C&p

[smilen66]

Greetings All,

I am scheduled for a C&P on Feb. 10, 10 in Winston-Salem, N.C. This is my 3rd C&P for basically the same conditions (back thoracic and lumbar, and right hip). New conditions added to my reconsideration are my knees (chondromalacia patella) and flat feet. These are seemingly clear cut to me because they were diagnosed while in service. My last C&P was in March of 2009 and I was seen by a Dr. the 1st time and a NP the 2nd time. This time, I will see a NP and luckily not the same one. Please send up prayers and or well wishes that this will be a fair exam!

Thanks in Advance!

[smilen66]

bump

[Berta]

Yes-lets all hope this goes well-

I am not a doc but it seems to me that all of these disabilities you have are related.

I have posted here in the past a 100% BVA award that started out with flat feet claim and then progressed to totally disabling the veteran.

Foot problems can profoundly affect ankles,knees, balance, hips and back.They can cause or aggravate other muskoluskeletonal system problems.

I pronate and got special shoe orthos which have totally eliminated a chronic backache I always thought was due to heavy lifting.

I hope that vets with back problems consider if there are documented foot problems too- that the problem could have started in the foot or ankle in service and then progressed to other disabling conditions.Not always the case -but many times it is- or the foot problems excerbate or aggravate other problems.

[Pete53]

Good luck

[smilen66]

Thanks, Berta and Pete for your comments! My C&P was yesterday and it was for newly claimed conditions (knees and feet). I didn't claim them before because it wasn't those conditions that bothered me the most.I took it personally when initially denied the conditions that bothered me the most and decided to claim other conditions that were dx while in service.

Anyways, it was a fairly quick exam, approx. 15 mins. not including the Xray. The NAP was professional for the most part. Every once in while I caught this attitude from her like "yeah, right" or "I've heard this before" which I chose to ignore.Her only comment was the condition with my feet was mild and for my knees she commented you are having a great deal of discomfort or something very similar.I told her not only did my knees hurt when she asked me to lift my leg but my hip hurt as well.

Overall, I have I have no complaints about the exam. I plan to file a NOD before Aug. 2010 for previously denied conditions not addressed in reconsideration. For flat feet , I wear arch supports. They don't seem to provide a great deal of comfort for my back though. Probably, because there are a lot going on with it (sc).

I do have pronation problems with my left ankle that I plan to file a claim for later.

Thanks for listening/reading.

[Commander Bob]

Please send up prayers and or well wishes that this will be a fair exam!

Thanks in Advance!

Are any of these disabilities mentioned in your service medical records? My most positive thoughts are with you as you wait for an answer from the VA

[smilen66]

Are any of these disabilities mentioned in your service medical records? My most positive thoughts are with you as you wait for an answer from the VA

Commander Bob, thanks for the positive thoughts! Yes, these disabilities are in my smr's. Now that the C&P is over I guess, it's time to play the hurry-up and wait game. My vso told me it would take about 3 months for a reconsideration however I'm at the 5 month mark already. Well, I can say it won't be as long as it has been (I hope).

Thanks Again!