Rockhound

It is not a clear side effect, it is an adverse result of being on the medication to long. This type of medication should never have been perscribed for long term treatment, as it had been done in my case. Rockhoound Rider :D

I understand the importants of being our own safety advocates, but I am just now becoming aware of my limitations in this regard. I have demonstrated severe executive cognitive dysfunction that impairs my memory abilities, in such a way that I am forgetful of things or more to the point find myself procrastinating a lot in my daily life. This impairment makes it difficult for me to see that things needing to be done are, even when I have written myself reminders to do these things. Unless something in conversation, from everyday life, or even as an after thought, I find myself even forgetting that I have written it down or that I am able to follow through at times. I stopped driving because of my medications, for fear of forgetting to check the oil and water and even for gas, even though my gas gage works. I was even having a difficult time remembering to pay my insurance every six months and only until I got the late notices, was I able to find myself paying the bill. These are but a few problems in my everyday experience and I am considering a fiduciary to handle my bills at least. I wrongfully depended on my VA Dr's as I would a civilian Dr, who had to consider malpractive if he did not consider the type of medication he was giving his patient and for how long it would normally be considered relatively safe to be taken. Since my VA Dr's, not one of them seemed concerned for the length of time I was on this medication, I wasn't either and now I am having to deal with ulcers that I had never had to be concerned with before. Each time I went in for a routine follow up exam every three to six months, the Dr, my PCP should have noted the length of time I had been on this medication, further knowing the longer I was on it, the likelyhood of any one of the bad side effects was a cirtanty. Being bounced from one PCP Dr to another, you would think they would review my medication and seeing that I had been on this medication for so long, something else should have been considered so I wouldn't have the problem I have now. Sorry for the rant, I'm just mad and out of sorts because I spend nearly as much time in the bathroom this past week, as I do awake. I'm beginning to feel better, but that's only because I'm back to liquid bland food and my intestines have nothing else in them. Tomorow I go in to report my condition to my Dr and get checked up to make sure I am OK and get my stomach meds renewed. I guess I am only trying to say is, that not all of us are capable of being our own advocates in these matters, the VA Dr's knowing my medical, psychological and cognitive problems, should pay more attention to my medications and their effects, but I guess that may be to much to ask of them. Rockhound Rider :D

Thanks to you Wings. Everytime I am exposed to such information as this, it gives me more insight into how the VA tries to justify themselves in not following the spirit if not the law when it comes to Veterans claims. It also gives me additional food for thought in my own search for a just claim result since my first claim upon my discharge from the service. Thank you seems hardly enough. Rockhound Rider :D

Not that I want to rain on your parade, but OMG!!! five years for a claim of tinittis. It's a good thing you are getting retro pay for the claim. You deserve more than retro to have to wait that long for a decision on such a simple claim that only gives you 10%, you deserve a medal and cirtificate of achievement as well. Congratulations on your win and more so for your stick-to-it-ness! It only took me about nine months for my 10%, but it was for an increase of a SC fractured nasal bone and deviated septum, but of cource it took several denied claims over a 30 plus yr span, but it goes to show you that if you don't give up, even a 10% win is sometimes a great achievement. I'm glad to see that you also were able to get an additional award along with this win, every dollar won helps you along the way should you find it necessary to submit any additional claims, whether it is for an increase or for something that is only now showing its ugly head from your time in service. Relax a little and injoy life a little without thinking of the VA now. Rockhound Rider B) B) B) :D :) p.s. the last funny face is for the VA.

I am giving my prayors up to the great spirit, that he will give Skunk the strength, in this time of his need. Rockhound Rider :D

The condition for which I was proscribed Neproxen was not for a SC condition but for a NSC condition for pain and inflamation. I have several pain issues associated with osteoarthritis, DDD, DJD, Pain associated with Neuropothy, and pain related to problems as a result of Sarcoidosis. I did find the Schedule for Rating Digestive problems, but it will take some figuring out under what rating I would have to apply. I guess it will depend on what the Dr's wrote up on my last Hospital stay as to what, where, and possibly how the ulcers occured. Got to run! Rockhound Rider :D

Berta: This is not related to a SC condition, but I do not know what type or how to rate my ulcers. I have never had ulcers in my life till now and don't know if these type are currable or whether their might be long lasting problems with them. I just know how I feel now and I may be looking at another stay at the hospital to get me back to where I can eat and drink without these gastrointestinal problems. Can you at least give me some direction on where or what I would look under or for so I could see If my problems are ratable? Rockhound Rider :D

I am wondering if I would have a neglegence claim against the VA Hospial for keeping me on Naproxen to long. One of the known bad side effects of long term use of this medication is ulcers and if not caught in time could cause death due to ruptured ulcers of the stomach or intestines. After having been admitted twice for gastrointestinal problems, they finally found out I had ulcers and only then did they take me off the Naproxen. On Monday next, if I can manage to wait that long, I will be going in for the third time for these ulcers, I am once again having gastrointestinal problems. although I am managing to keep food down, I have had near continues diarrhia for a few days. To get into the hospital I must arrange transportation three days in advance, so unless I get any worse I will for go calling an ambulance, which is way to costly. Even though they finally took me off the Naproxen, they should have known, that I should not have been on this medication for so long, do I have any recourse. Rockhound Rider :D

Now that my MRI and EEG are over, I don't know which is worse, waiting to have them done or waiting for the written results. All I can do is try and keep myself busy and my mind off it for now and remember to take my pills like a good little, well like my Dr wants me to. LoL That reminds me, time for my nightly meds, Oh Boy. Rockhound Rider :P

However you go about it, Just like in your other claim, your still going to need a medical opinion that provides a nexus of your SC ankle to everything else or any truama you had in service. Evidence of the injury alone will not get you anywhere. IMHO Rockhound Rider :P

I know if you are hosptitalized for a SC problem you are can get a 100% award temporary if you are in the hospital for a certain period of time, but I don't know if that extends to if you are sent home for rehab and recouperation, but not released to work by your Dr. If the award for the hosptilization does not cover this time, then maybe a temperary award for IU would apply? Just my thought on the matter. Not sure this helps of makes for more confusion. If you look up the pertinent regulations for awards for hospitalization, their might be something that may help. Rockhound Rider :P

vaf: You stated, "My question has to do with a veteran's deviated septum. The veteran has been denied service connection for this condition, as the VA has called the condition congenital or developmental. To get your claim to fly, you are going to half to rebut the VA's findings with evidence that the deviated septum was the result of his time in service and since it can't be congenital or developmental, unless you can show it's progression was faster than would be normal, then you are left with proving it was the result of trauma. A history or playing contact sports is not sufficient to show an injury to the nose unless you have evidence of the injury, whether it is from medical records or from lay evidence that state unequivically that they witnessed you getting a severe injury to the nose for which you did not seak medical attention for. Even then with out a medical opinion to help support the lay evidence, it will be an uphill fight to win. IMHO I would suggest that you get at least some Xrays or if you can get one, a CT scan of your nose and sinuses. You may be able to ask and/or talk your PCP into one or both, but the CT scan would be better. If it shows a previous break of you nose or indication of trauma, it will go a long way in providing the evidence you nead to support your claim. One thing that is important to note, Claims of a deviated septum that cause obstruction to the nasal passages must meet the standard of 50% obstruction to both nasal passages or 100% to one nasal passage. If it does not meet these standards then I don't think your claim will fly, what ever your evidence is. I could be wrong, but that was how I was able to win my claim, but I also was able to prove the trauma to my nose and the cause of my deviated septum with at least 50& obstruction to both nasal passages. The highest rating allowable for that is only 10%. Although should you win this claim, you could then seak a claim for secondary issues for the chronic sinusitis and rhinitis. Their again you will have to get an expert/ENT specialist to say that it is as least as likely as not that the obstruction from the deviated septum is the cause of the conditions. A medical treatese showing the coorlation between obstructions by deviated septums are a known cause and/or exacerbate these conditions would also be of help. You might also be able to add your Sleep Apnea as having its root cause do to the nasal obstruction causing you to breath through your mouth causing you breathing passage to dry out leading to the problems associated with sleep apnea. What ever you do, getting an ENT with a background in sleep apnea on your side is utmost of importantance to your claim, IMHO. Rockhound Rider :P

I get sent to an outside MRI provider because the VAH does not have one big enough for me, so what does this outside provider do first, they try to put my big round body through a small round hole. Seeing that this wasn't going to work when they almost got me stuck in the darn thing, they moved me to the open model like they should have done in the first place. It felt like I was in that machine for an hour, but it could have been a little less. Results should be sent to both my Neurologist and my PCP in a week or so. I'll be on pins and needles until the results are in on this and my EEG, which should be in sooner. Will keep you apprised as to what the results are. Not holding my breath, but I hope their is something of note to help my claim along. Rockhound Rider :)

I'm having an MRI of my brain that I have been wanting done for some time now, but up till now, I couldn't get the VA to co-operate. Now that I have their co-operation and an appointment date, I'm having moderate anxiety while I count the wating time down to the actual MRI procedure. I've had them before and haven't had this much anxiety. I know it's not a normal response, but I can't seem to shake it. I guess it's a two edged sword. I'm hoping at one point that they find nothing, but at another point, I'm hoping they find something to indicate or show something that can be related to my head injury while in the service. I dearly need something to help support the neuropsychological test results that support and injury to the brain due to trauma, but without some physical proof of the injury, I'm worried I will have a very steep uphill battle with the VA over my TBI claim that has thus far been denied. So I take an extra pill for anxiety and one to help me sleep and hope I don't work myself up over nothing. Rockhound Rider :)

CG: I hope I'm not the one to Jenx the time table the Iris letter said, but in my experience, when the VA says 2 to 4 wks. I think they are really saying 2 to 4 months. I hope you get your claim letter sooner than later and hope all will be what you were asking for. Rockhound Rider :)

Great point. I was thinking how the VA would look upon it, this points out how realy wrong it would be to try and collect on both fronts. One fraud would be that you are saying you are able to work and on the other, you are saying you are not able to work. There is no way you could justify receiving them both at the same time. Rockhound Rider B)

I've read this post a couple of times now and one thing became very clear to me. everyone is refering to SMR and the like in their C-file that may not be a part of his/hers medical records. In researching my claim for a TBI I suffered while in service, one thing became clear to me. That the personality disorder I was saddled with during my first benefits claim, it was clearly the result of the TBI and not a currection for the psychotic episode I had suffered prior to the TBI and before the C&P examiner made his opinion of a personality disorder. What made this clear to me was when I was doing my research of my service personel records, post service employment, schooling, and other non medical records. Put in a time line, you could see how my time in service showed no such problems with personality, also that personel evaluation with above average, training and schooling marks were average or above average, with the exception of one point two years prior to my pschotic break and TBI, I had an exemplerary career which was on track for an additional tour of duty. Yet afterwards one problem after another arose with a history of depression, poor abilities in school, inability to keep up with the technological aspects of my jobs, and a constant problems with sleep difficulties, memory and consentration, etc. If the C&P examiner had read my service records, it would have been hard for him to justify a personality disorder, but without them, it made it easy for him since the TBI as we all know now, can have a dramatic affect on ones personality. So If you have any evidence in your service records, school and or Training records during and after service, personel records during and after, budy statements, etc. These too should be made available to your IMO if it is relevent to your condition/problem. In otherwords, don't just rely on medical records, non medical records can also be of evidence to your claim and or condition/problem. Rockhound Rider B)

Talk about playing with fire, don't expect the VA to spread your over payment over a period of time. You are expected to report any income the month you receive it and then your next pension check will be reduced by that amount. To do otherwise could be looked upon as fraudulent reporting of extra income by the mear fact you do not report it as soon as you receive it. As to thinking the VA would forgive you this type of indebtedness, your more apt to be charge for fraudulent reporting these days with the ecomomy as it is. If your Pension is more than your unemployment, then I wouldn't apply for the extension of unemployment benefits and I would sit down with a VA finance rep and get your pension account straightened out as soon as possible or you might either find your pension cancelled or it reduced by more than you would want it to be and putting an additional hardship on your finances. Don't try to shuffle things around so you can get more money each month, it will come to bight you back down the road. I had a similiar problem when I was approved for SSDI and it was more than my pension. I reported it as soon as possible and they stopped my pension the next month. There was, in my opinion a bit of a overpayment, but the VA didn't bother to come after it, IMHO, since I reported the extra income immediately. I hope you take the high road and get this straightened out right away. Rockhound Rider

Like I said, my filing system is nearly non existent, but I was finally able, by pure chance, to find the statement one of my previous Psychiatrists put in my electronic medical records concerning their opinion as to me having a personality disorder, so here is what the progress notes state. "56 year old male with adjustment diosrder. Pt's old military records were reviewed. To clarify the prior note, the first incident with the "spiked punche" was a seperate from a few years later when he was inpatient for "acute schizophrenic episode" where he was catatonic for 2-3 days and then resolved. He also sustained a head injury when he fell in the shower while impatient. Pt has no recollection of being brought to the hospital or circumstances leading to his hospitalization. The only memory he had was being in the shower when he fell." "One report said he thought he had a personality diosrder. Today a brief screen of borderline, dependent, antisocial, and schizotypal personality disorder were done. There was no obvious evidence that he meet criteria for theses. MMPI was done in 2005, there was no report of personality diosder during that time either." This of course is the meat of the note she wrote. It is also of note that the medical treatment summery of 1973, also mention conducting a battery of neuropsychological test, of which the MMPI was but one of them, there to, was no mention or diagnosis of a personality diosrder given. I had my EEG test today also and It doesn't appear on the surface that it will be of any help, but I will have to wait a week or so for the report of those results to be written up and I can request a copy of those results. Will keep you updated as my evidence portfolio grows. Rockhound Rider

I looked up my last claim that mentions the Cerebral Concussion. It lists it under DC # 8045, so I wonder if I should continue the claims process using this DC # or should I use a Different one that more represents my current problems or if I would be allowed to do so without a Dr. making an opinion that the old DC was wrong or inadequate to proper represent his condition? I also noted on my Navy Medical Board, that the DC # given for the cerebral concussion was DC # 8500. Rockhound Rider

That's basically what I am saying. Knowing that you must attend a C&P exam and the examiner gives a differing opinion/diagnosis, but fails to support his diagnosis by finding/showing the prior diagnosis was made in error, does this mean that the evidence is in equipoise? You have one opinion for one diagnosis which supports SC and you have another with a differing diagnosis that doesn't support SC wouldn't this one for and one against mean that the decision should be in favor to SC for the Veteran? Without the all important statement from the differing opinion/diagnosis that the prior opinion/diagnosis was made in error, then wouldn't the evidence be in equipoise? Rockhound Rider

The following is a part of the write up of the discussion I had with the Individual who conducted my Neuropyschiatric testing, on the results of this testing: and a summery of those test results. “I met with Mr.XXXX on 7/2/08 to discuss the results of neuropsychological testing. We again discussed his history of having successful performance in the military prior to the time that he was hospitalized in a military hospital and sustained an injury to his nose. With possible frontal lobe linjury. Mr. XXXX has been frustrated over the years that he has not been able to secure service connected disability. This has been based on the past diagnosis by a ratings examiner (1974) of a Personality Disorder." "It is my opinion that if Mr. XXXX has a personality disorder, it is most likely an Organic Personality Disorder stemming from the brain injury in 1973. Neurology notes from that time document the neurologist’s opinion that EEG findings indicate some degree of frontal lobe pathology. Personality changes are frequently noted after a frontal lobe injury and they can be even more disabling and prominent than cognitive changes.” (The examiner has a Phd. Since she is working with the psych teem, I am assuming she is a psychologist} . DIAGNOSTIC SUMMERY: 1. Mr. XXXX is attention and memory abilities are basically intact. Test scores show significant executive dysfunction. 2. Given the course of history, it is possible that the deficits found represent the sequelae of the brain injury he sustained during the military service. Changes in mood and personality functioning may represent an Organic Personality Disorder stemming from the brain injury. Military records show that his performance prior to the injury was satisfactory. 3. Mr. XXXX has numerous , chronic health problems that impact negatively on his physical and cognitive Functioning. When I went to this testing, I provided the examiner with documents of my schooling and personnel evaluation during service, along with other supporting documents that showed I had no problems in service, that my problems only began after my acute psychotic episode and the minor cerebral concussion. The paper trail history supports this and the abnormal EEG test support some type of frontal lobe injury. It’s a known fact that the frontal lobe region of the brain controls ones personality. Not that I’m going to be over joyd to find anything possiiv, but I hope my upcoming EEG test and MRI show some indication of the injury I sustained to my frontal lobe. I won’t be holding my breath, since these tests do not always show problems, when in fact there is. Just thought I would clarify what I have been saying about my neuropsychiatric test results and the evidence that supports me reopening my claim for the TBI/Cerebral Concussion.. EEG and MRI pending, and final report from Neurologist on their findings. I also have a statement from one of my prior treating Psychiatrists basically stating that have observed me over a period of time she can conclude that I do not have any personality disorder that meets the standards of the DSM IV. Which goes toward supporting that any personality disorder I might have, is more likely to be the results of the TBI. (still trying to locate the progress notes, since my filing process is sorely lacking in orginzation.) Any recommendation on what other areas I should cover to support my claim would be most helpfull

Thanks all. I was kept busy in town today and plan to spend tomarrow on the phone long enough to get an appointment. The paperwork I have gives me from now till April to use the Fee basis form, I guess normally they would limit the time, but they put it in writing for a reason, I just hope they aren't giving me a longer time because they foresee me having a problem finding a private lab that will do the MRI. My only other concern is that my Nerologist only ordered a simple MRI and I wonder if it should have been some other type of MRI. I guess I should make an inquiry of the Lab what they feel would be the best type and or range of MRI and then make sure the Fee Basis will cover it, prior to finallizing an appointment date. Rockhound Rider

What is a DFAS Mypay account and how do you access it? Rockhound Rider

IMHO: Since the Veteran submitted an informal claim and the VA acknowledged it as a claim to reopen and instructing him what they needed before the could procede formaly, the date of the informal claim applies as the EED. Rockhound Rider