otey2171

Thank you Berta, My fear of retribution is that I'm 100% IU T&P and that they might mess me around and reduce me.

I've been in severe pain for the last year after the VA attempted a spinal tap. I told them that I had a spinal tap in the past by a private doctor and that floroscopy (live xray)was used and that It was difficult even with xray, to perform the procedure.The private spinal tap was done on the first try. The VA doctor and nurses ensured me that there would be no problems. After 4 attempts without xray the doctor gave up and left the room. They left me on the table, I couldn't get up until my wife helped me up. For the next few hours I couldn't stand upright. During the procedure I kept getting sharp shooting pain down my right leg. I've been in constant pain since the spinal tap. If I try to do any lifting or moving things I get to a point were I can't walk without holding on to something. I'm scared if I make a claim against the VA I'll suffer retribution by either the VARO or the VAMC were I get treated. Should I fear retribution by either?

If someone was 100% and was granted 30% 0n a 1151 claim would they still receive the 100% and in addition receive 30% for the 1151 or would they still be just 100%?

Would I recieve any additional benefits for a 1151 claim if I'm already 100 P&T. I'm IU so I wouldn't be eligible for Aid and attendance or housebound, I believe

I'm 100% IU T&P for other things than MS. I've had a "probable" MS diagnoses for the last couple years. The VA nuerologist put me on betaseron for MS. I don't know what to do. I know that the MS will get worse over time. Should I be satisfied with the IU or should I persue this? I've been out of the service for 15 years but the problems started only after a couple months after leaving the service. I understand the 7 year presumptive period, but the nuerologist says it sounds like the problems I've had since leaving the service was probably the beginning symptoms of MS. The only reason I want to persue this is for the benefits, if I end up in a wheelchair. The housing and automobile grants will help. Also, I know that 100% IU T&P is not always permanent. My swallowing has gotten so bad lately I'm scared I might choke to death. I've had to go to the ER a few times lately to have food removed from my throat. My throat spasm keeps getting higher and higher and eventually I could choke to death. If I do I would like to be service connected so my family would get benefits.

I'm sooooooooooooooooo tired of being depressed. Nothing helps.

When two disabled veterans are 100% P&T and their children are eligible for chapter35 benefits (education) The children can't double dip chapter 35 benefits.

Never expected the 25% increase. Just wanted the reason why we never heard anything or if someone heard the reason they gave for rejecting the recommendation. Was hoping for a diluted raise, such as 5%-10%.

never heard anything after the recomendation

never heard anything after the recomendation

I would like to say that not all of my treatment by the VA has been bad. I currently get seen at the Hot Springs VAMC in South Dakota. The care I get there is great. I have never been treated so good at either a civilian or government hospital or doctors office. My average visit with my primary care physician lasts between 30 minutes and a hour. He's actually a doctor not a PA or nurse practitioner. My wife is a RN at a hospital and can't believe how good my care is. I've talked to other veterans that go to the Hot Springs VAMC and I've never heard a complaint. I believe to a point that smaller VA hospitals are better than the ones in large cities. I've also heard that VA nurses in large VA's are over worked and unhappy. The nurses and my doctor say they love working at the Hot Springs South Dakota VAMC.

Thank you Ricky!!

Treatment at the Denver VAMC. OK here we go. My father was at the Denver VAMC for cancer. His story begins and permanently ends there. From being told by a nurse that he was the first person she had seen that smokes and wears a diaper to being "only in his medical notes" that he needed his highly suspicious lesion in his mouth to be looked at on a "outpatient basis" while he was on a onocology floor. This was repeated five times in his medical records that he needed the lesion biopsied. Long story short he died from oral cancer. His 4 months at the Denver VAMC was a nightmare. I spent every day with him. I can't imagine how bad his treatment would have been without me there to help him. At one point the VA staff left a dead patient in the bed adjacent to him for 5 hours before he was removed. They didn't even cover the dead patient with a sheet. I had shoulder surgery at the Denver VAMC. My surgery was scheduled for 7am. I recieved a call and was told my surgery was moved to 6am. When I was being prepped for surgery I noticed they put the IV in my left arm. Right before the nocked me out I asked why was the IV in my left arm when they were operating on my left arm. They looked confused and read my chart and said that the original 6am surgery was for a person with a right shoulder surgery. I guess I was lucky that the other person was having shoulder surgery and not a amputation. During my fathers last few hours of life I was having horrible problems with anxiety and sleep I asked the mental health department for some help with the anxiety and sleep. They said since I went to the Cheyenne VAMC they couldn't help me. They said just do some breathing exercises. I could rattle on for hours but you get the picture. The one good thing I can say about the Denver VAMC is the treatment that the Fischer House is unbelievably good. God bless the Fischer House for the help they give to Veterans families. I have to go to the Hospital (civilian) now and get my appendix removed.

What VA form do I use to add dependents? I have a 3 month old daughter I need to add to my benefits.

I settled with the VA for the wrongful death of my father this year.

Does anyone regret dropping their medicare? I'm 100% P&T and get all of my care from the VA. I'm only 38 years old and pay the $1200 a year medicare premiums. I haven't used medicare at all this year.

I'm 100% IU P&T, 70% for depression and a few other 30's and 10's. If I claim the SMC K code for erectile dysfunction, is there any chance they could open my file and review everything even though I'm total and permanent. I dread going back on the SSRI's because of all of the side effects expecially the ED. Even with all the little blue pills in the world nothing happens. :) My wife wanted one more child. She was born a couple weeks ago. I guess it's time to end my sex life at 38.

Oneshot, Maybe the regs need to be changed to make mental and physical disabilities the same when it comes to working. If your getting paid at the 100% rate, then you shouldn't be allowed to work. Isn't VA compensation paid for the loss of earnings power? If you are working then you have some earnings power. I lost my 100k railroad engineer job and the good retirement that comes along with it for VA disability and the stigma of being mentally ill. There are days, that are few and far between, which I probably could work. We are all disabled and should be treated equally. People that aren't disabled for mental health reasons don't understand. If the mentaly disabled can't work at all then maybe they should be compensated at a higher rate. In addition, the families of mentally disabled veterans suffer from the disabled veterans. The families should be compensated for their suffering. All I can say is my life sucks. I would love to work and not get nothing from the VA.

Well the other side effect of zoloft got me. Zoloft causes anti-cholergenic problems, reduced ability to urinate(urine retension). Because of that I got a kidney infection. I guess I don't have to worry about breaking my teeth anymore.

Has anyone else suffered from jaw clenching (teeth grinding) from Zoloft? I've taken Zoloft for 4 days and the jaw clenching has begun. I took Paxil a few years ago. The jaw clenching was so bad from Paxil, I broke two molars which couldn't be saved. I don't know what's worse the depression or the side effects.

I suffer from depression and that's the cause of my insomnia. Can someone explain to me why the VA would prescibe trazadone for sleep to people suffering PTSD? Don't people with PTSD suffer nightmares? Rebos, have you been told that trazadone can cause nightmares? Could taking trazadone increase the symptoms of PTSD?

I can't remember the dosage anymore. A side effect of trazadone can be nightmares. I suffered nightmares so severe I couldn't keep taking it.

During my C&P for mental halth I was told to do the serial 7's, in which someone counts down from 100 by 7's 100,93,86 and so on. I've always been good with numbers and made no attempt to lie. I counted all the way down to 2. I still maintained my 70% for depresion and was awarded IU T&P. I don't think they make their decision based soley on memory. I believe they can tell when someone is faking memory problems. Pete I know exactly what you are talking about.

Does anyone have a link to a web site that shows all the states that offer reduced fees for disabled plates for disabled veterans? I'm going to send this to my state representative.

I've suffered from depression for years and three days ago my wife had a baby girl. Has anyone else ever experienced increased depression after their wife had a baby. I know this should be a happy time, but with severe depression this great event doesn't seem very good. I feel robbed of this wonderful time because of my depression. Any suggestions since every thing the VA docs have done hasn't worked