Barbamatt

Sorry that you are going through it...hopefully it will get better.

I wouldn't submit the DBQ...also I would get a personal copy of my private physician's medical records and see what is in them before I released them to the VA. You should see what he has documented about you first.

It took me two years to get SSDI...and I am still waiting on the benefit letter...but congratulations for your success.

I thought that a court had to find you incompetent. Guess the VA has to find ways to keep veterans from getting their disability. My prayers are with you that you get it all sorted out in your favor.

I usually take Excedrin for my migraines...it seems to help. I took Imatrex when I was in the military and it always caused a rebound headache....

I tried calling the clinic today, but got a voice mail....guess they don't even have to answer their phones....I had a thought and used Secure Messaging to contact one of my Dr. I sent him a message about my problem and he sent me a message back with in the hour and he said that he would work on changing the appointments to another time and that someone would contact me....he was apologetic, but I am going to have to wait and see. I might still call the Patient Advocate. I'm not sure how much that will help. I've met him before and he doesn't seem to be too worried about complaints.

I check my appointments from time to time on MyHealthevet and only once caught an appointment that was scheduled for me that I didn't know about....but I think someone in that clinic is scheduling them a day or two in advance and not telling me. I'm going to call back tomorrow and see if i can talk to anyone about it. I have had time over the week end to cool off and not be so emotional...but I get that way when I feel like I am being blown off or neglected. I guess they figure that I should be able to just show up with little or no notice...I live a little over 20 miles from the VA. I know it is relatively close, but I don't drive on the interstate and have to get someone to take me. I have an extreme phobia of interstate driving. It is one of my issues and they have been made aware of it. It is like they don't care. I am one more number. I feel like they are also trying to pad the appointments due to all this scandal. If they can squeeze anyone in in under 30 days then they can look better and if I can't make it on short notice they can blame it on me for not going to my appointment. I try to cancel when I catch them at it....

I get 0% for hemorrhoids as its own condition. I get 10% for IBS. But they are listed as independent conditions.

I'm just trying to find someone in the clinic that has scheduled the appointments to talk to. It is a mental health clinic (psychology--the PhD type) and the appointments are for a group counseling...but I haven't been contacted about the group that they put me in nor have I been given any information about the time and frequency it meets. I don't know which Psychologist signed me up...but I am trying to contact them and figure out the details. I know I need counseling, but the way they are doing it is stressing me out even more and I am beginning to resent the whole thing. They blow me off because I am a mental health patient...but right is right....and I deserve to speak with the person who is making these appointments. I am not crazy...granted I have some issues...but I am not so far gone I don't know what is happening around me.

Did you claim migraines? If so, then you will have to wait on a decision if you are rated for them or not. If you didn't file a claim for them then you should submit a new claim and put migraines on them. If you were treated in the military for migraines then it should be in your medical records. I was treated for migraines in the Navy and am rated 10% for migraines.

They keep scheduling me an appointment but not telling me about it. This really sucks because now I have a "no show" on my record. I didn't even know that someone made me the appointment, because they didn't call me ahead of time. I am having problems with one department/clinic that makes appointments for veterans, but doesn't bother to call them to tell them that they made the appointment. They don't call to ask the veteran when is a good time for him/her...they just make the appointment and expect the vet to show up. I found out when I got a call from the automated message system that said "The patient who's birthday is on xx/xx/xxxx has an appointment at the VA Medical Center". it didn't even give a date and time or what clinic it was at. And the call was one day before the appointment at 3:30 PM...the VA closes at 4PM I had to call around for about 2 hours to try to find out where and when the appointment was...and when I found out, nobody could tell me who scheduled the appointment or what to do about it. Is anyone having a similar problem?

Sorry that you had to go through all of that. I would fight the fiduciary thing...but it sounds like you will get a good rating.

Get a independent medical opinion. If you can afford to go see a private doctor and ask to be evaluated. If there is no symptoms of a PD then have them to document it. Having another opinion might help you. Make sure that you are able to get copies of your private record before you submit it so that you know what they say about you. Some areas have community health centers. You might contact social services to see if you can get low or no cost mental health care...if you have private insurance then it would be wise to see if it will pay for it. I don't know how much private psychiatric health costs...but it is worth the investment over time if it helps you prove your case. Also you should get a copy of your SSA file from when you filed for your SSD. If you saw any other providers it should be in your records that you used to get SSD. It might help your claim too.

The way that I understand it is that you can work if you are rated 100% for a disability or combination of disabilities...but if you are TDIU you can not work. As far as if you should keep your job or not that is something that you and your family has to decide. I would believe that the VA does re-evaluate people from time to time. I don't know if the fact that you have a job or not will increase the chances of that or not. The VA plays by it's own rule book. Yes they have regulations and laws, but I don't know how they decide when to review a vet. If you feel that your job is too stressful you should discuss it with your therapist/counselor and see if quitting/retiring will help you. i wish you the best of luck at what ever you decide.

I have my Bachelors of Health Science from TUI...found out that the school is mostly unknown and unimportant...when putting it on a resume...I have worked, but have a hard time keeping a job if I am lucky to get one. I now get SSDI and am still only 60% SC. My education hasn't helped me with work...I am just unable to work right now due to my SC conditions. I don't know about personal satisfaction. In the medical field it is all about having credentials more than the education. You need it on paper that you can do the skills that you have trained to do. You need certifications and licenses. The diploma is only something nice to hang on the wall. Sorry to put it that way...but you have to have something on paper that the state will allow you to work in that job. I would love it if I could work again. I worked in health care for many years. I was a Navy Corpsman and sought civilian certifications....I have skills and experience, but none of that matters as my SC keeps me from working. I have issues with keeping a decent job if I am lucky enough to get one.

I used a VSO, but I could have done it all myself. He just handed me the form to fill out after that there was no contact. I don't see much use for them...maybe there are good ones out there who will take the time to review records with you. The one that I had did not do all of that. He actually told me that my claim was up to me. I guess he was right it is up to me...but a little help would have been appreciated.

My SSDI took over 2 years and I lost everything in the process. I am still not at 100%....I went to court for my social security. That part of the process probably wont change much.

It might actually help you. You should apply for SSDI as well. If you can not work you can receive both social security and VA disability...although in my own experience SSDI was harder to get.

When I was first rated for MDD it was 0% then it was raised to 10% then 30% and I applied for a rate increase, and now I'm at 50%. It has taken a few years. This year I was also awarded SSDI for my depression. I am waiting on Social Security to send me a letter so I can try for another rate increase, since I am unable to work...You have to keep on them and keep applying for a rate increase. It seems that they wan to undermine depression...like you really feel like fighting it when you are depressed. I think that they figure that you will just go away or something...but make sure you keep up with it...even when you don't feel like it. Depression can make you feel like you don't deserve it...and that is something that you have to fight too. I kept all of my mental health appointments and take my meds and try to get better, and they can see that there is a long history of mental health care. I recommend that you seek mh treatment at the VA and get it all in your record. You can find the schedule of ratings for mental illness (it will be listed as "Chronic Adjustment Disorder" as all mental health ratings are.) the link is to the VA website and it is a word doc. http://www.benefits.va.gov/warms/bookc.asp If you can't look at a word doc. then google schedule of ratings for mental illness and it will bring you the list and show you what symptoms are for what percent.

I've shopped at Lowes both while active duty and now as a vet, and never knew that there was a discount...learned something useful today.

I just got awarded SSDI...but I had to go to court to get it. Most people are denied the first and even second time. If there is a third time it goes in front of a judge. Most people need a lawyer to get it. I used a lawyer. It is a long tedious process. I've been out of work for just over 2 years. But that should not have anything to do with it....except that you can't be working when you file...It would help to get a doctor to say that you can't work. SSA sent me to a doctor similar to a C&P exam, but they call it something else, I'm not sure what the SSA calls it other than a medical exam. Stay on it and don't give up. It took me 2 years to get it. Just know it is not uncommon to have to wait a long time.

Thank you for sharing. And thank you for your service, Shipmate. I'm former Navy myself. I am glad to hear a success story.

You should get a different PCP. That guy sounds like a real jerk. You have a right to quality health care veteran or not. If the standard of care is an MRI then they should order one. I don't know what not being DoD has to do with it...just a wise ass remark. You should also go to your patient advocate and let them know what the dr. said to you. Maybe the patient advocate can help. If you don't get help there write a letter to your state's congressman/representative. If you have to write to congress make sure that you keep a good record of everything that you have done up to that point and write down every conversation you have with the VA and who you talked to.

I get 50% for MDD, but I never claimed PTSD. What helped me with the SC is that a Navy Psychiatrist diagnosed me with depression while in the Navy. It was well documented in my service medical record...but in the beginning I was only given 0% SC. You can only be rated for one mental disorder. I also have Anxiety Disorder...but it is not rated, only the depression is. If you also have been diagnosed with depression, then they can rate you on the depression. It is very complicated how they decide which mental disorder to give a rating to. It does sound like she recommended that you be rated at 30% for a service connection. "As likely as not" to me sounds like she is saying that it is likely to be related to military service. Hang in there...I know that the wait sucks. I've been there too. It would help you if you have military medical treatment records for mental health. Make sure that the VA gets copies of those if you have them.

Why not file for TDIU? (Total Disability Individual Unemployability). If they approve it you would still get all the same pay and benefits as 100% secdualar. You can get more information about it at this link from the VA website: http://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/claims-special-individual_unemployability.asp This is good when one of your ratings falls short of the 100% mark. It might be easier to get than 100% for a mh condition. Also you should see if you qualify for SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance). You can draw both VA compensation and SSDI. http://www.ssa.gov/disability/ Also I have found this forum to be very helpful. There are people with a lot of experience who are glad to give good solid advice and explain things to you.