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rpowell01
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Posts posted by rpowell01
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Congrats to you. You have earned it. My question on the hyptension is out of all the claim Hypertension is the most dangerous one. But, they rated it at 0%? I just don't understand that one.
Anway, Dr. Bash is the man....
Best of luck brother....
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Approx. how long did you have to wait for your reinbursement?
Sorry for the late replay meg...I submitted it in November. I have found online that all the VA is going to paperless travel pay. They waited until everything was setup to pay for my November travel pay. I usually get it within a few weeks then it was deposited.
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I know this isn't part of ebenefits but I looked at my bank account and it appears certain VA Medical Centers, James A Haley in Tampa for one, are now paying travel pay with direct deposit....The Code is MISC PAY 36 TREAS 310.....This is just for information purposes just in case anybody may need to know in the future.
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I uploaded two documents a few nights ago. Afterwards you get a receipt you print for your records stating they received the documents. They are on the right track but the process is slow. I made sure they have recieved my IMO because I sent them my IMO but they are still asking for evidence which I guess is the norm no matter what.
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I was using Voc Rehab since May 2011 to January 2013 and I had to recently stop using it because the cervical and lumbar issues were seriously affecting my studies. I go from a 3.8 to a now 3.4 is not good. I couldn't complete my assignments nor could I read anymore. The medication they have me on I tend to forget 5 minutes after I read something.
Be careful and do not overdue yourself. The more stress you have the more issues you will have. Best of luck....
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kowa
The majority loses their first initial claim and the first appeal on reconsideration. Stick with it and you will get to see a judge and its here you will win your case. I am at this stage and its a waiting game but its okay the VA has giving me plenty of experience on the waiting game.
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I don't know about Spouse but the minor children will usually get about 50% of what you would get, each child.
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If that commissary letter is there then I will say congrats....
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BTW Berta I am looking into transferring to AMU, I think you recommended that? Anyway I feel their curriculum is more heavy for my degree than Florida institute of Technology. I discussed everything with my Counselor and she agrees I should try at least one class at a time. Maybe the epidurals I have setup will help but I know that is a 50-50 chance either way. I am not getting my hopes up because the last one only lasted 10 whole days.
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Well some veterans are different. I worked 10 years before my injury, for almost 20 years after my injury and it got worse in those tweny years. I didn't know what degenerative meant before January 2010. My issues relate to pain and trying to learn. Those two things don't mix together well. Then on top of that the mental stress the pain has caused pretty much wipes out the thinking process that goes into researching for homework and taking tests. I was doing great, I had a 3.8 GPA and then my lower back goes out last June and I had to got to the VA ER to have a shot to relieve pain I was experiencing in my legs. They felt like rubber, in a lot of pain and I wasn't able to walk right, I had to put a hand on the wall as I walked. The shot helped but since that time my legs, feet and toes have gotten worse. I can't even sleep at night because of the pain. I take Tramadol, Gabapentin and Meloxin, none of them work. Its actually worse than the pain in my arms and shoulders I experience every single day.
Does anybody else know of any other meds,beside narcotics (my last resort), that will help?
Whenever somebody has cervical, thoracic and lumbar DDD its a whole different world than just having one of those issues causing problems. Now I have three times as much to deal with and its not fun. Trust me my Vocational Rehab Counselor told me straight out that she doesn't think I can go back to work. She understands the slow process of the St Pete RO and that is why she is still allowing me to do my college. Basically she is waiting for their decision for my IU.
I was told by a certain person everybody knows on here that it was going to get worse and he has been right 100% so far and I just didnt' believe him or too ignorant to believe him.
I have talked with my Voc Rehab Counselor. She wants me to try taking at least one class and see if that helps. Can I go back to work? I can tell you that whenever the onset of all the radiuclopathy became active in January 2010 I worked up until I couldn't go any longer until May of 2012. I worked as a Corrections Officer all my life and in 2002 I realized I needed to change careers and began working in Information Systems. 2009 I was laid off and had no choice except to go back working in Corrections. I see it this way, I can go back working in IT (which I am pursuing my degree) but I realized that if I can't sit here and do my college studies what makes me think I will be able to go back in IT and sit at a computer all day. Its not going to happen as long as my legs, feet and toes keep hurting.
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I want people to know that if you are using Chapter 31 benefits and come to the point in your life where you know you need to stop then stop. Don't play the games with yourself in thinking you can keep going because it will hurt you later on. I started College in June 2010 and today I finally had to stop going and drop my classes. A person can only take so much pain and once that pain reaches at that high point it will affect your thinking, memory and being able to retain things. I had 3.8 GPA all the way up the last July. Right before this my lower back went out in June and I ended up at the ER. Already having to deal with radiculopathy in my arms and pectorial muscles in my chest now I have to deal with radiculopathy in both my legs, feet and toes more right than left. My GPA as started going downhill and so instead of lying to myself, the VA and my college I have decided to step away for awhile.
I do have a few epidurals scheduled in April and May and if they help I will start back but for right now I am done.
It hurts but it hurts me more lying to myself.
Again, don't lie to yourself and if your GPA starts going down, take a break for awhile because you will regret it later.
Rob
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John they denied every radiculapathy claims.
Well here is the thing, I had a Neurologist (private) do some test on me and he had an MRI done. His conclusion was that I had "Cervical Radiculopathy". He also said I had Carpel Tunnel which I have proved to be wrong because cervical radiculopathy can imitate carpel tunnel. I had an epidural in my neck that took away the tingling in my hands which proved I didn't have carpel tunnel. Whenever I ask the Neurologist about where the pain was coming from he said from my neck. BTW, the MRI showed I had a couple of herniated discs causing foraminal stenosis.
I had filed for Bilateral Carpel Tunnel, Biateral Radiculopathy in the arms and hands. I also had filed radiculopathy in the legs. Well the VA C&P examiner made everything complex in his statements and he basically said that since I didn't have radiculopathy in the military then its no way related. What they lack to do is to actually connect the dots, they don't want to connect the dots. They even lie saying that journals do not say that one injury will lead to others later on in life. I have done my homework and have read a lot of journals that do in fact say that injuries will likely lead to other disabilities later in life, mainly in the spine.
Dr. Bash finally connected the dots and I am still awaiting a DRO hearing on my NOD but it appears they are working on my IU case. I think Dr. Bash's report IMO/IMO has ripped the C&P examiner's report apart and that is why they are working on the IU instead of the NOD by DRO.
Don't they have a certain amount of time to have a hearing for the NOD by DRO? I filed the NOD by DRO back in May or June of last year and ebenefits doesn't show nothing about that NOD. I filed for IU back around the same time and it shows they are now Gathering Evidence.
I have this feeling they are going to approve the IU and see if I drop the NOD by DRO...Well they got something coming if they think this boy is going to back down mainly now that I have Dr. Bash's report....Dr. Bash is a really smart person and I would never have figured that all my issues from the neck and back injury was in fact muscle ripping from my joints in my spine. They never healed back correctly and because of this caused vertebras' to become loose which is caused DJD and now Sponylosis/DDD....
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I want others input on this because I don't understand this. This is something have totally missed and didn't even read this on my last decision letter. It reads at the very beginning on my cervical issues:
The evaluation of degeneration of cervical intervertebral disc and cervical radiculopathy
is continued as 20 percent disabling.My question is how can they write cervical radiculopathy when in fact they denied all my cervical radiculopathy in my arms and hands?
I now have a Dr. Bash IMO/IME on hand and was submitted for my NOD by DRO and have yet to hear a thing on that but I guess with my new IU claim they want to do that first. Anway I find this oxymoron that they would write this and deny all my radiculopathy issues.
Give me some opinions or if you have ever seen this....
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First, I do not see why you shouldn't file for IU if you feel you can't work. Do you feel you can work with the Neuropathy going on? Only you can answer this.
Second, It doesn't make a difference if your using Chapter 31 but the VA will try to utilize your college graduate status as weight for them not to give you UI, this is where an IMO/IME comes into play.
You and me are very similar,except our issues. In 1996 I was given SC'd at 0% for neck and lower back. I walked away from my appointment back then but I didn't want anything to do with the VA nor did I want their money, I just wanted to make sure I was SC'd. I was warned about getting this from service members before I got out. Well I am glad I did that because in 2010 both of those issue severly got worse and I finally gave in and filed for an increase.
To make a long story short, in 2011 I applied for Chapter 31 benefits and was approved. I have been in college since June 2011 but my issues are getting worse which caused me to finally quit work in May 2012. I couldn't go any longer because of the pain in my arms, chest, neck, mid back, lower back and legs. Now I have pain in my toes. I filed for IU in June 2012 and they are just now moving the claim forward. I currently have a NOD for things they denied but I have a IMO/IME that connected the dots the VA didn't want to do. My Voc Rehab Counselor stated that she doesn't believe I can go back to work but she knows I am not working and she has not stopped my Chapter 31 benefits. I think she is waiting to see if the VA awards my IU and/or makes a decision with my NOD I currently have. Eitheway, the VA is now stuck like chuck with that IMO/IME that was done on my issues. They know that eitherway I am 100% but which one is cheaper for them is the IU.
Anyway, what I am tyring to say is that only you know if you can keep working. Do you feel you can work? My advice is that it won't hurt to file for IU but you need a doctor stating you can't work. In my IMO/IME report the doctor stated it was his opinion I can't go back to work with these issues and the meds I am on. This same letter was used for LTD insurance and they are using it for SSDI. I personally didn't want to go this route, I didn't but I have to look out for my family. That was my only reason why I am going this route, FAMILY.....Like you said "stuff got worse"...How worse will they be lets say in two years from now?
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Its the same for me. I applied for IU back in June 2012 and it shows "Yes" on P&T. I think somebody forgot to link something in their database so by default it is just showing "Yes"....The ebenefits database is linked to the Compensation's database and if this field is not linked it will go to the default. Its probably a technical error. In the Information Technology world we call this an I.D.1.0.T error....
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Lady Sailor,
Congrats and thank you for your service....The VA makes mistakes to see if they get away with it. I watch all those VA videos on TV and online and I just laugh. If the real world only knew what we go through.
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My first increase took about 10 day difference between letter and retro. Got letter first then retro. On my second increase I got Letter and retro on sameday.....
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LivinginPain
Well I was started off with 300mg of Gabapentin and now I am at 600mg per day. At first I was like wow this stuff works but now its circulating in my body it has quit working. Other than Gabapenting I take Tramadol 50mg (short term help), Meloxicam and I have Lidocaine ointment for my toes which only helps for about 15 minutes...... I don't eat as much with me taking the Gabapentin but it makes me sleepy which comes and goes at weird times throughout the day....
The VA wants to try people with pain on all the -ine type meds from Psychology but I can't take any of them. Be careful with those meds because they had really bad effects on me and I can't take any medication with -ine in it.
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Its probably a database issue going on because mine shows the samething about P&T even though I have a few claims, NOD and IU claim in the works. I can't even access none of my stuff, Letter, Claims or Payment history.....
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Well I will tell you this, you will be very lucky if approved. I do know that my vocational rehab counselor just told me a couple of months ago that she doesn't believe I can obtain another job. This is after she read the IMO/IME for my current IU claim. It told her it wasn't up to me but I am going to see what the VA is going to do with the IU and I didn't want the VA to waste money on me doing college if I can't work because of a personal preference.
Online studies will do you good but I will forewarn you now it is very hard, if your a the a good college. I am finding it hard for me because of my panic attacks and constant pain throughout my body....I am going to to give it one more term and if I can't do it anylonger after that I am going to let my VR Counselor know. They actually write a report on your claim if they feel your employable or not.
If you are approved start off slow, take one class to start out with. If you feel good after that term then go for it.
BTW I don't get on here that much because of my anxiety/panic attacks and I hope you all understand this.....I rather PM JBasser and ask him questions....
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Since the onset of my current issues with my cervical, thoracic and lumbar stuff I now have hypertension. I have filed a claim as Hypertension secondary to Cervical, Thoraic and Lumbar. So the VA sent me the usual form asking me to provide evidence this existed from the military. I have found some clinical studies on the internet showing Chronic Long Term pain does cause Hypertension. Keep in mind I don't have any cholestrol nor heart problems. I can feel whenever my BP goes up because I am in pain and my wife tells me everytime my face turns red. I can't believe they haven't prescribed anything for this from the VA because everytime I go see them they put me on a EKG because of my BP is high. I told them I don't have anything wrong with my heart and its all coming from the pain I have endured since January 2010.
If I submit all the research I found about Chronic Pain and hypertension I printed from the internet would this help? I have already pain a lot of $$$ for an IME/IMO to connect my Cervical DDD, thoraic and lumbar issues to the Cervical Spine Pain diagnosis but I am not going to pay that much just for relating my hypertension. I will say this that by looking at my medical records that my BP has always been great up until January 2010 and from there it and gradually gone up the last 3 years. I a couple of opinions.
Hopefully on my next visit they will give me something for it...
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Congrats. Find yourself a hobby, trust me. Keeping your mind idol is the worst thing you can do. It took me from June - November to realize that I was driving myself crazy because my mind became idle. Find things to do and you will be okay and then you will enjoy it.
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I'm alright Carlie. I know what is happening and I know what the VA is doing becasue I have those claims that are active. They are now finally working on my claims and hopefully will be completed soon.
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Since January 2010 I have had three MRIs on my cervical spine, two from the VA and one from the private side. Why is it that the VA MRI results are always lowballed results and the private MRI is showing something different? The VA MRI reports say they see minimal forminal stenosis at C5-C6 and C6-C7 and DDD. The private MRI shows Herniated disc with forminal stenosis at C5-C6 and herniated disk at C2-C3. I ask this because I truly feel the VA is "undertreating" my conditions, mainly in my cervical and thoracic spine.
80% of the current symptoms started in January 2010 with numbness in my hand, pain in both arms and pain in my pectoral muscle of my chest. Currently, I have pain now in all those areas with pain in my shoulders, numbness and burning in a few of my toes, pain in my legs and feet.
This is getting to a point where I cannot get a handle on it all these issues. I am in college but feel these issues are now making my GPA go spiralling downward.
I recently had an appointment with pain management. He adjusted the gabapentin because of the issues I was having with it he lowered the dosage. Other than that I take tramadol. I don't want to go the hard stuff yet and will do everything in my power to not go that route. He told me and my wife he was going to give Celebrex for the DDD/arthritus in my neck and thoracic spine. I have yet too see that come in the mail and its not online at myhealthyvet.
What do I do if I feel I am being "undertreated"? I feel the VA is not telling me the whole truth and are lowballing me.
How can I get the VA to order and pay for a dynamic MRI on my whole spine since I have private surgeon's report staying he feels I need this type of MRI? I have asked and asked about this MRI and the VA is again playing it off and denying to do it.
I Am 100% Iu And Had My 73K Student Loan Discharged And Forgiven!
in Success Stories
Posted
Congrats but how much of that 73k are you going to have to pay taxes on next year. There is subsidized and nonsubsidized and I can't remember which one you have to pay taxes on whenever they are forgiven.