john999

Appeal! Get some IMO's if possible.

I think Risperidone is powerful anti-psychotic medication. You probably will have some side effects. It is used to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. It is not like taking a valium or prozac.

Berta If the VA can screw up your claims then they can screw up anyone's. No one gets punished and the clock of our lives continues to tick.

Since he is already SC'ed for the PTSD I would not worry too much about the PD diagnosis. Back in the day I think they DX'ed every vet with a psychiatric problem as having a PD. I still have a PD DX 40 years after I was SC'ed for other psychiatric problems. The VA tried to get my CUE thrown out due to ancient PD DX by some prostitute C&P doctor.

I think the inadequate care for suicidal vets is due to costs. It costs alot to admit a vet to the rubber room. I know doctors have some legal responsibility to protect suicidal or homocidal vets from themselves. It has got to be about money. The VA is trying to save money at the costs of a certain number of suicides they find acceptable.

I don't think these VA personnel have a clue how to pick up on suicidal intent. They sometimes read from a sheet asking you if you want to hurt yourself. How many people are going to say "Yes" knowing the next stop may be the rubber room.

I would fight the incompetence issue. Did you get P&T. I would not say you were lucky, but by VA terms you hit a home run with the 100% and HB. Let things sink in and then you can consider the foot drop. Nobody is lucky to be disabled, but the VA did right by you if you can believe it. It took me years to go from 10% to 9o% and I never got a break, and had to fight for everything including HB. I think you money worries are over and now you need to take care of yourself.

Cool The DAV wants to write you and ask for money and take the credit for your success!

Carlie Which ship are you going on and where are you floating too? Do you get seasick? The only rough water you might face is when you are in the Gulf of Mexico. You can't go wrong on these cruises except gain 10 lbs from all the food. I went in March a few years back and when we got back to Tampa via Holland America it was 34 degrees. Yipes! You can find some fantastic cruises going everywhere for a decent price. My wife got seasick so she won't cruise anymore. John

That should help your claim. The exam doctor was trying to help you and is probably as shocked as you are. Pursue your claim with everything you have! A VA psychiatrist should be treating you. Maybe you should get a lawyer. I think you are a victim of neglect and malpractice by the VA. This is just my opinion. Are you considered a serious suicide risk by the VA? When are you going for your psychiatric C&P exam if you know yet? They cannot just give you pills and send you down the road in your condition and not committ malpractice. If you start to cut yourself again you need to go in the hospital I think. I know why they did not get you a real shrink which is because they are short handed, but if they cannot get you a VA shrink they should refer you to a private shrink on emergency basis. Your situtation gives a hint at utter lack of adequate psychiatric care for all vets. It reminds me of treatment I got 40 years ago from the VA.

That's a cool decision!

I think it looks fine. Just rest today and be ready for them Monday. Getting these short notice exams is a bunch of crap. I got phone calls like that giving me a few days notice.

Papa I hope you don't drive. With your PD the cops might think you were drunk. They arrest you and let your relatives worry about proving it was due to PD after they bail you out of jail. The thing about your C&P exam is that there is no question about you having Parkinson's. If you have the DX and it is presumptive for AO then there you are. Are you waiting for 100% schedular or have you filed for IU? If your PD is so bad that you can hardly walk how can you work?

I am taking Cymbalta and it does seem to help because I am able to reduce my use of opiates. You have to beg the VA for it.

I would start to shop for a lawyer that will take a CUE. I shopped around because most of the lawyers I talked to did not want to do a CUE due to the risk. I went to five lawyers before I got one to take my CUE. The lawyer I hired told me if he lost my CUE he would never take one again. He said it was so clear, but so far I have been denied. If there is a lot of retro you will get a fight and the VA really plays dirty. You are going to find yourself at the Court of Veteran Appeals. When it gets there it has to be perfect or it will be dismissed, or denied. It will get remanded for certain I believe even if you win. So you are in for the long haul on some big retro. One false move and your CUE is dismissed. If the BVA or VARO fouls up you just go into remands or more appeals. Reading my appeals over the last 6 years has been an education. The VA does not want to pay 30-40 years of retro. Everyone has a boss and most of the people who decide claims don't like to stick their necks out to be chopped of for giving some vet 300,000 bucks.

Regarding the Vietnam AO thing unless you have DMII I don't think that will help with PN compensation. Under existing rules it is almost impossible to get compensated for PN direct SC to AO. How are your glucose levels?

What kind of meds do you take? That is what probably keeps you from acting on delusions. This psychologist should understand that. You may get a good write up from this guy. Do you have official DX of schizophrenia in partial remission? That means you still have it but you are not psychotic with no insight. Are you able to work?

I do think for the sake of our compensation it is good to stay in the VA loop. I go to see a VA shrink to get pills and complain. I always leave with something bad to say about my mental health. I spend about 15 minutes with the shrink, but this keeps me in the loop. We don't talk about anything but which pills work and which don't.

JVRE I agree with your logic. A cola is just supposed to keep you even with the cost of living. It is not a true raise. When I worked for the post office we got contractual raises and we got a yearly cola. It got bad with 2% raises and "bonus" payments but we always had the cola. If you don't get a cola you are not standing stil, but you are going backwards in standard of living.

I got my SMC only due to CUE claim and stuff I got from Hadit here. I never would have known I was eligible, and the VA never would have told me. I got two SMC's and I had to fight for both. It took years. If you get 100% or IU or SMC you have beaten the average. I meet some vet who is being low balled every time I go to the VA.

I went to the local Vet Center back in 2001. All they wanted was to fill slots for group therapy. There were a couple of guys who had been 100% for 20 years and one guy who was trying to get an increase. I got a letter from the couselor that said I had severe and chronic PTSD. The VA did not even look at it. It did not help me in any way therapy-wise and did not help me get an increase. I have not gotten "therapy" from the VA in years. I just get pills. To my knowledge the VA does not really do therapy except groups. I went to a private group for years. The psychologist carefully screened those for the group, so that the people who could not benefit from group were not in it. Psychotherapy is an art. The VA can't do it in my opinion. They just want to hit their numbers. It is very difficult to get real psychotherapy due to payments shedules for medicare and insurance. Medicare and insurance will pay for in-patient, but not decent reimbursement for private psychotherapy.

That letter from your doctor may not be strong enough in VA-speak. They go by "At least as likely as not" and "more likely than not" as the preferred jargon when the doctor makes a nexus statement. If the doctor says it is "likely that it may be" the VARO may say that is speculation. I would send in the IU form anyway.

Do you have depression or chronic pain from your back? Many people who have permanent back injuries also suffer from depression.

Are you P&T?

When I got IU I did not get a general medical exam. I did not even get an exam for the SC condition. I got IU based on my rating and on an IMO I got from a private doctor. I was rated 70% and denied IU. Then I got an IMO and appealed the denial of IU. I won on appeal to the DRO. I never had a specific C&P exam for IU. I don't think things have changed that much since my award. Maybe you are getting the medical exam because you have more than one SC condition.