Navy04

Congrats on the Great News Bud. God Bless and I truly wish you the best!!! Now go give you family a big hug, and relieve some of that pinned up stress. YOU got many bad days ahead of you, but on those few good days, thank God for your family, and all the Great Brothers and Sisters you have on HADIT that are always here for You!!!

Congrats on the Great News, so happy to See Vets climb that Mountain of Crap they call the VA. Good luck and God Bless!!!

Only u can decide what is best for u and ur family bud. U do need to understand that the VA or the Govt does not need much excuse to come after a Vet and take away our benefits. Good luck and keep us posted. God bless

Sorry to hear of your headaches bud. My 50% SC is for Migraines/TBI connected together. I get treatment thru the VA Neuro Doc and Medication. I have had these headaches for the last 7 yrs so not much helps anymore. Just try not to drink too much caffeine, smoke or have high blood pressure, as all of these can make the headaches worse. Good luck and God Bless

Berta thanks for the info. Just never amazes how good vets get screwed, and we have to continue to defend ourselves even after we are granted SC. Then this A** goes out and makes a living off of lying to the Govt, while plowing over good Vets along the way. Thanks to all the Truly good Vets on Hadit.

Glad you made it thru your exam bud. Pete, hit it right on the head. My best bud has had IBS for the last 7 yrs. No issues what so ever as long as he stays away from the Fast food and Chinese food. My Crohns disease on the other hand, I pray your or no one else on here has to go thru it. I eat like a rabbit, do not drink, smoke or have done drugs, yet It is very bad with Rectal Bleeding, alot of Vomiting, just got all my teeth removed because of this, and soon to have a bag. Just take care of yourself, less stress, less salt and greasy food and you should be fine. Really hope you the best. Take care

The VA wont go off what Civilian companies state, remember they are there to make a sale. I can not tell you how many Companies claim to be able to help with my back issues, or My crohns disease especially. Also remember that the VA has an Approved List of Therapy, Docs and medical equipment that can be used for treatment. If what you are seeking is not on their list, good luck. God Bless

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Sorry to hear of your issues bud. The ERs wont do anything either, remember they do General Medicine, no specialists. There for they will just put you thru the ringer, and then tell you to ask your PCP to refer you out. If you are having alot of headaches, then ask PCP to refer to VA Neuro, if your wrist hurts, Refer to Ortho. The VA Docs cant argue with hard medical evidence like X Rays, Cat Scans and MRIs. I have had so many Brain and Body Scans and Blind Doc would know about all of my Medical Disabilities. Good luck to you and keep us posted. God Bless

I am in the same boat as you, except my wife is my VA caregiver. I get that VS A&A, which I qualify for, but this is the higher of the two. Do you currently work, or Receive SSDI, or Federal Disability Pension? A&A is very hard to get approved for, especially if you or your spouse currently work. Also the Govt becomes a heck of a lot more involved in your life, and your assets. Hopefully you never lose a limb or get worse off to require the other SMCs my friend. For now look into the SSDI and other benefits out there for your state and local benefits. Good luck and God Bless!!!

As stated above, I get SMCs for have 1 or more whole 100%s for a Single Condition, and then 60% or more for another single condition. As far as I know it is not the sum of multiple conditions as most Vets would qualify for SMCs based on that. I also get SMC K based on Testicular Surgery, so loss of Reproductive Organ. I hope this helps, if not plenty of folks smarter then me on here to help. Good luck and God bless

GERD, IBS and Crohns are all different causes, but the Dang VA groups certain conditions together, they claim that you can not Pyramid similar conditions in the same family. Like my Migraines and TBI are Grouped together as 50%. knowing dang well that they can be caused together or separate, who knows. It is very hard being such a young age and being sick. My mother died in her 30s and I took care of her til she died, and now my wife and children are doing the same with me. Most days I do my best to get thru it, but some days It takes all my strength not to take my life, and that is the honest truth. Just tired of being sick, and being a burden on my family. Didnt mean to blab to much on here. Wish you the best. God Bless

I would file as an Increase, easier that way, and the VA will group the issues and they are in the same family of issues. My 30% for Crohns, includes GERD and Barretts Esophagus. Sorry to hear of your issues. Good luck and God Bless

I get so angry when I see these crap writers assuming this and assuming that. Sad reality is I myself have seen a few of the not so "PTSD" folks at the VA and it irritates the Hell out of me, for the Good Veterans that have struggled with this awful Disease and yet cant get the Help, SC, or pay that they deserve. I have told this story before I believe. I was at the VA a couple years back, and I asked my counselor does she ever get tired of listening to my crap, or treating my MH issues. Her first Husband Vietnam Vet died of Agent Orange issues, current husband Cancer, also Vietnam Vet. I was crying as usual, when I asked her this. She stated, "I will never get tired of listening to honest Vets, especially those that have gone thru War, and did not ask to be sick, or "crazy" as people throw around so easily. What she said she did not like was the Vets that she could tell from the minute they walked in, that it was not PTSD or any other issues, just someone playing the system. So she asked me to stand by the window, I asked why. She said see that young girl way out there in the parking lot, about 2 seconds later she did a no crap, Charlie Chaplin jump, kick your feet together, dont remember what it is called. My counselor could not inform me of the girls personal info, but stated that she was in the Air Force, did not finish boot camp and claimed to be Scitzafrenic, sorry cant spell today, as a result of 17 days of Boot Camp. 19yrs old, drawing 100% SC, and Social security. I have not right to ever judge anyone, as we all deal with life in different ways, but I never heard of that crazy stuff. If she lives to be 80, that will be 60 yrs of Ripping the Govt off, while there are so many Older and Younger Vets, Homeless, Starving, Sick, Hurting, Helpless, and just trying to get what they Deserve and nothing more. I am sorry for the Rant. I have been having Heart Issues, and have not been on the site for a long time. I am only 36, but Damn I just dont have Patience for this Govt and what people do to honest folks. Hope you all have a good weekend. and God Bless

Sorry the exam did not go so well. I will say that most Exams whether Civilian or VA, the Docs usually dont have all the paper work or DBQs on hand to complete properly to begin with. Also at times I went thru exams where the Doc did not even have all or access to my VA medical records. Just make sure you note what was incorrect, and if this does go bad, then appeal it. I will say that I have had atleast 5 exams where Doc treated me like crap, yet awarded the Condition and even higher then I was requesting. This process is so stressful to begin with, and the Exams are even worse. Just try to see how it all turns out. Keep us posted and good luck.

The VA told me the same thing bud. Of course I am on Caregiver Program due to more severe Disabilities. When I asked, VA said I would lose money if I went to A&A, due to Caregiver program paying alot more a month. Hopefully someone on here with more knowledge will chime in or you can go to your local DAV, VSO. I do not use them, but as far as Regs they know more then we do. Good luck and sorry to hear of your health issues. God Bless

Thats y I dont like the Appeals process, in my experience have hardly seen it go a Vet's way. I have had over 15 FDCs in the last 5 years, and only had a few claims that went over the 3-5 mths time frame, start to finish. As long as good documented evidence is used, the FDC claims and Now with the option to Request Quick Decision thru Ebenefits makes the process alot faster then when I started in 2012.

Bronco, Thanks for the info. My wife gets mad at me sometimes, cause when we are near the VAs, she wants to donate money to everyone in sight. Sadly just not possible these days.

Congrats on the Great News. Good luck and God Bless!!

Great News bud, Very happy for you. Glad to see a Good Vet made his way thru the Maze of what is known as the VA Claims process. I truly wish you the best, and as you stated the VA ROs are screwing a lot of the Older Vets as they are hoping they all die without Disability Pay. I know that sounds Harsh, but IMHO it is true. I have helped too Many Vets that Easily should have been Granted SC and Pension. God Bless and good luck

As a few of us stated, it is just Routine stuff, especially the fact that the VA Docs did not diagnose or treat you for them, therefore the exams are to see if you are the same, worse or better. The longer you are on VA Compensation Benefits, the more interaction you will have to have with them, regardless of who is treating you bud. The SSDI have worked the same so far, in my case anyways. As long as you have Medical Notes or documentation from your Civilian Docs there should not be any issues. Who knows, the VA RO might even increase your conditions. The DBQs should be the Back, and Nerve/Neurological forms. Just stand by for the exam dates and good luck. Keep us posted.

I am allergic to pain medicine, so talk about daily pain, 13 surgeries with nothing, definitely made me tougher thats for sure. Alot of Vets hurt, but the VA likes to see hard Physical Medical Evidence like MRIs, X Rays, Cat Scans etc. The VA can not argue when that hard evidence is in front of them. Other then that kind of documentation, or without VA Diagnoses then it is just Your Word vs The VA, and they Win most of the time. I have to go thru Painful Cat Scans cause I can not have MRIs due to my Bladder Machine, but I will do whatever and I keep copies of all the test on CDs. Other then that dont know what to tell you bud.

Welcome aboard and good advice given above. As Buck stated I have only had 1 VA Doc Period write or fill out a DBQ, and that was a few months ago. Only cause she was a Young MH Doc who was New and actually cared about Vets, unlike when they Get Older, Over Worked, Under Paid, and hate Working for the VA, so they take it out on us. Sorry for the Rant, Not all Docs are bad, in fact most are great, they just get screwed by the Govt like the rest of us. Good luck and God Bless

Sorry to hear of what you are going thru bud. Last year the VA did the same thing on my Scars. They reduced from 30% tpo 10%, no Re Exam, Notice or anything. Only because I am 100% Permanent that I did not challenge them. Sadly with VA and SSDI their are Certain conditions that they will Re Evaluate on Scheduled Time Lines 1yr, 3yr etc. Usually the VA does not go after 10% and lower ratings, unless that is the max granted for that type of condition. I see where you are coming from talking about the protection period coming up. What I say is that you should go to those Exams and as long as you have been seeking treatment, and have Medical Evidence stating that the SC conditions have not gotten better. In fact, if they are worse, then you should put in an FDC for an increase. I just had 2 back Surgeries since last October, and was granted 100% for the Back recently. Are you on SSDI for those conditions, or Medically Retired due to them? What all are you SC for? Please try not to get worked up as this will only make you feel worse and stressed out, neither are good. I have been thru 8 or 9 Re Exams, and only 1 condition was Reduced, which was the Scars. Good luck and keep us posted. God Bless

As most folks know, alot of meds cause ED. ED along with Tinnitus is granted just about as easy as it gets for VA Disabilities. So being that you take the meds, I dont see any issues. Alot of Vets think that you go into the exam and the Doc plays down there, and then asks if you can get and maintain an Erection. That is not the case at all. I had Testicular Surgery, but most of the time the Doc just asks a few questions, and bam it is granted. Sorry to hear of your issues. I just had 2 back surgeries, and I did not know how much a back can effect sexual interaction. Good luck