john999

Halos The first time I used the VA pain clinic I asked for Vioxx. They refused because it was too expensive and gave me morphine instead. So you go to the VA and ask for something like celebrex or mobic and they give you morphine. I was on morhpine, methadone and finally fentynal and oxycodone. I did take Vioxx and it one was of the few drugs that actually helped with the pain, but would probably have killed me.

I am glad some of us here still belive in the tooth fairy and Easter Bunny. Vioxx killed a few thousand people, but we will never know since the ones who could testify are all dead. Please tell me why drugs sold in the USA are ten times as expensive as any place else on earth.

Sparkle Yes, go for the VA money for now and you can possibly take on the AF after you get TDIU or 100%. See, a personality disorder is not a compensable medical condition. They discharged you on this pretext to avoid paying you a disability discharge. It happened to me as well. I had spent two months in an Army rubber room, but they decided I was just a no-good and did the administrative discharge. They all sold me down the river.

Unless you have money for a lawyer I would forget trying for medical discharge. You might be able to get upgraded to honorable. You see, the military discharged you based on being a personality disorder. Your command conspired to put the screws to you, and they got cooperation from the loyal psychiatrist to write you up as a PD. I think I would let this just rest and focus on gettting TDIU or 100% from the VA. The BCMR are not user friendly. Get 100% from VA and then worry about the discharge. They do very few corrections of records after 25 years if they think they may have to pay something.

They say a fish rots from the head down to the tail.

Go for it all!!!!!

The $135 I paid for a VBM a few years ago led directly to me getting an extra $300 bucks a month via SMC "S". It may seem like a steep fee but just the information I got on secondary conditions of DMII paid me back 100 times over. I also used the VBM to start my CUE quest that is now 5 years old. The VBM gave me confidence that even a forty year old claim might be valid if the VA broke their own rules. I can tell you DAV and others told me "no chance". Of course , people here are biggest boosters.

Maybe if there is a vet lawyer in your town he would listen to him. If the lawyer knows he will have him as a client down the road he might help file the claim for your DH. Filing claims for others is really hard if they are resisting. I tried to get a friend to file for an increase for years. He never did and now it is too late. Sort of like trying to get my wife to go for dental appointments or the dreaded colonoscopy. If you can go just one small step at a time it helps.

What I have seen is that if you don't claim it you don't get it.

I worry when I know my doctor is taking money or benefits for pushing some drug that he knows nothing about on me. I don't think it is harmless when doctors whore themselves out to drug companies. Americans get killed by bad drug side effects. Vioxx comes to mind. Doctors are fortunate since they often get to bury their mistakes. They almost buried me. Hedgey You are not paranoid in my opinion. You are just aware. Should VA doctors be prostituting themselves for tips? I don't think so. They should go into private sector for that along with insurance companies and all the other parasites that feed off the ill and infirm.

Doctors have become whores to drug companies.

Prisoners will not be taken. Show them no mercy, or at least the same compassion they have shown you over the years.

You don't want to mix the words "reconsideration" and "NOD" in the same statement since they mean things quite different. Anyway, now you can get some more evidence to support a higher rating. Most of us win these things step-by-step.

Chapter 35 would go back to the date you filed your appeal. If you were granted 100% in 2009 and appealed denial of Chapter 35 in 2009 your retro Chap. 35 would go back to that date if you win. To NOD a denial of chapter 35 all you do is just write VA and say you disagree with denial of chapter 35 on date __/__/__. Was any part of your claim based on mental health issues? May I ask how old you are? Is your wife young enough to benenfit from school? Chapter 35 is a big deal considering champVa and educational benefits. What you need to show is that your symptoms are static. Most vets who get IU or 100% never work again so there condition really is static.

What is interesting is that the VA has gotten away with treating veterans as lying and greedy con artists for decades. The VA assumption is that given the chance even a combat vet with five PH's will lie via his own words for the sake of compensation. Over the last 40 years I have been accused of lying for money more than once by people whose sworn duty is to help me.

I think Sparkle got screwed at discharge being booted out as being unfit or unsuitable instead of a medical discharge. My thinking is to get a lawyer to help you. I say this because if you are having problems with thought process you need professional help from someone with your legal interest as a prime motive. We can recommend a website where you can find a lawyer. For decades vets were not allowed to get lawyers and now you can, so I say get one. No money up front. They get 20% of your retro. If you can't work apply for SSD as well. Google NVLSP for a lawyer close to you. These are lawyers who are experts at VA law.

You really can't put in for TDIU over the phone. You need to file out the TDIU form. Your SMR's need to show that the symptoms you list first started or were aggravated by your military service. You can't be compensated for a personality disorder. Have you filed a claim for all these conditions with the VA? Do you have a copy of your SMR's? Why were you discharged via adminstrative channel instead of medical?

When I have gotten IMO's in the past I explain to the doctor just exactly what I am trying to accomplish. It is up to them to concur or differ. For instanance, because I have chronic pain due to SC condition I explain the reasons and symptoms of my depression and let them make the obvious conclusion. I am paying them so I drive a hard bargain. In years past I had a VA PCP that was very cooperative. She wrote the best medical opinions I have ever seen. She was a Russian and as smart as a whip. She knew the system.

You should have gotten TDIU if the VA knew about your SSD award. I don't know how they can ignore this strong evidence of unemployability? I would NOD this and start your appeal pronto. Since this involves so much potential retro I might consider a lawyer. What proof do you have that the VA knew about your SSD award in 2001? This to me is a big deal with ten years of potential retro at the 100% rate. You are not the first one the VA has done this to, 95bmp.

Mymissie Be sure you get a lawyer. Don't wait too long for response from those guys you called. If they won't act get someone else. Be really proactive on this. I went through quite a few lawyers before I got one to take my case about a doctor who misdiagnosed my staff infection which almost cost me a foot. Lawyers will often decline to take your case for all sorts of reasons. Be persistent.

What do you get OWCP for? Is it for SC condition. You need to be careful because you can cause yourself an overpayment from either OWCP or VA. Has OWCP inquired about your SC conditions. If you get OWCP for NSC condition I would keep it going since disability retirement is pretty small. I been there with that. I had to drop OWCP and collect OPM, SSD and VA. I would have kept OWCP but that would have been dual compensation.

Well, you know they have to pretend they are impartial. You know the drill. Look your worst and respond as you would on your worst day ever. Having week's growth of beard and B.O. helps.

Being from Tampa,Florida I am praying it turns and hits Miami.

File a NOD on the denial of Chapter 35. That will start the ball rolling. Then get opinion that you are P&T. You need to be seeing your psychiatrist as often as possible to show that your condition is static.

the retro amount wil depend on when you filed? You can get an estimate by going to the SSA site and plugging in your numbers. You will get a notice that you will be eligible for medicare in two years as well. From what I hear getting SSD is much slower these days with a huge backlog sort of like the VA. I congradulate you. No one ever got rich on SSD but it is something which included with your VA allows you to live.