OutOfOptionsVet

The IMO is not going to happen right now. The Clinic called me and said they wanted cash up front for everything.

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I am going to go ahead and keep my appointment for next week with a civilian doctor. Im hoping I can get him to give me an Independent Medical Opinion on my disability that I can bring to the VA. At the same time Im going to try filing for an increase, but I don't know how well thats going to go over. I don't have documentated medical records to prove that my condition has worsened since my disability was deteremined to be only 10%. Is there a doctor or some specialist I could see about determining my physical limitations in order to use as proof of the extent of my disability? All the VA did so far was give me an MRI and tell me it was negative.

After reading some of the information you linked me I've noticed several things: I only will recieve travel pay, I am not elligable for Total Disability Indepent Unemployability as I don't have a rating of a single disability of 60% or higher, or a combined disability rating of 70% or higher.

What is TDIU? I'm new to the website and don't know all the abbreviations. I will ask to see the Pain Management Clinic and a Psychiatrist. Would my PCP be able to help me find the forms I need to file for an increase? Or where can I find that? Lord knows I've struggled and tried my ass off to get into college and find work, I'm just honestly not able to study/attend as much as a college requires or meet the work requirements to keep a job that pays the bills enough to be independent.

Thanks for the advice I will do just that. Guess Im going to have to see if my girlfriend will come with me. If I make an appointment to see my PCP do they pay for mileage? I'm not sure they do unless its an appointment based off a referral? Either way I will make an appointment and get this started. 2 years of doing nothing else it really is time they realize that my condition isn't improving and my life isn't going to be anything close to what a normal non disabled person can accomplish. I don't know of any job that would keep an employee that consistantly misses work or has to leave early because they're in so much pain they can't focus to do their job. It is depressing and sad that my life has come to this. I just really hope they hear me this time. I will go and talk to the patient advocate when I am there. Is there any other referrals I should request that you can think of for a person dealing with severe chronic back pain, moderate to severe depression, and can't work due to these? I appriciate your help, God bless you!

PCP = Personal Care Physician? I have an appointment next week to see a civilian Doctor next week... its going to cost me 71$ just to walk in the door. The nearest VA is 45 min away 1hour and 30 min round trip from where I live. The Doctor im going to see is 20 min away. I acatually found this website trying to Google information about how to get my VA medical insurance to cover my appointments with a Civilian Doctor. I don't have an income and just recently moved in with my father so I became a WI resident a couple weeks ago. Have been considering switching VA's and trying to get a new PCP at the VA. The one I have now I've seen 3 times in the past 2 years. Just driving in a car for 45 min puts me in extreme pain and I don't like to drive on the meds. No I haven't had other medical coverage so the only Doctor I have seen was the Civilian Doctor I saw after being discharged who agreed to renew my Service prescriptions. Who I paid for out of my own pocket. She didn't have anything to do with my rating or evaluating my disability. I don't know what an SSA is. I was trying to cooperate with a lawyer firm that specializes in SSDI cases. After my PCP at the VA gave the lawyers at the firm his opinion I was told they didn't have a case. My Doctor isn't listening to me, and frankly I really just feel like a number to him, someone to just brush aside and move onto the next patient.

Going to start with some background information because I really don't have any idea if I am missing the obvious solution; or where I am suppose to go from here. Never had back problems prior to Bootcamp. 60 days into Marine training I'm at medical and told I have a pre-exsisting condition known as Kyphosis. (My spine curves out too far in the middle) I found out months later I wasn't suppose to be allowed into the military with this kind of a condition. I graduated Bootcamp and earned my title, spent a month in rehab. Went to SOI training, made it a week befor I was again in medical. Was told to be put on 3 days light duty reccomended by the Doctor there. They told me I was going to train anyways. One day later Im back in medical again after falling out on a hike and blacking out from pain. 3 months light duty and droped to Medical rehab platoon. After a few weeks, the doctors decided I was to be discharged. I recieved a Erronous Uncharacterized Enlistment Discharge at 179 1/2 days of service. I have had Chronic back pain that fluctuates in pain levels from day to day ever since. I can't sit or stand for very long without the pain increasing until its unbearable. I went to the VA and went thru the process of evaluation to see what im disibility rating would be. They asked alot of questions and eventually my doctor decided it would be best to get an MRI which came back negative. I recieved a 10% disability rating. I was advised by my Doctor to not appeal my case. I didn't think the rating was as high as it should be. Not for the pain I suffer on a daily basis. Theres on average 4 days a month where Im bedridden because of the pain I suffer due to my condition. I tried attending college after my discharge. After a week I was in bed for 3 days on my back and could hardly move. I had to withdraw due to the attendance contract. I needed more help. So I tried going thru the Revocation Rehabilitation program that the VA offers. I was given a personal tens unit to use. I decided I would try attending college thru their program. I attended classes for a week. My pain was minimal when I started attending classes. After about 4 days of full time school I wasn't able to make my classes and again had to withdraw from college and also (after talking to my counselor) the Revocation Rehabilitation program until my pain was managed better. Without my familys support I would be on the streets with nothing to eat. I've moved from my Mothers house, to my Fathers, back to my Mothers, and now back to my Fathers again within the past 2 years I've been struggling since being discharged. I tried to apply for SSDI and sent the paper work to my Doctor at the VA. He denied my claim and said I should be able to work full time 40 hours a week with no problems. I was so angry and frustrated with him about that I haven't been back to the VA since. I decided I would try going thru a Civilian doctor and begin the process of determining the level of my disability again all over. Due to the fact my Doctor doesn't recognize the extent of my impairment to function as a regular civilian due to my disability. The state I live in has a 2 year waiting list to recieve Medical Insurance coverage thru the State. I am unemployed and have no other income than the 123$ a month I recieve for my 10% disability. Im having a hard time dealing with all of this and I just don't know where to go from here. My VA case worker literally told me to "suck it up". I no longer communicate with her either. I've become depressed and no longer have a social life. I've tried to find work, I have even gotten a few interviews; during which I explain my disability to them and they never call me back. I thought I would post this and maybe get some advice that might start me in the right direction.