ptsd Success! Amazed and grateful!

[hedgey]

I haven't been a regular visitor in well over a year, but still must say THANK YOU to Hadit and everyone here who gives so much of their time and wisdom.

I'd been suffering with Irritable Bowel Syndrome for years. About 18 months ago I had an attack during a session with my VA psychiatrist. When I came back into the office, she was very sympathetic and mentioned that IBS is frequently an issue for PTSD sufferers and people with anxiety problems.

I had read here or on a different veterans' forum that getting any kind of tummy trouble approved as secondary to IBS was almost impossible. But this was not something I'd ever had a problem with before the PTSD.

I talked to my private gastroenterologist (can't stand the thought the VA doing any kind of scopy on my {shiver} and she agreed that PTSD/anxiety were very likely to aggravate IBS.  So I got the DBQ disability form for IBS (from here, I think!) and had my gastroenterologist and my VA psychiatrist both fill one out and wrote a statement of my own to go with it. Submitted all back last spring.

My first Comp & pen didn't go very well, I didn't think. The examiner was skeptical, plus she didn't have my DBQ from my psychiatrist or all of the records from my gastroenterologist. She didn't believe that it was a daily problem. In fact, in the record of the comp & pen she used the words "amplification of symptoms" although she suggested it was due to my mental state. I cried when I read it because I can tell you with absolute honesty that I did not exaggerate.

It was no surprise that my claim for IBS was denied.

But my intrepid VSO at the OPH said "pshaw! I'm submitting an appeal right now!"  She did the appeal paper and I just resubmitted the DBQ's. 

Last week of September I had another Comp & Pen. Different experience completely. This examiner was sympathetic and kind and patient when she had to wait for me to come back from the restroom.

Last week in the mail came the white envelope:  30% for IBS secondary to PTSD was granted!!!

If it hadn't been for my VSO I would have crawled back into my corner and just let it go. I'm so blessed to have her. Especially since she isn't one of those "you have 100% TDIU, what more do you want?" She understood that I'm worried about the toll this IBS is taking on my body...

Anyway, THANK YOU, Hadit!!  You folks are the ones who gave me so much courage in the first place, years ago.

[Vync]

Congratulations! That is great news!

[Berta]

WOW Hedgey, this is Great News!!!!!!!!!

And great too that you had a VSO who was on the ball.

I deal with your VARO too and they cant read and I had to fight them for every claim I had.

[georgiapapa]

Congratulations on your recent award and thank you for your service.

Take care.

GP

 

[saxman]

Congrats on your win, I know its a good feeling!

[hedgey]

Thank you all so very much!!

 

I can't tell you how much it means to have a place where people will understand and celebrate with me about something like this. :)