Through the looking glass

i just wanted to add to this conversation. I recently had the same thing, my retro was split into multiple payments, and even showed up that way on payment history one ebenefits and in my letter explaing my benefits and retro.  I have no idea why the VA did it this way this time, but it all worked out in the end.  I hope you find some answers in your case that will help put your mind at ease.

through the looking glass, my Stimulator is working really good for me.  Are you retired military?  If so you would qualify for Stimulator.  They make you go thru physicological testing.   Not sure why.  I geuss so some dr makes money off it too.  But has Buck said they let you do a trail .  In the the trial they put these little wires up your spine.  They are really small.  And they program the remote  and they tape the implant on the outside of your backside.    You can control the remote yourself.  But if you get at least 50% improvement you are good to go.  But I will tell you I have more improvement now than I did with trial.  I did get a new bed to.  And it has helped even more.  My problem now is my back gets very tired.  I’m just taking it slow.  And I’m thinking of doing some water type exercise to help  restore some back muscles more and my core muscles.  If you ask your pain doctor they should know about it.  Look on internet on Boston Scientific.com.  Good luck, With whatever you decide.

https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5143
The BVA changed it's site a little and now has an appeal tracker Tool:
 
https://www.bva.va.gov/
( I have learned probaby most of what I know abouty VA claims, by reading VA decisions- awards and even denials are a wealth of info and hold legal citations for their rationale.)

Hi all,
 
I won my BVA a few months back and was granted SMC-l for aid and attendance.  I feel things went smoothly, but I guess having a lawyer who knows what they are doing can make that happen.  Life has been tough medically for me the past few years, and this win was just what I needed to lift my spirits.  I’ve struggled with my AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis) becoming super aggressive and really interfering with my quality of life.  My PTSD/Anxiety/depression/OCD has been very bad in the past year as well, and I recently put in an increase for that, so I am still waiting on that development.  My husband and I are contemplating applying for the caregiver program, but I’m not sure I’m ready (emotionally) to admit I would need a program like that.  I’m pretty stubborn and would rather suffer than admit my body is failing me 🤷🏼‍♀️.  Anyway, I love this group and I am so glad to have a community to go to when I need help. 
side Note: my retro came in multiple chunks, like 10 different amounts 😂.  When I went to look at my bank account, it took me a few seconds to figure out what had happened.  

That is interesting about your retro.  We had another member say the same thing.  It is a deviation from the norm.  
Glad to see the your got your AA.  God bless and I hope that things slow down on your AS.

I am rated with PTSD and Major Depressive disorder as secondary to PTSD.  I’m sorry you’re struggling with therapy.  Years ago I decided to try the VA mental health clinic that’s local to me and had an awful experience. After that I refused to receive MH care through the VA.  I see an outside psychiatrist and therapist now and have done so for years.  My current therapist is doing EMDR with me, which can be rough, but has helped me in so many ways. Best or luck and try not to worry too much (easier said than done right!). Keep us updated on how things go.

Buck, 
 
.  “most of us are in denial with it as it is....or at least I was for years and years  and its likely as to why I am having a hard time with it   which rings true for many Veterans”
 
this is so true! I was in major denial for the longest time.  It wasn’t until I found a great psychiatrist that really put things into perspective for me that I realized that what I was going through was PTSD.  I honestly went through life thinking I was crazy, with the paranoia, nightmares and anxiety. Luckily, I now have a support system that helps me. I’m still young (36),  but I hope that I can find some healing, so that going out with my kids isn’t such a big ordeal, or so that I can finally sleep at night.  I do have days that I feel good, but they are rare, most days I feel like a train that’s lost control of its brakes and barely makes it through sketchy turns alive.  I was also in denial, because I’d rather pretend I’m okay than deal with the trauma.  
PTSD is such a giant monster for any individual to deal with. Having groups like the people on Hadit. And anyone willing to listen without judgement is huge!  I hope that one day we can have a solution for PTSD, until then I feel like each day is just about survival, if I survive than I did well. 

Buck, 
 
.  “most of us are in denial with it as it is....or at least I was for years and years  and its likely as to why I am having a hard time with it   which rings true for many Veterans”
 
this is so true! I was in major denial for the longest time.  It wasn’t until I found a great psychiatrist that really put things into perspective for me that I realized that what I was going through was PTSD.  I honestly went through life thinking I was crazy, with the paranoia, nightmares and anxiety. Luckily, I now have a support system that helps me. I’m still young (36),  but I hope that I can find some healing, so that going out with my kids isn’t such a big ordeal, or so that I can finally sleep at night.  I do have days that I feel good, but they are rare, most days I feel like a train that’s lost control of its brakes and barely makes it through sketchy turns alive.  I was also in denial, because I’d rather pretend I’m okay than deal with the trauma.  
PTSD is such a giant monster for any individual to deal with. Having groups like the people on Hadit. And anyone willing to listen without judgement is huge!  I hope that one day we can have a solution for PTSD, until then I feel like each day is just about survival, if I survive than I did well. 

@Buck52
I am going to ask you to seriously think about my next sentence.
Have you ever known a single veteran whose PTSD has improved so much that the VA has decreased their rating? 
I don't mean a vet with 50 physical problems, some of which got better, I mean PTSD improving so much it takes a 20% or 30% dip in symptoms?
I am going to bet the answer is no, or that veteran is not telling the whole story about why their rating was decreased.
Do what you said, don't worry about it. Try to improve. You are old enough the VA is not going to come after your compensation based on age alone. They would have to have found out that you were defrauding them, which I know is not true just based on what you post on here and have for a long time. No one could fake this that well for that long. LOL
 
 
 

I am rated with PTSD and Major Depressive disorder as secondary to PTSD.  I’m sorry you’re struggling with therapy.  Years ago I decided to try the VA mental health clinic that’s local to me and had an awful experience. After that I refused to receive MH care through the VA.  I see an outside psychiatrist and therapist now and have done so for years.  My current therapist is doing EMDR with me, which can be rough, but has helped me in so many ways. Best or luck and try not to worry too much (easier said than done right!). Keep us updated on how things go.

excellent way to move forward.
i would like you to consider putting together your evidence, including the VA's indifference and efforts to deny your claim and contact certain female members of the U.S House and Senate. Political affiliation is not the metric, but their proactive histories on this issue is. there are several who have made this an issue and a couple who flat out refuse to do more than give lip service to these crimes. The latter act like many of the men in congress and I find them repulsive for doing so.
I understand that you may not want to make this a public issue, and if you choose wisely with the female congressmen (sorry congresspeople just sounds afu) they will keep your privacy while bringing pressure on Wilkie to get this done and your case properly rated.
you have evidence which puts you far ahead of so many others in swatting away claims it is a he said she said situation. that is your nexus and the va is actively harming you. that must not be allowed to continue for you and every other victim of MST and in fact for every other vet the VA chooses to actively try and deny.
Please consider it. any action you take to further unmask the problem will help other MST victims.
 

First I am sad you have had the experience in the first place. Second the VA is like the monkey F'ing the football.
I hope your rep is good but please point them to this OIG report and the actions required.
The VA knew it was doing a bad job with MST and made changes to address than and then screwed up the changes. Those OIG  reports are solid evidence in your favor and in fact depending on the contents of your File, exam notes, etc you may even have a case to claim they were Seeking Evidence to Deny your claim which is a big bozo no-no.
I wish you luck and please keep us informed on your progress. It helps others knowing what works and what doesn't for each type situation.
 

C & P examiners are one of the biggest reason for denials.
I am waiting for a copy of the actual postumous exam that was incorporated into a denial on a 1151 claim I had pending.
After receipt of my CUE the VA reversed to an award in mere weeks- less than a month-
But the evidence list for the denial noted a VACO cardio  review in detail, that supported my FTCA case and also this specific claim. it is difficult for me to accept the C & P rendition in the denial, and I asked for a signed copy of the actual C & P and the examiner's qualifications.
There is no one in  the VA's C & P list who has the extensive expertise that this VACO doctor has.
When I get the copy of the actual C & P , I am sending it to the Secretary of the VA.
If I dont get it,. Wilkie will get what the VARO put into the denial, that it said. Maybe my RO made the whole thing up.
It is absurd that vets have to obtain IMO/IMEs that can be quiet costly in some cases, to prove their claims to the VA . However that is often the only way to succeed.
A good IMO /IME doctor will follow the IMO/IME criteria here at hadit and also point out the deficiencies in any bogus C & P exam crap you get.
 
 
 
 
 
 

I mentioed recently that I was contacted by the Accountability Office  VA AO WB, due to a complaint I filed at the WH hot line this past June.
In my recent submission of evidence to them- I mentioned how many of us  get lousy C & P exams -that often force vets and survivors to obtain costly IMO/IMEs before the claim will properly succeed. Every postumous C & P exam the VA did on my husband for the past 24 years was  not only faulty but they omitted the probative  evidence to support the claim. 
But this is  not the prime issue I have with the Accountability office.
It would be great if veterans or survivors of veterans ,who get a C & P exam that is faulty-complain to the Accountability Office:
https://www.va.gov/accountability/process.asp
Their email is in that link.
If I am asked for more info on the C & P situation by them, I have my past C & P info to send to them as well as the fact that they ( my VARO woud not even read my $4,000 IMos from Dr Bash. The BVA did and awarded)
They also witheld the autopsy frm a C & P doctor and withheld it from General Counsel, until I found out. The autopsy was my most probative evidence for wrongful death( I had no IMO for the FTCA case)
I have a copy of my H VAC testimony on that.
But my actual complaint is what I want them to resolve. It has nothing to do with lousy C & P exams.
It would be great  if others would file a complaint with them in their email,if they get a deficient C & P exam tat denied your claim..
Tell the OAWB as well how much it cost you to get a real doctor prepare a solid IMO/IME to get a proper resolve, if that was what you had to do.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Good luck Sir.  I hope this medication works for you.

stimulators are good for some people but its not for everyone. Try  to put a battery on
your ass for life and sleep on it. its not a good rest at night. No more MRI can be done
because of this . I had mines 5 years some good in it and some very bad stuff is in it too. I
use it about twice a month but its there for life unless u get it remove good luck.

I am not sure if this falls under the Choice Program, which is being changed:
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/06/06/trump-signs-55-billion-bill-replace-va-choice-program.html
But in any event I suggest you call the White House Hot Line for Vets at
855-948-2311
Tell them exactly what you told us here and give them the names of whoever denied the outside medical care.
The Choice Program is a mess, as the article above states, and vets need to complain to the WH.
You are not asking for a lot- amd I am sure that long ride to get the injections is not pleasant.
It might take time to get the WH response. It was over 3 months since I heard from them on a complaint but about a completely different VA matter.
Well worth the wait because of where they sent my complaint to.

you said your spouse was SC also, yes? 100% P&T? that would give you champva and you can see non va MD's w/25% copay for proper evaluations
 
it helps a LOT to have an MD on your side that way

Go to release of information, ask them for copies of all of the consults in this chain for care. That should give you everything that they have on who and why the request was denied. It could be something simple as a blood test needs to be done or as bad as someone dropped the ball.