321 days and counting @ Indy RO

[IMEF-Gunny]

I'm a Gulf War Vet, Marine Corps

So, here's my timeline:

Filed June 6th 2016 (Gastro-intestinal distubances (Alt. diarrhea/constipation, bloating, leakage), sleeplessness,Short term memory issues, bi-lateral shoulder pain, bi-lateral arm pain)

January 2017 - First C&P (lasted about an hour, DBQ, x-ray, hemmoroid check)

Awarded 30% for undiagnosed illness (Gastro-intestinal)

All other items deferred pending further evidence gathering

VSR added stool incontinence to my claim based on C&P results

January 13,2017 - Found out through myhealthevet VA notes that the C&P exam was sent back to doc (VA hospital) as incomplete as he was suppose to conduct a screening of all contentions

January 20, 2017 - VA doc responds to request that "Vet only complained about his stomach and his hemmoroid" "Vet denied any other issues"

Uploaded a letter to my claim disputing his response (He asked if I had any other issues, I said yes and explained all of them to him, he asked if I had hemmoroids, I said "Not that I am aware of"

April 2017 - Request showing request 1 (VA medical facility) (Found out they were awaiting STR's and IANG records from Records Management)

April 2017 - Uploaded complete STR's and IANG records, in my posession, that I FOIA'd back in December 2016

May 2017 - Pushed the "Decide my claim now" button

No movement since. Call Peggy.....decision made, awaiting signature. Call next day, gathering evidence stage & waiting on STR's, IANG records. Has been the same responses.....one person will say done, just waiting on signature, next will say gathering evidence, no decision made.....every call is a different answer...ah, anxiety + Ebenefits = Zoloft

Currently being treated for PTSD via local VAMC (Zoloft, Prazosin, Bupropion + therapy)

My STR's show Gulf War service, med call for lower lumbar injury, no (in country med reports I'm aware of....happens with Corpsmen in theater), no private records from 1990-2007 (Doctor's office threw them all away in 2014 per state law's retention policies).....so, all I have is, DD214's/DD215's, buddy statements and C&P's to prove my issues.

I feel pretty fortunate though....they could have denied me across the board after the C&P docs answer (He was a very nice guy, an 87 year old Iranian General Practioner/Family Medicine doctor at the VA hospital.....probably the memory issue that caused the discrepancy at my C&P)

 

 

Edited June 7, 2017 by IMEF-Gunny

[Gastone]

IMEF, did I miss the PTSD DX Date and discussion regarding a Forensic PTSD C & P Exam/DBQ? Have you had an SA overnight Sleep Study completed at your VMC?  VMC's now have an "In Home" Screening version of the Sleep Study. I believe it's like a Holter Monitor, VMC Clinician hooks up all the leads, you wear it overnight and return it to the VMC Sleep Dept the following day.

If the results of the "In Home study" indicate SA, an actual VMC overnight Sleep Study is scheduled.

IMEF, have you actually filed an FDC for PTSD or SA?

Semper Fi

[IMEF-Gunny]

I have not filed a PTSD or SA claim. My VAMC NP prescribed me Prazosin for sleep issues (Psych NP believes I have nightmares, even though I told her I never remember my dreams) based on my spouses description of my sleep. My wife and I have not slept in the same bed or bedroom in atleast 8 years. Wife says I'm restless all night and I shake in my sleep. Before Zoloft, I was up anywhere from 6 - 20 times per night....average I'd say was 10-12. I'd always wake up with tremendous arm/shoulder pain and stiffness, to the point it was painful and took me several minutes to move them enough to go back to sleep.

The only exam I've had was January 2017 for my stomach. No activity since on my claim.

I did not mention the name of my VSO, because I'm guessing this individual is not representative of ALL VSO employees for the originization, but yes, it is a major hitter in the Veteran's Orginizations.

I try to give benefit of the doubt and not make waves, but I may take your advice and file a complaint about the STR's via IRIS. What I don't understand is, they sent me paperwork initially acknowledging that I file an FDC claim (Which I did not) and in the same mailing sent me the exact same envelope acknowledging that I chose not to file FDC, but rather a standard filing. Question is, if had been an FDC claim, they would have accepted the Strs' that I uploaded. Right now, they're saying they cannot accept the STR's that I uploaded in April because they need STR's from records management to assure they are complete records? Weird........

Thanks for the input all!

 

Semper Fi!

 

Edited June 11, 2017 by IMEF-Gunny

[Gastone]

You haven't filed FDC's for PTSD & SA, the reasons would be?

You're currently 30% SC, a PTSD and or a SA SC is setting out there, possibly waiting for you. You don't File, you DON'T GET.

As to a PTSD DX, regardless of what Private or VMC MH Clinicians opine, it takes a Forensic VA PTSD C & P to get the PTSD SC. Does your DD214 indicate any Combat verification, CAR, P/Heart, B-Star w/V or above?

The SA DX requires the results of an extensive "Over-nite Sleep Study" be evaluated by a Private or VMC Sleep Specialist. An SA Secondary SC claim is very difficult to prosecute, so be prepared.

Semper Fi

[IMEF-Gunny]

I may, someday, file a PTSD claim, but, at the moment my focus is on the presumptive issues. I will not file for SA, as I don't believe that, if I have it at all, that it could be SC.....especially considering I've been a smoker for 35 years. I'm deaf as shit and have tinnitus to, but I've worked in factories most of my life since I got out, so.......there again, it probably was from my time (I can remember firing a saw to the point it was physically painful, thought my ears would bleed), but I can't say definitively it was SC. I have none of the audiograms my company done on me in the early 90's so........be hard to prove SC anyway at this point.

Frankly, even if I have an issue, if I don't personally believe something that plagues me is SC, then I would never file a claim for it.....integrity is of the highest importance to me, as I'm sure it is to most Marines.

 

Semper Fi

Edited June 12, 2017 by IMEF-Gunny