ptsd C & P Frustration

[ssg_rw_brown]

My husband had his C & P and we got the rating back last week. I am so frustrated and agrivated I just want to rip my hair out. I knew it would not be good but to see it in black and white just made me so angry.

First I acutally went into the C & P with him. I hadn't before because they wouldn't "allow"me to. But after research when the C& P rater said "do you need to be here" my husband said I would like her to be and he said "oh, o.k" that simple! Wow!

So we go into the room and he asks my hsuband all these questions and when he would say well I dont' think it's a problem but my wife would disgree I would explain. I would even raise my hand and ask if I could comment and he would say yes, and write as I spoke. So i thought he might be listening....wrong....Everything we said he said no, I don't think it's TBI it's the PTSD. Which angered me because at the PTSD hearing they said it was all the TBI!

Everything I read about TBI and the symptoms associated with it I brought up. The change in tastes, he said awe that's just a preference. Problems with concept of time and place, when he passes out and comes to he thinks he's in Iraq. The sleep deprivation, the change in personality, the anger and hostility, the paranoia. Not being able to make minute decisions such as what to have for dinner. Calling me 30 times a day to ask me a how to do the littlest thing, the C & P guy just "poo poo" it as irrelevant! and then when we go the ruling letter nothing, I mean nothing was in there about what we had told him! I wrote this long letter with all of it in there and nothing was mentioned about the letter I wrote nor the other 2 letters we sent either from friends and family's observations How do I know they even read them? I just don't know where to go from here! Everything they mention in the rulings says to be at the next level you would have to have x? and he has that and we mentioned it in meeting and in the letters. He goes for a complete Neuro work up on the 23rd of this month so my only hope is that will help and we can possibly get something in writting there but not even sure now. I just feel like I am getting no where and don't know what else to do. Thanks for letting me vent!

wife of

SSG_RW_Brown

[Pete53]

Probably your best bet would be to get someone else to write up an opinion on your husband.

Sorry you were treated like that but glad that you stuck up for your Veteran.

[allan]

I'm sorry to hear that your going through this.

Psychiatrists are not neurologists.

You will need to get an MRI that shows a diagnoses of TBI.

Look for lesions in the white matter. Stay away from VA Doctors if at all possible for the neuro workup.

On Hadit we have a TBI section. Go there & look over the symptoms carefully. If he was exposed to any IED's or physical trauma, don't let them push it off as just a mental issue.

With TBI it's very difficult to keep things altogether & get it across to Dr's. You can go to the VAMC team Social Worker and get a medical power of attorney filled out. This will insure that you can be present during "all" examinations & medical decisions on your husbands behalf, including C&P's.

Make sure to always have a small tablet to take notes. Make sure to request copies of "all" medical examination, diagnostic workups & treatment records on the request form.

It took the VA over ten yrs to finally diagnose me with TBI. Getting someone to focus on the symptoms & diagnostic tests results at the same time was a problem.

If it's TBI it will show on the MRI and they won't be able to get around it with it's just "PTSD", depression or a figment of his imagination.

Hang in there. You have a fight on your hands. Keep pushing for those diagnostic tests & get copies of everything.

Allan

Edited November 9, 2009 by allan

[timetowinarace]

Well, I have some questions.

Was TBI service connected at all? Or was it service connected and the rating low?

Of course you should NOD.

Has he had Neuro-psychological testing? If he has not, he has not been fully evaluated. This is the most important aspect of TBI evaluation in the absence of obvious paralisis.

"He goes for a complete Neuro work up ". Is this with a neurologist or neuro-psychologist?

I'm going to disagree with Alan. Most closed head injuries do not show up on MRI. So unless there is obvious paralisis(a weak side of the body, slured speach, ect. the things we can readily see) a neurologist is usually usless. I suggest neuro-psychological evaluation if it hasn't been performed over a neurologist in every situation when a veteran does not have obvious paralisis.

[john999]

How about a CT scan? The main thing is to get a private specialist to do an exam. You want someone who is not getting their paychecks from the VA. A C&P exam is evidence but IMO's from your own specialists can tip the balance toward winning your claim. The ding dongs who did your C&P exams are probably right off the bottom of the barrel. Those who do these kinds of things for the VA are not leaders in their fields. They are the ones who whore themselves out for doing as many exams as possible in a single day.

[timetowinarace]

The thing about CT and MRI is that even if they show something, you may get SC, but they are useless for rating functional impairment.

By law, in order to get higher than a 40% rating in the attention and memory facet of the TBI DC8045, functional impairment must be seen on objective testing. This testing is neuro-psychological testing. This testing and this testing alone can determine the difference between functional impairment due to TBI or PTSD. There is little reason to pursue imaging when you must have this testing for a proper rating anyway. In most cases of mild or moderate tbi(the type of tbi at the time of injury), it is N-P testing that proves TBI.

I'm rated 100% for TBI. I've had many CT and MRI scans. There is nothing on them.

[carlie]

http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/exams/disexm58.htm

Traumatic Brain Injury

Narrative:

The potential residuals of traumatic brain injury necessitate a comprehensive examination to document all disabling effects.

Specialist examinations, such as eye and audio examinations, mental disorder examinations, and others, may also be needed in some cases, as indicated below.

If possible, conduct a thorough review of the service and post-service medical records prior to the examination.

Health care providers who may conduct TBI examinations:

Physicians who are specialists in Physiatry, Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry and who have training and experience with Traumatic Brain Injury may conduct TBI examinations.

The expectation is that the physician would have demonstrated expertise, regardless of specialty, through baseline training (residency) and/or subsequent training and demonstrated experience.

In addition, a nurse practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist, or a physician assistant, if they are clinically privileged to perform activities required for C&P TBI examinations, and have evidence of expertise through training and demonstrated experience, may conduct TBI examinations under close supervision of a board-certified or board-eligible physiatrist, neurologist, or psychiatrist.