iceturkee

this is why i have stayed away from this site. this is a budget proposal. it was announced a week ago. nothing has been done to start marking this up via federal agency. the president can't sign it. mis information as always. am i surprised? no!

you do realize that most people as they get older have arthritis in their back and nothing else. he has arthritis at one level of his spine. i will bite my tongue and refer from saying anything else on this subject!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yes the xray will show if your vertabrae are fused, if you have arthritis, if one of your vertabrae have slipped and if you have scoliosis. it will not show a herniated disc and it will not show spinal stenosis. but basser i am going to disagree. mild djd at one disc does not warrant an mri. if the op is complaining of serious, crippling pain, then other films would be in order. i have inflammatory arthritis which shows up in my lab work as my blood sed rate was off the charts. the op's bloodwork apparently is normal so i can understand the doctor not wanting to order any more tests. if the op is not happy, he can bitch up the food chain and/or go to a civilian doctor. if it were me, i would start with the patient advocate and go up to the chief medical officer. if necessary, i would also alert my local news outlets. and there is always an email to secretary mcdonald!!

if you truly have a back problem, then yes. but many people just have a touch of arthritis and they don't need cat scans and/or mri's. even my civilian physican assistant friend who works at an ortho clinic will tell you that!!

an x-ray showing mild DJD is an example that most people have a touch of arthritis in their back when they get older. my ortho doctor has preached this as long as i have known him (1988). of course, its possible there are other issues going on not seen in a routine xray. but as a longtime back sufferer i don't know where there is a need for an mri. i'm 40 percent for my back, with a history of over a dozen mri's on my entire spine.

i'm thinking no. you have a 100 percent plus the 70 percent for housebound (if needed). probably have enough percentages for other smc's. but heck others know more than i do!!

if you are 100% p&t, you don't need to apply for iu!!

my two cents, i have a long history of severe back problems and i also have rheumatoid arthritis. the rheumatoid didn't show up in my bloodwork although, one look at my hands would confirm it. but my sed rate was off the charts. that is an indicator for inflammatory arthritis. as for spine mri's, if your problem only presents as mild arthritis at one disc, no doctor (that i am aware of) is going to order an mri. any ortho worth their salt will tell you everyone has a touch of arthritis in their back, mri's aren't cheap. i had one for my lumbar spine 2 years ago and the report was 3 pages long. i share my experience, not to discourage you. but to let you know what i have been through. i am 40 percent for my back. since my spine is not fused, i can't get 50 percent. i also have a confirmed diagnosis of radiculopathy!!

true, a cat scan or mri will give you a better picture than a normal xray.

i have had dozens of xrays, mri's and ct scans on my spine and none have been with dye. you can get an accurate picture of whats going on without it. only in a rare instance will a radiologist use with exams. i had it once with a brain mri to rule out tumors!

routine back xrays (i have several) will show arthritis and bone spurs.

i'm 40 percent for my back which was initially injured when i fell down two flights (but broke fall after first flight) of stairs. i never went to sick call. when i went back on active duty, i made sure my back problem was on my entrance physical (the navy gave me a waiver). i was medically discharged and given 10 percent for my back. it took me 17 years to get that to 40. i took a brief look at what pubis symphysis dysfunction is. sounds like it deals primarily with the hips but could also affect the back. you may have grounds for a primary service connected disability. however, (my 2 cents), i am more inclined to think it would be secondary to your hips. others feel free to chime in!!

or there are entries in your medical records of hurting your back on active duty.

not sure why you received 0 percentage for a hysterectomy. always thought that was an automatic 50 percent, if done while on active duty! shouldn't that also qualify you for smc?

bronco, wouldn't this warrant a CUE?

reapply if it was 2005?

tennis player venus williams was diagnosed with this about 2 or 3 threes ago. google her and i'm sure you can learn some information.

i should put in a claim for my feet (high arches, hammertoes, decreased sensation in 6 toes and nerve pain), because i started having problems when i was in the army. i recall no problems noted on entrance physical. i can't aanswer your percentages question, but i can tell you i just got custom orthotics myself. big difference between these and the off the shelf inserts the v gives you. they are helping me a lot. hope they help you s much!!

your title says getting custom orthotics but no mention in write up. are you seeking info on custom orthotics? i just got a pair, thats why i ask!!!

a va psychologist did that during my c&p exam.

i got service connected for depression/anxiety and have never formally spoken to a va counselor.

your rom suggests 20 percent. and you will probably need to file a seperate claim for the nerve pain.

even if you own a business, you are receiving income which probably puts you way over the threshold of $12,400 a year if you are under 65.

i tend to think if you become gainfully employed, the IU will go away. if you should become unemployed shortly thereafter, i believe you would have to reapply for IU. my 2 cents.

i just got custom orthotics for my feet. i immediately felt relief. the orthotics fit like a glove and help me more than what the va usually gives you. i got the first pair. but my podiatrist told me if the off the shelf brand helped with the foot pain, she would order the custom ones. have you tried to get custom ones from the va?