Ronc531

Thank you everyone who has replied to my question!

My neuropathy is rated 10% for each foot which I have no feeling in either foot up to my knees. It has also spread to my hands now and I have to take pain meds daily and see a Acupuncturist weekly for the pain. I also type 2 diabetic and have sleep apnea which I never filled for. this has all been caused by my knee problems (11 surgeries and finally knee replace 4 years ago) I did get max 60% for my knee. I live in Alaska, can anyone recommend a good advocate I can use to refile?

What is P&T? But at any rate there is no way that I can get my wife covered by the VA no matter what? I feel I should be at 100% but I was told by the agency that helped me file for my last rate increase that it was possible if they reevaluated me they could lower my rating and I barely made the 90% and was worried that any change that would result in a lower rating on any of my conditions would drop me to 80%. I have to work to have insurance for my wife and son even though I am 100% covered by VA. But My hands and feet are so bad (neuropathy) that I can't walk very good and my hands hardly function any more. I am only rated at 10% for each foot but it should be max. any suggestion anyone

I am rated 90%, does the VA offer anything for medical benefits for my wife and son?

Thanks for the link, that helped

Thanks, my son is 20, so no child support, not sure about alimony

I have a couple questions, Disclaimer: I know you are not Attorney's and your answers are not legal answers, but I think there has been a few people on here that may have experience with these questions. It seems like I get different answers when I google this but is VA disability counted as income in a divorce? Alomony? Is SS retirement or disability counted as income in a divorce? I think my wife can draw off of mine SS but does it take away from what I receive. Opinion on SS disability, I am 90% VA disabled, 60% rt knee replacement 20% neuropathy in both feet,10% left knee, I also have severe arthritis in both hands and shoulders. I have a hard time doing much with hands and can not be standing or walking for more then 20 min. I have documentation from the VA on all of this even the things that the VA has declined to take responsibility for. Thanks for any advice or insight you can give me. Edit to add that I am 62 years old. I see in other threads that my age may matter.

I take a number of different meds but nothing different for the last couple years. My wife has suggested that maybe something I am taking now has helped but nothing has changed for a while now

I was taken off becouse my BP was to low

Sorry was on only 1 med for my BP, it's been changed throughout the years. I am not blaming the VA for anything. since I started seeing a VA doctor the last 2 years they have been great to work with. Previously not so good but the VA seems to have really changed lately.

I am very sorry to hear about your husband. I have only been seeing the VA doctors for the last 2 years for anything besides my disability, before that it was all private doctors. I do believe I had HBP, but I am concerned about why it went away all of a sudden after 40 years. I've always been told HBP does not go away, that it is not curable.

Thanks, I don't think they messed up. I have been to several doctors and all said I had high bp. I went back and checked what my bp was the last couple times I went to the VA clinic. last September it was in the 140 range and October was also in the 140 range and that was being on my medication. I looked at my last 2 visits this year in January and both times my bp was in the 105/65, and it's been low since then. Something has changed between October last year and January this year. I am happy it has gone down but concerned that there could be something wrong with me that has caused it to go down. My VA doctor was just transferred and waiting to see me new doctor when she gets here.

So I have had high blood pressure for over 40 years and been taking medication for the hole time. I was diagnosed with high BP when I got out of basic training and was in the best shape of my life. I am now 62 and out of shape. it wasn't borderline either, I could tell when I had forgotten to take my medication, i would feel different. the VA gave me a BP monitor at the first of the year so I could monitor it regularly. I was have in dizzy spells when I would stand up or just walking up stairs. when I would take my BP it would read 90's over 60 something. it was doing this for a while so I talk with my VA provider and he took me off all of my BP medications. that was almost 5 months ago and my BP is in the 118/75 range everyday now without exception. I have never heard of this before. I havent lost weight, changed my diet, or started working out. I am not complaining but it is hard to believe that after 40 years my BP is normal now without any changes to my life style. Like I said when i got out of basic training is when I found out I had it and was in great shape I had just went through Marine Corps boot camp. Just curious if anyone else has had this happen?

Love it! I understand what you are saying and agree 100%. The Agency that is working with me are not very good and was good for filing all the paperwork but my wife was the one that had to tell him the code and that I was eligible to get the 13 months 100%, he didn't have a clue about it. I should have taken the time years ago to get my rating increased but, I went from 20 years at 10% to now being rated at 90%. I blame no one but myself for not doing fighting for an increase but everyone I talk with at the VA said i didn't have a chance and I wouldn't go any farther.But again there is no one to blame but myself. when i was going in to have my knee replaced I was hopping i could get a couple months at 100%, I had no idea I would end at 90%.

Thanks everyone for the information. We have been saving the extra, my wife has been concerned that if we are not supposed to get the 100% that they might come back on us for it.