Shadowpr

Yours is a great post, and it makes you sound sincere and human.  One of the worst people to lie to is yourself, "pretending" as if everything is hunkey dorey.  It sounds like you learned from your mistake.  It also sounds like you have a "documented" (medically) history of Suicidial Ideations, in your records.  You dont have to have SI each and every day!
.  Symptoms of depression, PTSD, are known to "wax and wane", that is, you have some days which are better than others.  We all have those. 
Its perfectly fine to tell your doctor, "I have SI today", or "I dont have SI today", and still be rated 70 percent or higher, but, as you pointed out you should be honest. 
    To fix that mistake, I suggest you make a "vow of honesty" in the future.  Yes, there is a cost for honesty.  Sometimes we have to do things we would rather not do, to keep our promises. 
But, I can tell you, fortunately, I learned that "lesson of honesty" perhaps earlier in life than you did, but that does not make me better than you.  I can also tell you that I never regretted telling the truth..even when it hurt. 
      YOU know your symptoms better than anyone.  Therefore, my advice is TWO fold:
1.  "If" you feel your symptoms include SI, then appeal.  
2.  However, "if" you can say you have never had suicidal thoughts, then be content with what is owed you, and apply for an increase, if/when your symptoms worsen. 
     Like yourself, I had/have SI, but I dont have mine every day. 
     VA regulations allow you to tell your VA doc your symptoms on your WORST day.  You dont have to tell them your symptoms TODAY.  Today you may have been to your kids birthday party and had a great time and feel great.  When the doc asks "how are you", I state something close to:  "Better today, Doc.  Last Thursday (give the day/date of your worst day) it was awful.  Then describe your worst day. 
     Vets make the mistake, when they go to a c and p exam of answering "Fine" to how are you.  Then you have to backpedal the whole exam.  Instead, this is your chance to describe your worst day, and you should tell what happened on your worst day. 
      Then, when you have told the truth, you needent worry about a future reduction.  You didnt tell the doc you had SI every day, you tell him you had them on your worst day. 
 

So after 5 years of appeals, I was finally sc for depression. I was rated at 30%. My issue is that I wasn't honest with the doctors or evaluator about suicidal thoughts. 
 
It was stupid, but I just don't trust them enough to have told them. I just found out though that having the thoughts would qualify for 70%. 
 
I looked through my mental health notes and saw at least one time the doctor did mention that I had them. 
 
My question is, should I appeal the decision again and start being honest or just start being honest and file for an increase in a few months? 
 
Thank you.