bassrunnin1

Ditto to what everyone else is saying. They are right on the money. I would like to add that there are some days that you think maybe i could go back to work, but then look at the long picture. Could you maintain that job without losing it, could you get even worse by going back to work when you should not. Like these guys say, your 100% for a reason...and you have to think hard and long to say whether you can go back to work. If you can, then I think that means that you are doing better and I envy you. Then you shouldn't be 100%. I am 100% PTSD and sometimes I have a day where I think that i could go back to work, and then the next hour hits or day, and I realize why I am rated 100%. I could see why I'm rated 100% and there are people on here that have been fighting for years to try to get 100% and rightfully deserve so. If you can go back to work I wish the best of luck. But you can't have it both ways. So you need to do a lot of soul searching.

I think it just really depends on the area your in and how far backed up they are,the tuype of claim you are filing etc. Everyone is going to be different. I filed for PTSD in Aug 2014 and C&P in January 2015...so about 5 months for me. But I think everyone on here is going to have different time frames.

They should be able to pull a lot of your medical records from the VA since they have this sharing thing going on. In my case I had listed the DRs that I was seeing and they had to submit the evidence. Nothing is submitted by u except for that letter once they start getting everything that they need.

I will have to disagree with BroncoVet (sorry), but even though your rating shows only one mental disability, they can piggy back onto each other. Also, where you have quoted I don't see where only one mental health condition has to be evaluated unless I am reading something wrong. In my case I filed for PTSD related to MST. I also was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder when I was admitted to the VA hospital. When I looked into MY BLUE Button, it was interesting to see the RO talking to the C&P examiners. The RO wanted to know if the Bipolar could have been attributed to the PTSD or caused the Bipolar. The C&p examiner stated that more likely than not the bipolar was at least exasberated (awful spelling) by the MSt. Because of that I believe my rating was higher than would have been with the PTSD alone. I probably would have gotten 50% if PTSD was looked at. But because of the BIpolar I was awarded 70%. I guess if your Bipolar was made worse due to PTSD then there maybe a rating change. However, MST comes in many forms, I would believe it would probably be denied based on the info that you have given us so far. THeir maybe more...but the Bipolar must have been made worse due to the PTSD and that is a hard argument to make after all these years. I have Bipolar and understand what you are going through. I went through a very manic episode when my PTSD starting affecting me since often times episodes are triggered by stress. But you would also have to prove that your episodes are caused or made worse by the PTSD and that will be a hard argument to win based on how the military sees bipolar. In actuality, they often use previous abuse against MST survivors stating that their was a preexisting condition to the PTSD/MST and that the MST is null and void because of that. I guess when you think about it I was rated 50% PTSD, 30% Bipolar and 10% PCL to give me the rating of 70%...Not 100% sure about that though.

So I understand, they are saying your retro goes back to June 2014 when your FDC was completed?

Make sure that you submit the VA letter stating you are 80% disabled when it gets to the gather medical evidence phase. I can't express that enough. Took SSDI about 6 months to complete. Not sure about VA tdui...

Did you ever see your results? What were they?

Bassrunnin1: You didn't have a Mental Health DX prior to your Active Duty, right? Was the Non VA Dr aware of your pre-servce abuse and did he opine as to how it contributed to your current condition? Did he/she complete a VA PTSD DBQ for your SC claim? No, I did not have a diagnosed mental condition when I joined the military. When my cup overfilled, I had called the VA crisis hotline and found me a therapist (at that time didn't know about VA therapist). At that time I was really dealing with the military stuff and needed much needed help just to keep me sane. The abuse and stuff we didn't talk about for at least a couple of months of therapy because the military stuff was so consuming at the time. Back about a year ago, I was admitted to the VA medical Psych Facility. It was when I was there that the nurses talked to me about doing a claim based on the MST (didn't even know u could do that since it's not combat related). They said that I needed to talk to a VA counselor about the MST in order to help me personnaly and also for claim purposes. Probably the best advice I had ever gotten. My personal therapist never did a DBQ for me since I had the hospitalization, saw VA psych DR for Meds and started seeing a VA therapist, tried doing Voc Rehab and they kicked me out. So I had a pretty solid case. My Therapist did write a letter to the C&P examiner concerned that the exam would trigger dissociation and may not be able to talk about details, so she helped me write the account so that I wouldn't have to say it outloud. So that helped me as well. Are you availing yourself of the VA Mental Health Services provided by your local VAMC? I was, but the Psych med providers are to hard to get an appointment when you need one. I have Bipolar also and I cycle every 6 weeks or so, so I needed to be able to make quick med changes in order to find the right cocktail to help me. So now I see an outside provider for meds. But I do make appointments with the VA med provider so that I can get the meds from the VA if in their formulary. Other than that no. After my claim was won, my personal therapist in my only counselor that I use. I also use the VA for PHP as well. Hope this answers your questions.

Ok, this may sound strange answer, but I will try to explain using me as an example where I filed for PTSD/MST (military sexual trauma). In those cases you also have to tie a nexus to PTSD being related to experience in military and nothing else. I was fortunate enough that i was seeking treatment from an outside provider. So, in my case I was abused as a child, the military could have used that has causing my PTSD and claim would have been denied. However, when I went to the VA, I only talked about my MST and nothing else because I was at the VA for that. MY personal therapist I used for everything to help me deal with things. Now, if the VA person or C&P exam had asked me about previous assualts or current issues affecting me then I would have had to be honest and tell them, But at the exam they just asked about the event itself, making the nexus for proof. They did ask about my parents and if they were married or divorced. Other than that it was none of the VA business what else has happened to me. i say all this to say: If you want to be successul in winning a PTSD or anxiety claim, then you need only talk about those things if possible and get outside help for your loss and the combination of things that you have been through. If you can not do this then do what you got to do to get better and file the claim and see what comes of it. I just read posts like these and found that to be an issue with MST claims, and hope that will not be the case for you. You can also go at this way, that the loss of your daughter (very sorry for your loss) caused your PTSD symptoms from your daughters death brought everything to the surface. Especially if you hadn't really experienced symptoms until that happened. Then you can look at that way, and have the VA see it that way. you must let your VA DR know that so it can be documented that way. PTSD can come on at anytime in your life if the right things happen to overflow that cup of dealing with all the stuff you've had to go through. In your case the first thing in that cup was your miitary experience. And that they can tie together, because that is the truth. Hope this helps

I don't know if this helps or not, but I filed my SC and then later filed for SSDI. When I got my SC 70% I faxed that over to the SSDI rep who was working my case. He tried to say that it didn't matter, but I totally think that it did. After about a month I got my SSDI approved. Once my SSDI approved I uploaded the approval letter to Ebennies and the next thing I know it goes to Gathering Evidence to get info from SSDI. took about a week and then a week later got the TDUI approved. It's almost as if you have to use the one to get the other to make it easier process...it's like playing one against the other to get what you want....jmo

Did you already have a SC rating. In my case, I started the claim in April and thought that would be my start date and finalized my app in Aug. Well, apparantly if you have a SC then it goes by the date everything is submitted. I thought this was a raw deal myself, since all I had was a 10% for my knee back in 1996. The retro pay would have been alot more. I hope this answers your question

I would list the ones that make you unable to work. Be honest and just realize the C&P for each one that you list.

If it's in Prep for Notification, It shouldn't be long now. Sometimes people see back pay before they see the BBE. You can check on Ebennies under letters and see if it shows anything different.

what do you do about scanning in documents from psychologist who doesn't want to give you records to look at? When you file a "Release" form does that mean that the VA tries to go out and get those records?

Keep us posted...were you able to see anything from voc rehab when you looked through the notes on blue button?

I never had Voc Rehab write a letter for me. I just pulled up my blue button and looked for the discharge remark in the records, I downloaded that section and then uploaded to ebennies under the Other DOCUMENTS SECTION. I think that helped me alot. Sometimes you just got to take the ball into your own hands. If you were taken out then their has to be a comment in the blue button records.

I have heard of people having to do a exam every 5 years or so, depending on the SCD.

as for a tatoo option, you could get like some sort of twisted indian bracelet type design, I'm sure there are things that you could get that wouldn't be to conspicious, I would check with a tatoo artist and see if they have any ideas. But like they said, your kids will be proud that you served and will understand your fight. Kids are very resiliant and understanding at the same time. That;s why kids are awesome in some of the things that they say and do! I know of a teenager that has scars all over the back of her legs from cutting. At this point now that she has gotten that under control, she doesn't care what other people think and wears shorts just like every other teenager (the short ones that every parent despises. Anyhow, when someone asks she just says that she doesn't want to talk about it to friends, but to strangers and such she just says it's none of their business and walks on. It's nobodies business why those scars are their. What matters is that you still alive to be a parent to your kids. I also was in the hospital for Suicidal attempt and the counselor told me one reason to fight is that children are 30% chance of trying a suicide attempt in their life. That got me to thinking that that is not what I wanted to pass on to my kids. It's one thing to think that they are better off with out me, it's another thing that you might be the catalyst for one of your kids lives dying because of what you did. It helped me tremendously and I try to think of that statement when I go down that siippery slope of despair. Anyhow I got on a rant and do apologize, I hope this helps in some form or fashion,

IMO he should go to the VA and get a diagnosis for PTSD then MDD, and Anagrophobia (sp?) would be secondary. They only rate one mental health condition on paper, but they do take into account the other conditions. For instance, I was awarded for PTSD but the Bipolar aspect is what got me TDUI. HOpe that helps

Let us know what happens

What do you mean about 5, 10 and 20 year exeptions? Could someone explain that a little more? ALso, how do you go about getting your meds through the VA, do you have the civilian doctor tell you what you need and then at the VA appointment say what they suggested and have the VA dr write the scripts to get them through the VA, or are there other options. If you could, could you outline those options for me? I'm new to navigating the VA health Care system, except my C&P exams...which everyone was a great help in that matter.

No I didn't go in front of a judge. I live in TN. I know in TN if you collect Unemployment that means that you have to be actively seeking work. However, you could argue that you can't get a job do your condition. Keep us posted on how it goes. When if you ALJ?

I just went through the same process, the VA letter stating that I was TDUI, they just looked at it and it had a huge bearing on their decision, they didn't even ask any questions other than when was I granted the TDUI. Since I hadn't worked since 11/14 and started VA claim 8/24/14. Well because I had been out of work since Nov 2013, they back paid me from then (minus the whole 6 month waiting period) So really the only questions they will have is when you stopped working and why. If you just plainly state that it was due to blah, blah, and military sees me as TDUI and you stopped working blah blah blah. Like I said, the TDUI wins you the case, the judge decides the back pay.

I don't know if this is the right forum or not but I have always used the VA for Psychiatrist and always used outside Psychologist even before my claim was decided. Although I did have to stay in their psych ward last year, I have ptsd and bipolar. If I only had PtSD I could stick with the VA has med changes don't need to made often after the cocktail is worked out. But with Bipolar I am a rapid cycler and I cycle about every 6-8 weeks. It takes to long to make appointments, and my last leg of going to someone outside for meds was when I had to call the crisis line. So I want continue to see this outside NP for meds since I can see her every 3 weeks as we try to get this cocktail resolved. I am afraid that if I stop going to the VA for Psych meds they will reduce me. They have me as 100% T&P, no future exams required. l do use the VA for PCP 1x year for physical and Sleep center for Apnea and that will remain the same. However if I have a sinus infection or such I go to an outside clinic. I hope this helps...thanks in advance...I just don't want the VA to think I'm scamming them or something...however PTSD can get better for some (not often I'm sure) but Bipolar is a life condition and never goes away and the Bipolar was included in my final rating (PTSD/Bipolar) but shows as PTSD since medical can only have 1 illness listed in the final rating. But I was awarded more because of the Bipolar onset due to PTSD. Hope that helps...

I don't know if this is the right forum or not but I have always used the VA for Psychiatrist and always used outside Psychologist even before my claim was decided. Although I did have to stay in their psych ward last year, I have ptsd and bipolar. If I only had PtSD I could stick with the VA has med changes don't need to made often after the cocktail is worked out. But with Bipolar I am a rapid cycler and I cycle about every 6-8 weeks. It takes to long to make appointments, and my last leg of going to someone outside for meds was when I had to call the crisis line. So I want continue to see this outside NP for meds since I can see her every 3 weeks as we try to get this cocktail resolved. I am afraid that if I stop going to the VA for Psych meds they will reduce me. They have me as 100% T&P, no future exams required. l do use the VA for PCP 1x year for physical and Sleep center for Apnea and that will remain the same. However if I have a sinus infection or such I go to an outside clinic. I hope this helps...thanks in advance...I just don't want the VA to think I'm scamming them or something...however PTSD can get better for some (not often I'm sure) but Bipolar is a life condition and never goes away and the Bipolar was included in my final rating (PTSD/Bipolar) but shows as PTSD since medical can only have 1 illness listed in the final rating. But I was awarded more because of the Bipolar onset due to PTSD. Hope that helps...