richmc

I go in for my assessment next Wednesday. Almost at the point where I am hoping they find me unemployable. I am still working(somewhat). What use to be 80 hour checks are down to 40 hours checks due to having to take time off because of pain or very bad days with my depression. FMLA is only thing saving my job. Feel like I am running in circles. Have depression due to constant pain an decreased quality of life and then having to the stress added on because not sure if my pay will be enough to cover the bills just make the depression even worse. Taking its toll on me and my family. For those that have received the letter saying unemployable, since the letter is from one department of the VA does it work its way through the system any faster than a regular claim? I have appeals pending that will get to 100% in a few years when they come back. Just wondering if I get the letter if it is faster process. At this point not even worried about back pay from appeals. Just want stability.

Online line wasn't offered here. Wish it was so maybe could speed things up. Not sure how much longer will be able to stay at my current job and ready to get started on a new path.

Had my first appointment this last Thursday. Watched the short video while my counselor reviewed my paperwork. Then went in her office and she asked a few questions. Ten minutes later she is telling me I am eligible for the program and sets me up with the assessment screening on the 8th of next month. Have to guys at work that have applied and they were turned down saying they made to much money. Glad I got a different counselor that understood that I can not keep doing the job I have now. With any luck I will be going back to school and getting a BS in graphic design.

I had been asking for the MRI from the VA for about 5 months. Finally found my MRI report from 2004 while active duty showing the bony spur at T8 and once my pcp saw that report on Monday she put in the order but told me not to get my hopes up due to others having to sing off on it. Tuesday moring they called and said it was apporved and they had an opening that night at 6. I took it before they changed their minds. LOL. New MRI showed that not only did I still have the spur at T8 but it had grown a litte and that I also have a spur at L1-L2.

I have been diagnosed with MDD that the my psychiatrist says is caused by the constant pain I am in from my knees (already service connected) and my back. I filed for 2 back conditions, sleep apnea and the the mdd at the same time. On the 16th the sleep apnea was granted, MDD denied as not service connected and back deferred. I had mistakenly filed the MDD as a primary condition. This past Thrusday I had a C&P for one of the back condition and after showing MRI reports from 2004 and from Tuesday, it well. I had just picked up the MRI on the way to the C&P so asked him if you could explain it to me. He said basically you have a bad back and have had it since you were in service. :) He cancelled the Xrays because he said between the two reports he had what he needed after making me do some very painful bending. My other back contention is pending further development (Thoracic Neuritis) Once the back condition I had the C&P for comes back I plan on going after the MDD again because it is secondary and truth be told it is having the biggest impact on my right now. Constantly in a haze thanks to all the meds I am on. Anyway, can I just reopen the original claim for it with a statement that it shold have been looked at and granted as a secondary or do I have to open a new claim as secondary?

Don't worry I will. During the C&P for the MDD the examiner was exlaining what would happen next after the exam she flat out said that she was putting "most likely caused by pain from service related issues" and that with the level it was effecting me she didn't see how I would not get a rating. Like I said it was my fault for not being deligent when filling and doing it as secondary like I should have.

I had applied for several contentions including sleep apnea. Diagnosed 6 years after medical discharge and filed as secondary to knees due to weight gain and the years of opiates they had me on for the pain. Knew it was a long shot on the first go but had hopes of getting it on appeal. C&P was done at QTC here in OKC. The doctor seemed like kind of a jerk at the time. He stated he did not see a connection so I told him about reading about studies showing the link between the opiates and sleep apnea. He also looked at my knees but only at what I was already rated for and totally ignored my new claim of instability. On my old ratings he made a comment about not seeing why my left knee was even rated at all. Was having a good day that day so no swelling or anything. Told him it might have something to do with the fact that during the exam for the initial rating my knee was swollen to over twice the normal size. Left the office not feeling good about the exam at all even though he said he would try to find the studies. Yesterday I went from prep for notification back to gathering evidence but also said decision letter sent. I was given the sleep apnea, denied MDD(I screwed up and filed it as a primary instead of secondary), and my back issues and new knee conditions were sent back. Went from 30% to 70%. Now just wating for new C&Ps and for the back pay on the increase to hit.

I know 3 years ago when I did my first claim it stayed at Prep for about 4 days. My current claims just went Prep and it had me thinking that with the way the VA likes to take their time that there were probably so long wait times on this phase out there.

I understand that. Just was wondering what is the longest once seen.

What is the longest PREPARATION FOR DECISION that has been seen. Three years ago it took EBennies almot 3 weeks to change after I got my money.

I am suppose to take 1800 mg per day (600 x 3 times a day) but only take it in the late afternoon early evening so that I can actually work during the day. It make me real loopy and then I get very tired. Just wondering if it has this effect on anyone else?

Thanks. Yeah the first one could have gone better. I was running late and forgot to grab the studies linking opiates to sleep apnea which would have helped. He said he was going to look into it so who knows. I was medically discharged due to my knees. First MEB came back fit for duty but not full duty. During the time it was being looked at the put me on Hydrocodone. My command sent in a reply that due to the amount of medication I was only good for about 6-8 hours of work a week. Two weeks after they submtited it game back to discharge me. It was about 3 months after I started the Hydrocodone that my wife started notice problems with my sleep. Even if it didn't cause it, it did make it worse. Coworker in pretty much same position. He just won on appeal. We initially filed initial filings at about the same time. I got 30% total and he got 10%. He got a lawyer(i will be using same one) and is currently at 90% but hey have not finished with the sleep apnea which the judge said they will rate him on.

One was for sleep apnea(secondary) and for instability in both knees. Know I will have to do appeal on the SA but was expecting that. On the knees, already rated at 10% each but the way the DR was talking he thinks my left shouldn't be rated so may get screwed there. Actually having a somewhat decent day as far as knees(no swelling that day) Two days later had exam for MDD. When we were done she was explaining that she would finish writing it up, QTC would review and then send to rater. She stated that I should be getting an increase. Not rated for it at the moment but from looking at the CFR, I have symptoms from both the 50% and 70% so will have to wait and see. I also have a claim in for my back. While active duty thoracic neuritis. lumbago and bony spur causing right central stenosis were documented but I has never told. For the last 9 years just thought my back was hurting due to not walking normal most of the time due to my knees. No word on exam for it but am seeing the VA hospital here in OKC for the pain and am on 1800mg of Gabapentin a day for the neuritis. Possible the rater saw the notes from the VA here and that it would be enough to rate without having the C&P?

For me it is the laziness(or just plain lack or professionalism) of the staff at my local VAMC. Couple of weeks ago during a visit to mental health I had some blood work done. It showed that I had DBII. Made appointment with my primary at the VAMC. While there I also taked about my back pain. Had it for ever and thought it was jus tide effect from the way I walk or limp when kneeds are acting up. I recently found in my smr that right before my medical sep they diagnosed thorasic nueritis at T4 and T5 and also a spur causing right centeral spinal stenosis. This was all on a MRI report with nothing ever reporting on any of the xray reports. I told her that they didn't find it on xray but on MRI. She send me for xrays only and that report says everything looks ok. Asked for MRI but doesn't look like she is going to send me. Instead she just throws Gabapentin and other non narcotic pain meds at me. Seems like the only thing she really cares about is the DBII. Then to top it off, when i downloade MYBLUEBUTTON, her notes stated all kind of errors. Eveything from the meds I am on for major depressive disorder to saying I was offered and denied test that were never even mentioned.

Will be following this closely. In the process now of getting my OSA SC and just diagnosed with DMII three weeks ago.