Ask Your VA Claims Questions | Read Current Posts
Read VA Disability Claims Articles
Search | View All Forums | Donate | Blogs | New Users | Rules
Andyman73
-
Posts
1,802 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
18
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
VA Disability, benefits, news and more.
VA Benefits News
Store
Posts posted by Andyman73
-
-
-
BroncoVet,
Just gotta say, as a life long "nice guy", I had a sweet young thang ask me if I had any brothers, or if I knew where any other "nice guys" were. I told her that most of them are married, cuz they settled (most of us "nice guys" are settler's you know). Said you won't find them in the clubs, cuz the women there don't have time or eyes for "nice guys". Then I told her personally I've been told that I'm too nice to date 25X more often than I ever was told that they would love to go out with me. She said why not, you're so nice. I just looked at her, then it dawned on her what she had just said.
Jimmer,
Just got to say, it's a whole lot easier to work through the whole VA maze without someone who is standing in your way, not supporting you, or cheering you on. Or telling you what a loser you are, and why you want to game the system like a lazy moocher.
Not that I know what that's like, since that's not my experience, I mean, having a supporter, that is. But here, ya got lots of supporters!
-
Will do, I will be up there sometime in the next week to 10 days, and will get copies of ALL MRIs they have on file.
As for the pain, Gastone, I don't want it gone before I get answers, since that seems to me that would make it easier for the VA to deny.
Oh, pain? What pain, you not having no pain, see, we made it go away. Therefor you have no claim, cuz you have no pain.
-
Jimmer,
Guess she didn't appreciate your service to our country, huh?
-
Oh, well, I sure don't want go there, just want to be "gruntled"!
Why is it that anyone who has real authority or legal standing, can't see what we go through? Goes right back to why suicide rate among Vets is so much higher than national average. And why so many of us feel like we have no where to go or turn. The VA is turning so many of us "away" from the care and services we earned, by denying claim after claim after claim.
Yes, we go to all our appointments, and ask questions and so forth. But when it comes time for a claim, and C&P...it becomes "Oh sorry, Andyman, there is no nexus or DX or treatment of symptoms in your SMRs showing this began in service. Oh, so because the AD military drs chose to ignore, or not treat our complaints, it's not really there, even though it's in the SMR once, twice, or more.
Hey look at me, when I'm talking to you!!! Can't you see me??? ( arms waving ) I'm standing/sitting right in front of you!!! Here I am, what about me??? I'm not a number or a statistic, I'm not invisible.......I'm not a ghost of what once was.....Hello?
Hello?
Anybody there?
Why can't I see myself in the mirror???
-
I think Groucho hit the nail on the head when he said "I would not want to belong to a club (VA) that won't have me as a member."
I wonder how those medical types face themselves everyday, when they deny a Vet any kind of medical care, considering the Hippocratic oath states first and foremost, "first do no harm". Hey I'm a Dr. working for the VA, let's see how many Vets I can mistreat or misdiagnose today!
-
-
I do have copies of the MRI reports but is that enough? Or do I need the actual images too?
-
pwrslm,
You so funny! An aspirin a day....LOL!!!
No sir, try 2-3K mgs of ibuprofen a day. And for many years I just associated the pain in the waist as a part of my low back pain. And it may be coincidental that it became more apparent after being taken off the NSAID and put on tylenol.
How do I get the actual MRI images to take for an IMO/IME? I already have L5/S1 issues documented by VA and AD imaging.
2 hours ago, silverdollar22 said:Andyman, Quick question, Are you trying to tie your cervical problems with your lumbar issues? Just wondering because i'm in the same boat only my lumbar region is tore up with 5 herniated disks and now it seems to be traveling up to my cervical region and i was thinking of trying to tie these two together. Hurt my back lifting a generator set in the mid 80's and had also fallen down some steps in Germany in the 90's!!! Damn those steps!! LOL!!
silverdollar
I'm trying to get the neck as primary, since I did have a lot of pain in my neck right after my fall. But there was no obvious injury to my neck at that time. And 800mg horsepills of Vitamin M masked most of the pain anyway. Yah, that first step is a lulu, as Bugs Bunny used to say.
I've have problems with my knees since that day I fell, which equals 23 years of limping, which certainly would affect all the joints above and below. But not that the VA will recognize that.
-
-
Hoss,
I completely understand the issue of lack of spousal support. I get the same at home, except on the first of the month, then it's great. Otherwise I get the "why you always going to the VA?" Or "I wish you would quit messing with those papers" my STRs. I said, "you never complain about the money every month, should I quit that too?" She's always complaining about me being on the computer, either here on this site, or va.gov. Well, when am I supposed to be on, when I'm at work? I only have a little time before and after work, plus break time and lunch. But it's fine for her to be on her iPhone all the time. But really that's my fault too, I got it for her last Mother's Day.
However, she would NEVER call the VA. Or private doctor either. I do find it rather interesting to read on here about the lucky few who do get support from their spouses, and wonder how my life would be if I had that too.
Keep fighting the good fight, and maybe try to accept that she don't understand. How can someone who hasn't walked in our shoes understand?
Semper Fi.
Andyman
- Gastone, flores97, TALON II FE and 4 others
-
7
-
-
-
13 hours ago, ArNG11 said:
Gastone, well shucks, Im just paranoid and egocentric, maybe a little of both, I should read more carefully. I am a little 
. A little
??? Are we being honest? Lol! They don't have one that best describes me! Mine would have to represent something like "out in left field" or something like that! LOl! Gotta run, incoming call from Fox Mulder, could be important!
Semper Fi.
Andy
-
Me again, bet some of you are getting tired of me, right? I know I sure am!
Anyway, I have an appointment with pain management for consult and/or treatment for pain in my lower back. More specifically for the pain in the illiac crest region, Physiatrist referred me to them recommending injections in my lower back to treat the pain in my waist. My concern is this, will this impede any claim for pelvic region pain, if the injections work and eliminate the pain? I had a C&P exam back on October 30th, for this, but at the time it was filed as hip pain.
During the exam I kept pointing everywhere I felt the pain, as examiner was moving my legs. As it turns out, it wasn't my hips, since I was pointing to what I now know as my illiac crest areas. The illiac crest is the bony plates in your waist area between hips and lower back. And the pain is coming from there, most likely where muscles are attached. And he was recording the ROM and it put me in 30% or higher rating block. Afterwards I couldn't sit up with out his help.
I'm trying to get someone to tie it down to something, either lower extremity related, or back, for a secondary claim. The physiatrist was quite intrigued by the whole thing, since I already tried the physical therapy and lasted only 3 sessions. Therapist was disappointed at the lack of improvements and didn't want to make things worse. He's on my side! Lol. Physiatrist said this kind of pain is more common with patients who were in a head on crash where their knees were driven back into their waist. Or with major muscle injuries in the back like deep tissue lacerations or major blunt force trauma. But since I fell down some stairs, 23 years ago, and have had over 2 decades of knee, feet, ankle and back issues ever since.
And this illiac crest related pain only showed up after my PCP took me off ibuprofen due to effects on bp, and switched me to tylenol. We all know what that means, right? No more anti-inflammatory benefits, since Tylenol is not an anti-inflammatory. I firmly believe that is when I first began enjoying this new pain sensation, and it was masked by the ibuprofen previously.
Anyway, any thoughts, opinions, and suggestions are welcome.
Thanks,
Andy
-
1 hour ago, Navy04 said:
As stated above, it can be long and over whelming, but standard as anything else. Just go in there and go thru the motions. When I got diagnosed with TBI and later Post Concussion Syndrome last year, I saw a handful of DRs and multiple Brain Scans and Nerve Tests. Good luck and God Bless
I will do what I can, thanks.
-
Vync,
Maybe you could be my other "twin" brother.
Yes, my MH examiner had no concept of Military service and the demands put on us, whether combat was present of not. I mean, come on, what point is it to teach a Marine how to shoot to kill with an open iron sight at 500 meters? What point is it to teach same said Marine basic fighting skills via pugil sticks to simulate hand to hand with rifles and same with fixed bayonets? Or hand to hand with and w/o K-Bar??? To make me a better aircraft maintenance type???? No sir, every Marine is a basic rifleman first, then what ever his/her MOS is comes second.
So, yeah....I sure ain't no Chesty Puller, but still...
Thanks for sharing that link, I did look at it, and it does bring a glimmer of hope.
flores97,
No, my SA isn't SC yet. My MH examiner stated sleep issues, but I am struggling to get past the outer markers to begin my approach to land a SC for it.
Okay, thanks, I was starting to wonder if that letter would be enough...since I've already had a claim full of evidence denied, I don't know how that would be enough to stand up against the wall of claim denial.
-
I have new news....my neuro exam is scheduled for March 24th. They said it would take about 3-3.5 hours.
1 hour ago, ArNG11 said:No I get you and the reference. I was just trying to figure out how Dr. Who would relate to Star Trek. I mean warp speed is something and maybe taking a bird of prey at maximum warp around the sun, but the Tardis can go anywhere, anytime, any galaxy.
I suppose it would relate in the same fashion as the Marvel and D.C. universe run congruently. I guess.
-
Daleks are the alien beings in the cone shaped mechanical bodies that are out to kill the Time Lords, namely Dr. Who. Body snatchers, the invasion of, a Donald Sutherland movie, a remake of a '50s classic, I believe. They took over your bodies, or maybe it was the Pod People??? Hey, sci-fi and X-Files was my bread and butter in my youth.
Yeah...you're welcome.
-
BrokenSoldier and OCDMarine,
My sleep issues haven't been SCD yet. I have been treated by VA MH since July of 15, who DXd me with MDD. He hasn't delved into the issues that go along with that, and I'm beginning to wonder why not. However he did just refer me to Neuro for the all day exam experience, TBA very soon, I hope. Same for the chronic pain. I first got hurt in November of 1992, and received my first SCDs dated November 1998. So the chronic pain started in November 1992. The sleep issues started the following year, as did the drinking and depression. It culminated with a suicide attempt at work, in early spring 1994. But I had drank my self unconscious numerous times before and after that point. That got me an alcohol related incident, an Article 15 and 3 weeks of ETOH outpatient treatment. Night sweats have been a fun part of my life for near 22 years. Clenching and grinding my teeth as well.
So now I content with a gov't entity that tells me that it don't matter because some pinhead refused to see the forest for the trees and wrote that he can't see how a minor leg injury could possibly lead to depression. But he did say chronic sleep issues and alcohol were contributing factors. And the RO says they can't grant SC because it appears marital issues and legal issues are the root causes. I guess getting married 6 months after I left the Marines qualifies as root cause to issues from the past(AD time) and one legal event qualifies as legal issues, which also happened during AD years.
And now I got to go to pain management for injections in my lower back for pain, that certainly isn't chronic in nature or as a result of falling down the stairs 23 plus years ago.
-
Vync,
I delayed entry in Feb of 92, shipped out in Nov of 92. I grew up as an Army Brat, so had regular dental care care of US Army dental types.
Hmmmm....causative events....possibly falling down the stairs on November 21st, 1992, aka day 5 of boot camp, where I injured my back and knees, and other parts too. February of 1993, may have been when I fell out of the top rack and bruised one of my heels.
But keep this in mind, at my MH C&P back in November, the examiner disregarded my extensive med history in regards to chronic pain, and opined that he couldn't see the link between a minor leg injury and my MDD.
Also, do you think that I should have the DDS rewrite the nexus letter to make reference to the chronic pain issues as cause for clenching and grinding?
Thanks.
-
See, now here is what really gets my goat. OCDMarine, you said your VA MH doc referenced your chronic pain as a major cause of your MDD. May I ask when you first got hurt, when did the time line of "chronic pain" begin for you? I sure could have used your VA MH for my C&P exam last fall!
I was DXd with MDD this past July by who is now my treating VA MH therapist. At that time I don't recall that he directly linked it to any of my pain issues. Now here is a quick little back story on me. I fell down a flight of stairs on November 21st, 1992...which was only the 5th day of USMC boot camp for me. I went on to serve all 6 years of my enlistment, and received SCDs of 10% low back pain/sprain/strain(depends on what day of the week it is) and 10% bilateral patella-femoral pain syndrom. Also 10% for pain/residuals L ankle injury. All which were treated during my AD years. I have been receiving prescription NSAIDS and non-NSAIDs from the VA ever since.
Last year I got the back increased to 40% and the knees each an additional 10%, and 30% for pes cavus w/plantar fasciitis bilateral as well. All lead back to injuries that were treated while on AD. I am in the process of a claim for cervical spine w/radiculapathy from the same fall.
Last fall I filed for depression secondary to chronic pain. The examiner opined that my MDD was more due to other issues, to include chronic sleep issues, and not my chronic pain...which was very well documented, I might add. Even the RO told me that she could not go with the physical medical evidence and grant me the MDD secondary, since the examiner chose to ignore the evidence. I guess over 23 years wasn't chronic enough in my claim.
OCDMarine, I wish you all the success!
Semper Fi.
Andyman
-
CaravanDan,
Get some!!!
Semper Fi
Andyman
-
Gastone,
You cranky old TeufelHund!!! Doing push ups!!! You one tough old MF!
You mentioned CO2 retention. I have a lab slip in my SMR that showed a level of CO2 in my blood that was high enough to get their attention. But nothing ever was done about it. You know how that is, if we don't mention it to the doc, then neither do they. Could that be evidence pointing to some type of respiratory/sleep disturbance?
I looked at your SA denial letter and saw that in their either/or line, and it jogged my foggy memory. I know it most likely won't be "the golden ticket" but if it's at least a tin or copper ticket...just maybe...what if?
No sir, try 2-3K mgs of ibuprofen a day. And for many years I just associated the pain in the waist as a part of my low back pain. And it may be coincidental that it became more apparent after being taken off the NSAID and put on tylenol.
Gastone, well shucks, Im just paranoid and egocentric, maybe a little of both, I should read more carefully. I am a little 
. 
PTSD and Wife
in PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Claims
Posted
Jimmer,
Eggsellent! Hope the next phase goes quickly for you!
Vync,
I got the same, to some extent. I hardly ever complain about my aches and pains, it falls on deaf ears. But I must be ready to listen when hers bother her. To her defense, now, she has has bunion surgery on one foot and is facing same for other, in the future. She was only 36 when she had that done. So, her aches and pains are legitimate.
As for your last line, Vync, I won't even go there...will just leave it at this...I can not even fathom the idea that anyone would do that for me.