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Would Appreciate An Mdd Wag

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GlassRose1500

Question

Hey there and thanks in advance for your time. My main question is how much weight is given to comments? The Checkmarked Impairment would indicate up to 50% - but the comments seem to read more like 70%. Would appreciate your thoughts on where you think this might land. Sorry for it being so long, stripped out as much as I could.

SECTION I:

a. Does the Veteran now have or has he/she ever been diagnosed with a mental disorder(s)? [x ] Yes [ ] No

Diagnosis #1: Major Depression, single episode, moderate to severe ICD code: 296.22

Indicate the Axis category: [x ] Axis I [ ] Axis II

Comments, if any:The veteran's Major Depression is more likely than not secondary to her musculoskeletal condition and chronic pain from her service connected lumbarsacral/cervical strain and knee condition. She has had worsening of her pain conditions over time to the point that it has significantly interfered with her ability to care for her own needs and participate in activities which she previously enjoyed. This eventually led to depression. Clinical records clearly indicate that her depression is felt to be due to her medical conditions and chronic pain. There is a clear association between the severity of her depression and the severity of her pain and physical limitations.

b. Axis III - medical diagnoses:

ACTIVE PROBLEM

Low back strain

Arthritis of spine

Degeneration of intervertebral disc

Arthritis of knee

Chondromalacia of patella

Derangement of meniscus

Premature beats (SNOMED CT 29717002)

Paresthesia (SNOMED CT 91019004)

Paresthesia of foot (SNOMED CT 309087008)

Chronic constipation (SNOMED CT 236069009)

Esophagitis (SNOMED CT 16761005)

Neck pain (SNOMED CT 81680005)

Rectal hemorrhage (SNOMED CT 12063002)

Nausea (SNOMED CT 422587007)

Lumbar disc prolapse with radiculopathy (SNOMED CT 202735001)

Major Depressive, Single Episode

Chronic Low Back Pain (ICD-9-CM 724.2)

Bursitis/Tendonitis

Stomatitis, Aphthous * (ICD-9-CM 528.2)

Rosacea * (ICD-9-CM 695.3)

Migraine with Aura, without mention of intractable Migraine without mention of

Syncope * (ICD-9-CM 780.2)

Other specified cardiac dysrhythmias

Graves' Disease * (ICD-9-CM 242.00)

Endometriosis * (ICD-9-CM 617.9/617.0)

Pain in joint involving lower leg (ICD-9-CM 719.46)

c. Axis IV - Psychosocial and Environmental Problems (describe, if any): unemployment; chronic mental health symptoms, chronic pain, financial concerns, limited social supports; numerous medical conditions

d. Axis V - Current global assessment of functioning (GAF) score: 52 mconsistent with recent GAF (52 on 10-25-13)

Comments, if any: Veteran has moderate to serious difficulty with depression and anxiety; she has intermittent passive suicidal ideation; she has poor motivation and chronic problems with energy/concentration/focus/distractibility/interest /hoplessness/helplessness. She is social withdrawn and periodically does not leave her house for extended periods at a time. She becomes frustrated over her need for her husband to act as a caretaker. She is unable to attend to a number of ADLs, but is not neglectful of hygiene or appearance. She has frequent anxiety attacks but no panic attacks or violence. No impulsivity. She has withdrawn from activities that she previously enjoyed and frequently avoids family and friends. She has lost a number of friends due to social withdrawal. She endorses irritability and poor frustration tolerance.

3. Occupational and social impairment

-------------------------------------

a. Which of the following best summarizes the Veteran's level of occupational and social impairment with regards to all mental diagnoses?

[x ] Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity

c. Relevant Mental Health history

MENTAL HEALTH HISTORY: No h/o mental health treatment in childhood, adolescence or during the military. SMR are negative for mental health treatment. She reports being resistant to mental health treatment and having a long history of aversion to psychotropic medications. She was therefore very resistant to referral to mental health services.

She first participating in behavioral health medicine at the VA in 2012 where she got limited treatment for chronic headaches. She was referred to mental health after having a "breakdown". She was first seen in November 2012 at which time she was diagnosed with major depression.

Clinical records endorse her depression as being due to her chronic pain from her service-connected conditions. She has a history of being a very strong and independent woman who has great difficulty dealing with being dependent on others for basic care. This has greatly added to her depression over time. She is seen every 2-3 months for medication management and weekly to biweekly for individual therapy. On her current medication of Remeron 15 mg q.h.s. and temazepam 22.5 mg q.h.s. There is no history of inpatient psychiatric admissions, substance abuse treatment\problems or suicide attempts.

4 months ago she endorsed passive suicidal ideation.

She continues to endorse chronic difficulties with hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness, and guilt. She has chronic difficulties with "need for control", excessive worry, racing thoughts, feeling like a burden, social withdrawal, irritability, poor frustration tolerance and emotional detachment.

d. Relevant Legal and Behavioral history (pre-military, military, and post-military): No history of DUIs, arrest or time in jail. She is at risk for foreclosure due to losing her source of income. She continues to endorse social withdrawal, emotional detachment, irritability and poor frustration tolerance. There is no history of assault or violence.

e. Relevant Substance abuse history (pre-military, military, and post-military): ETOH: Never problematic; she thinks a glass of wine per month. Drugs: Never. Smoking: In her teens

3. Symptoms

-----------

For VA purposes, check all symptoms that apply to the Veteran's diagnoses:

[x ] Depressed mood

[x ] Anxiety

[x] Near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively

[X ] Chronic sleep impairment

[x ] Mild memory loss, such as forgetting names, directions or recent

events

[X ] Impairment of short- and long-term memory, for example, retention of only highly learned material, while forgetting to complete tasks

[x ] Flattened affect

[x ] Disturbances of motivation and mood

[x ] Difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships

[x ] Difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances, including work or a worklike setting

[x ] Inability to establish and maintain effective relationships

4. Other symptoms

-----------------

Does the Veteran have any other symptoms attributable to mental disorders that are not listed above?

[x ] Yes [ ] No

If yes, describe:social withdrawl; frequent hopelessness/helplessness; chronic problems with energy/concentration/focus; ruminating thoughts; excessive worry; her need for control; social withdrawal; emotional attachment; frequent sense of worthlessness and guilt; black and white thinking

5. Competency

-------------

Is the Veteran capable of managing his or her financial affairs?

[x ] Yes [ ] No

6. Remarks, if any:

-------------------

The following gives added information reading the Veteran's employability for both sedentary and physical employment based on her mental health symptoms. Veteran is considered fully capable of managing funds in her own best interest.

Her ability to understand and follow instructions is considered mildly impaired.

Her ability to retain instructions as well as sustain concentration to perform simple tasks is considered markedly impaired. Her ability to sustain concentration to task persistence and pace is considered markedly impaired. Her ability to respond appropriately to coworkers, supervisors, or the general public is considered moderately to markedly impaired. Her ability to respond appropriately to changes in the work setting is considered markedly impaired.

Her ability to accept supervision is considered mildly impaired. Her ability to accept criticism is considered mildly impaired. Her ability to be flexible in the work setting is considered markedly impaired. Her ability to work in groups is considered moderately impaired. Her ability for impulse control in the work setting is considered moderately impaired. The veteran has poor stress tolerance and is easily overwhelmed and exhausted. For example, she was very exhausted by the end of her to our assessment.

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Put in for Migrains. C&P shows evidence in service records of treatment, continuing treatment post military with

occurances >1x per month prostrating with all the pain and non pain symptoms, treated with pregabalin and percocet.

Reads like 50%, but you never know.

Going by the schedule, IMO, it would be a 30 percent evaluation, not 50 percent.

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=a41cf775add665942a42711545c85fe5&node=38:1.0.1.1.5.2.110.67&rgn=div8

8100 Migraine:

With very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability

50

With characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average once a month over last several months

30

With characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in 2 months over last several months

10

With less frequent attacks

0
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  • HadIt.com Elder

I have no idea what Wag is nor am I willing to learn. My attitude is either ask the question straight out or miss the chance at mine and some others opinion. I feel if someone can't take the time to ask a question properly, then why should I waste "my time" answering. I don't text, either. No surprise, huh. jmo

pr

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@ Carlie, the service connection was granted for knees bilaterally but with a percentage of zero, but because I had NO IDEA what service connection or disability compensation was, I just assumed I was on my own, never questioned not recieving additional information. Fast forward to 2010 once I understood that I could have had care the entire time and that the percentage should have been higher than zero, I questioned why the information wasn't sent to the correct address, which they said I never provided but that is totally inaccurate, because our military occupational specialty (MOS) demanded that we provide that information religeously (which we did), and come in regularly for check ins (non medical), which we also did.

Re: migraines, I actually have migraines 4 or more times a month which require narcotics ot resolve, and even with, take 3 days or so to completely resolve (the examiner did include this in medical history portion of his report). And that's a big improvement - before I started taking pregabalin I was having 6 - 8 per month. The examiner opined the frequency could have an impact on my ability to work.

Does the Veteran's treatment plan include taking medication for the
diagnosed condition?
[X] Yes [ ] No
If yes, describe treatment (list only those medications used for the
diagnosed condition):
Lyrica 150mg TID, Percocet prn headache
3. Symptoms
-----------
a. Does the Veteran experience headache pain?
[X] Yes [ ] No
[X] Constant head pain
[X] Pulsating or throbbing head pain
[X] Pain on both sides of the head
[X] Pain worsens with physical activity
b. Does the Veteran experience non-headache symptoms associated with
headaches? (including symptoms associated with an aura prior to headache
pain)
[X] Yes [ ] No
[X] Sensitivity to light
[X] Sensitivity to sound
[X] Changes in vision (such as scotoma, flashes of light, tunnel vision)
[X] Sensory changes (such as feeling of pins and needles in extremities)
c. Indicate duration of typical head pain
[X] Less than 1 day
d. Indicate location of typical head pain
[X] Both sides of head
4. Prostrating attacks of headache pain
---------------------------------------
a. Migraine- Does the Veteran have characteristic prostrating attacks of
migraine headache pain?
[X] Yes [ ] No
[X] More frequently than once per month
b. Does the Veteran have very frequent prostrating and prolonged attacks of
migraine headache pain?
[X] Yes [ ] No
c. Non-Migraine- Does the Veteran have prostrating attacks of non-migraine
headache pain?
[ ] Yes [X] No

@ Dot09 - I requested IU as well thanks to my really great Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Representative, and am hopeful. If 70 for MDD OR 50 for migraines, there's a reasonable chance I could end up schedular.

@ pr, my apologies - you are correct, I should have given the whole term in this way "Wild Ass Guess (WAG)" instead of expecting everyone to just know what that is. It is an abbreviation used in many industries, information technology (IT) in particular, and is appropriate in this case because though there ARE VERY clear guidelines for rating a disability, someone asking for an opinion as I have done can only provide a SLIVER of information here, and it is the entire case file, in my case 25 plus years of medical history, that are taken into consideration when the VA rater does his or her thing.

Thanks all for reading and for your thoughtful responses.

Edited by GlassRose1500
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Since you are in a wheel chair, housebound, and not working (and on SSD), you obviously are 100 percent plus SMCS. However, getting there, and getting everything service connected is usually a tooth and nail fight with VA.

Have you applied for increases on other conditions, especially those that made you wheel chair bound, and housebound??

Depression, in itself, is unlikely to cause you to be wheel chair bound.

Do you have a copy of your c file? Remember, we often think VA has our entire medical records, plus everything else we submitted, but many of us have found that some of our C file has "disappeared" and then Va comes up with a denial/lowball. If you dont have a copy of your cfile, get one, and if you do, then read it over to see if you are eligible for new conditions or increases.

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Broncovet, they actually DID have my C file (thankfully it wasn't lost like it has been for so many), and it was the reason my Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Rep. recommended that I put a claim in for migraines - I would never have thought to do so.

I did file for increases for spine, radiculopathy and knee because since the original claim the underlying pathology for them has been well documented and are far worse than supposed, AND though I have tried every therapy the VA has offered, those impairments have continued to worsen. In the interim home based primary care (hbpc) was implemented, and my house has been modified to make it safer for me to ambulate and function at home. I'm hopeful that this supporting evidence will yield an increase, even if it's small.

Edited by GlassRose1500
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