When she was 12 years old, she OD'd on medications. She was never hospitalized." It gets copied over from my very first visit with the doc. I was answering questions, I think. I really never considered it a serious attempt, but I wanted to be honest so he could treat me properly. No, I did not have a rosy childhood, but I have read that people like me are more likely to suffer from chronic mental and emotional issues after a military traumatic experience. Being in a prolonged fearful situation would exacerbate anything that I had going on upstairs, IMO- in my very unqualified opinion, to be fair. I was examined by a psych in basic training, and she was totally confident in my capacity to continue my enlistment. So they said I was fine when I got in, and they knew I had some bumps in my childhood already. 

[Guest]

Well crap, I already screwed that up, but I was totally fine for more than half of my military service. The anxiety and physical problems started when I was in DC, the last leg of my enlistment. I was not afraid to drive anywhere and I did not have the problem with crowds and loud noises until after 2001. My dates for AD are 1992-2004. I have already admitted to my shrink that I had taken a handful of mystery pills when I was 12, but I was never hospitalized or even treated for depression. I just threw up a lot that day and felt miserable. I was too afraid to tell my mom because I knew I would get in trouble for trying to kill myself. I think it was Vivarin that I took. Orange or yellow tablets with  "V" imprint, packaged in a blister pack- no box or label, but definitely OTC. So preteen angst and a caffeine overdose may screw me, huh? It is kind of funny in a very dark way. 

 

Edit- yes,according to Drugs.com, it was Vivarin. Hey, I was 12, okay!

:

 

What's done is done, don't worry about it now.  The good thing is you were accepted into military service so you were found to be fit for duty so VA cannot say it was pre-service and if they do you can fight it but in the future with your mental health appointments try to focus on the time you were in the military and how your depression is now.

[Buck52]

 pumibel

I don't think it will be a problem your just telling the truth, you just need to keep getting help through the VA or private D'rs  get all the medical documents you can documented so to speak  were not perfect nor do we live in a perfect world and military duty can cause all sorts of problems  trauma or physical abuse to mental abuse to military sexual trauma  anything that has caused you to have a disability due to your military service  definitely file a claim for it   Hadit members here can help you with anything or advise you on how to handle it.  sometimes we need a Good VA Attorney if were denied  but if an Appeal is necessary  Hadit members can advise...remember your in ''good hands with Hadit!

some of our members are great advocates and should have been VA Attorneys in there own right! I won my 1st claim with hadit members helping me

 

jmo

 

.................Buck

Edited October 23, 2015 by Buck52
spelling eh!

[broncovet]

YOu want to look on your entrance/exit physicals.  You see, there is a "presumption" that the docs who examined you prior to service did their job and did it right.  In other words, if your entrance physical is absent any reference to mh disorders prior to service, then it will be VA's burden to "rebut the presumption".  

You may have helped them rebut that presumption by telling your VA MH doctors you had depression issues prior to service.  However, I am a firm believer in telling the truth, but you do not have to volunteer to tell them EVERYTHING, but dont lie when they ask.  

 

Right now, you can not do much but wait, but its often much longer than people think so a good hobby is a good idea. 

[broncovet]

...Taking a few Vivarin when your 12 is not the same thing as a doc diagnosing you with mental illness.  Sometimes, tho, VA will connect those dots when they go against the claim, but it does not seem like they connect the dots when its in your favor. 

[pumibel]

My thanks to all of you!  Buck52-I am grateful for the help and encouragement that I have received here so far. Brocovet- I have plenty of busy work, so I am able to wait patiently. I am more concerned about having treatment for my problems right now, anyway. I need to feel better physically so I can work more. 

Edited October 23, 2015 by pumibel