Ortho C&p Exam

[ExAirman]

Please see next post in this topic.

This was edited to help the OP as the html

computer language was included in the original post.

[ExAirman]

I got my C&P exams and would like to get any feedback you can give me on the doctors 'Impression Section'.

In none of the claimed issues did I have an identifiable injury that I could point to that caused the issue.

For my claim of Chronic Neck Pain:

"Impression: Cervalgia; secondary to age related degenerative changes and deconditioning. No motor or sensory neurologic comprimise identified"

For my claim of Chronic lower Back Pain:

"Impression: Chronic lumbosacral strain; secondary to age related degenertive changes and deconditioning"

For my claim of Chronic right foot pain:

"Impression: Chronic right forefoot pain; without identifiable pathology with currently available information"

My own analysis is such:

- In the neck and back claims I believe the docor is saying 'You are getting old and out of shape and that is why you are having the trouble. This is normal, deal with it."'

- In the foot problem it is obvious the doctor doesn't know what the issue is (doesn't surprise me since I have tried for 16 years in military hospitals trying to get them to pin the problem down to no avail). Do you think the VA will schedule me to have follow up appointments with a specialist (podiatrist?) to have them determine a root cause? The C&P states as complete by the Ortho doc and no mention of follow up appointment are made in his notes. If they don't schedule follow ups can they rate my case with an unknown problem identified in the exam?

Thank you!

P.S. Sorry for the double post - I realized after posting that I should have reviewed prior to posting (I had cut and pasted the text - unfortunately it had hidden HTML code in it...) and I can't seem to figure out how to edit my original post.

[carlie]

P.S. Sorry for the double post - I realized after posting that I should have reviewed prior to posting (I had cut and pasted the text - unfortunately it had hidden HTML code in it...) and I can't seem to figure out how to edit my original post.

It has been taken care of :-)

[LarryJ]

I got my C&P exams and would like to get any feedback you can give me on the doctors 'Impression Section'.

In none of the claimed issues did I have an identifiable injury that I could point to that caused the issue.

For my claim of Chronic Neck Pain:

"Impression: Cervalgia; secondary to age related degenerative changes and deconditioning. No motor or sensory neurologic comprimise identified"

For my claim of Chronic lower Back Pain:

"Impression: Chronic lumbosacral strain; secondary to age related degenertive changes and deconditioning"

For my claim of Chronic right foot pain:

"Impression: Chronic right forefoot pain; without identifiable pathology with currently available information"

My own analysis is such:

- In the neck and back claims I believe the docor is saying 'You are getting old and out of shape and that is why you are having the trouble. This is normal, deal with it."'

- In the foot problem it is obvious the doctor doesn't know what the issue is (doesn't surprise me since I have tried for 16 years in military hospitals trying to get them to pin the problem down to no avail). Do you think the VA will schedule me to have follow up appointments with a specialist (podiatrist?) to have them determine a root cause? The C&P states as complete by the Ortho doc and no mention of follow up appointment are made in his notes. If they don't schedule follow ups can they rate my case with an unknown problem identified in the exam?

Thank you!

P.S. Sorry for the double post - I realized after posting that I should have reviewed prior to posting (I had cut and pasted the text - unfortunately it had hidden HTML code in it...) and I can't seem to figure out how to edit my original post.

They are going to deny all three. Then you must file a Notice Of Disagreement and provide your own Independent Medical Opinions covering the items in question.

And, you still may have problems. Did you have any thing happen in service (verifiable) that would have caused these problems, or anything (verifiable) during service that these items may be considered aggravated thereby.

[LarryJ]

Oh, and one other thing:

THIS is the perfect example of WHY you young folks that are returning from the Middle East MUST make your claims NOW!

Even if the injury is not bothering you at this time.

Because, trust me on this, it will come back and haunt you in later life..................just in time for the VA examiner to state that your problems are related to old age. Or, in the instance of mental issues, that your condition is related to something that has happened SINCE your discharge from the service, 20, or 30, or 40 years ago.

[autumn]

For my claim of Chronic Neck Pain:

"Impression: Cervalgia; secondary to age related degenerative changes and deconditioning. No motor or sensory neurologic comprimise identified"

For my claim of Chronic lower Back Pain:

"Impression: Chronic lumbosacral strain; secondary to age related degenertive changes and deconditioning"

i hope you pursue this. and i'll tell you why:

i was discharged from active duty medically for herniations & depression secondary to chronic pain

three months later the VA said i had no herniation and labeled it "lumbosacral strain". the VA took the "depression, secondary" off and changed it to, "adjustment disorder"

my recollection is the VA at the time used x-ray versus CT to do the change.

i've had the PVA a few times to get the VA to change the diagnosis to the correct diagnostic codes. the VA never did. that was in 1989 & 1992.

my spine has gotten worse. and no VA doctor comments on the MRI images except, well we don't see much, can't really say what is causing your symptoms. this is a bit different than what non-VA doctors tell me.

so i have to get a new C&P and hopefully this doc will see the truth and get the codes changed. it makes a huge difference in how the VA medically treats your condition(s)

so, fight like heck to get the correct diagnostic codes. the mountain only gets steeper and higher with the VA as the years roll on.

[Guest]

this is a bit different than what non-VA doctors tell me.

If you have a MRI or CT scan and a doctors' statement that support your claim then you need to submit it as soon as possible before VA makes a rating decision. This could cause VA to request another C & P exam or it could create a balance of evidence in your file and VA could grant your service connection.