Ladybug

Thanks guys!! Just looking forward to having the north wall of my house put back together because I don't like looking at siding from the inside of my bedroom and its easier to stand on the floor when there is one. Been friggen waiting on the income so they can move my bed out of the dining room. Hardship claim for IU in 9 months, 4 of which I had raw sewage coming in every day. Whew...I made it through another war....

100% IU with no furth exams! Thanks for all of your support. Peace!

I concur, in most cases the generic can be significantly different and I can tell immediately. I just look up the pill on the pill identifier site I listed and it will say whether it is generic or not, who the manufacturer is and country. Records checker at the VARO...hehehehe

I'm just glad after years of being a guinea pig to the VA's experiments that I'm down to one. I suffer less if I suffer more, is how its worked for me. The side effects were worse for me than just dealing with the pain, etc. I am fortunate that I have anxiety relating to pain and not other types of psychological issues, but I do have to keep my environment mellow and now that I don't have to force my body to go to work I can stay in when i'm freaking out and the world doesn't push my buttons. My dog helps me by signalling me to lay down~go to bed if I'm getting stressed. My pains are incurable and untreatable so the pain meds haven't worked for me and usually gave me migraines anyway. I feel like I will make it longer in life without all of the chemicals, but thats just what works for me. I hope they don't experiment with you too much and hopefully you will be able to convince them that isn't the best route. I've gone in with clinical trial research and they have gone along with that~One in particular worked great but unfortunately the pill was uncoated and my stomach couldn't handle it for long. (Parkinsons medication for fibromyalgia) To stay in the tone of this thread ... I have had name brand pills that weren't generic from the VA, but mostly uncoated generic pills were prescribed. The "allowed" medication varies from VAMC to VAMC so what one hospital prescribes another may not. I do believe that they change where they get stuff from because one year I get one drug and a few years later that one you can only get after you go through a few similar ones without success first. That's just allergy meds. I have so many more examples, being a guinea pig for a while.

I'm surprised that the drug interaction checker in the VA software didn't pop a drug interaction. There have been many times at that a doctor went to put a drug order in for me and the computer spit back out that they couldn't because of potential interaction....maybe they just used the override option. Interesting article from the American Journal about the VAMC overrides of drug interraction checker: http://www.ajmc.com/Article.cfm?ID=4380

I have found http://www.onlinedrugtest.info/reference/ as a good reference site on the manufacturer of any meds I'm taking. Using my link below from www.drugs.com will confirm the shape and markings for the pill as well as list the manufacturer and country then you can go to the above site and get more information. You can go to the FDA site and see any current updates on these meds as well. Hope this helps

I have looked them up on RXLIST.com and www.drugs.com/pill_identification.html for more information.

As soon as the new income kicks in I will be investing in my own Hadit apparel...I'm going to have to get something for snow weather...I saw my first flurries today.

As far as MRI's and films, sometimes they can give you a DVD (only works on PC not MAC without a virtual or rosetta). Release of Information (at VAMC's) may mail you your copies depending on how much printing is involved. I have scanned my hard copies in as PDF's so that I can search through easier and then I can organize the information as needed for other doctors and to help my cognitive crippled-ness look better. If you're really bored you can make Excell spreadsheets too and link the PDF's so they can be sorted by doctor, date, type of boo-boo, vaccinations, etc.... There is also software available that allows you to journal every day of your medical woes so all of the above mentioned thinking doesn't have to be done and the new doctors don't get overwhelmed with TMI. I have had hundreds of pages printed by the Release of Information department at VAMC's and none of it should ever be charged.

Not sure where to post this question. I filled out my VARO ratings for the regional offices I have worked with. I think it's a great idea to have these surveys. I would like to see a survey for the VAMC's. I've dealt with many VSO's as well but the VSO survey only allows for one per person. Will we be able to critic all of the people we deal with during these processes? As a side note...I would love to put Hadit material in the waiting rooms at VAMCs..heehee

I was going to file a tort claim against a physician at St. Pete Bay Pines myself, but was too busy trying to keep my SS and SC claims above water. I'm not surprised to hear about this.

Foggy brain today...So it could go either way I guess. I will be sure to post what happens...any day now they say. Thank you for your input!

Congrats and good luck with the future! Every day is a blessing.

This might be a simple question. I was granted 70% SC in March 2008. My original claim went back to 2002. My POA suggested that I file for IU in March 2008 when my SC claim completed, I did, and apparently it has been approved (she said it looked PT as well) and I'm just waiting for the button to get pushed that sends me the letter and the paycheck changes. My first award with the VA was back in 2003 when I was given 100% IU pension and I stayed on that pension until my SC income was changed this year (When SC began exceeding the amount of pension). I'm being told that my IU claim will only back pay me to March of 2008 of this year (the date I asked for IU). Why isn't it going back to 2002 like everything else did? I asked for IU because i have been IU since 2003...all of my records, VA and medical prove this beyond a shadow of a doubt.

You can put Mare Island California on the list. BRAC 1993. lead, pcb's from 150 year old nuclear sub base. http://' target="_blank"> A–124 Size: 5,252 acres Mission: Maintained and repaired ships and provided logistical support for assigned ship and service craft HRS Score: NA IAG Status: Federal Facility Agreement signed in September 1992 Contaminants: Heavy metals, VOCs, PCBs, pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons, lead oxides, and unexploded ordnance Media Affected: Groundwater, surface water, sediment, and soil Funding to Date: $51.2 million Estimated Cost to Completion (Completion Year): $84.5 million (FY2007)

there is a presumptive period for the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue and various undiagnosed conditions which you may fall into providing where and when you were deployed. I am from the 87-91 Era. Getting an opinion from an outside doctor is helpful, as well as statements from any other group which is researching the illnesses you have. Make sure your POA has entered these into your C-File. Every time you visit the VA Hospital or any other doctor, try to get the same verbage included in your records. If everyone, from every corner including any past visits to ER, doctors, etc. say the same things, inclusive of a nexus statement, you should have enough to support your claim. Make sure if you get SSDI that verbiage mirrors the others. There are many different issues which can be secondary to other primary issues. Try to establish which are primary and which are secondary or "because of this I have this..etc.". Getting a clear group of diagnosis, clear list of syndromes & symptoms and getting a doctor to have input on how each effect your ability to work, function in society, living day to day, etc is not only helpful to managing your life, but managing your claim. If you are multisymptomatic and scattered it is harder for the doctors to help you and more difficult to make a proper claim. If you do not fall into the presumptive category for these things it can be even more torturous. Add the component of cognitive difficulties and you can struggle even more and risk losing your claim. Make sure to document every call, meeting, document, etc regardless of how small. Hope this helps. Email me if you have further questions or want to work out some details. I have all the crazy symptoms too and didn't fall into presumptive category so I know how hard the dance is for this type of claim. Currently 70% SC with PT/IU. 6 years later..... You are not alone.

I get my SSDI on the 3rd (or day not on weekend/holiday). I have been rec bene's from 2004 my bday falls on 9th. So the calendar doesn't seem correct if 3rd payees were the ones rec prior to 1997. Just my 2 cents...

Thanks tssnave !

Congrats! Good luck in the future!!

Helps with muscle cramping, some pain, attitude adjustment when dealing with VA redtape processes and definately nausia. I have a GERD problem caused by the medications they've "tried" on me. I have a swallowing problem as well now. Days may go by and I cannot eat solid foods. Making a butter (infused mixture) is the best vs. smoking for me. The VA has only asked that I not smoke cigarettes. THC is not a water-soluble compound, so butter would naturally be a good carrier substance for injestion. The leaf of the plant doesn't have as much THC. http://veteransformedicalmarijuana.org/ http://norml.org/ Prescription medications have many physical side effects. Alcohol and narcotics can be addictive. There is no evidence of MJ causing addiction or having side effects. Thanks to those who understand that the VA health care system may not have the best answers, especially with regards to those of us with mysterious illnesses caused by unknown issues with no cure that leave the veteran with little options to help provide a quality of life that he/she deserves.

I got word, October 7th, from my POA that my claim for IU was approved. The file had been sent to my rep 5 oct 08 and returned the next day to the VA. Apparently, the file had not been "scanned back in" to the VA three weeks later...(they are in the same building..amazing). I've been trying to get the claim expedited due to hardship because of daily raw sewage problems and the fear of my home being condemned. The claim dates back to 2002. With all of the rating changes I've been through since 2002, how do I ensure that the back pay amount is correct, when ever it gets here? Is it possible to get some sort of break down of the calculations?

I have a tinnitus rating of 10%. I had a virus which caused me to lose 45% hearing in one ear fora few months until they did an exploratory tympanotomy and scrapped some buildup off on 2 of the three bones in the ear. My hearing came back completely within three weeks post op. I don't know if you had the same situation, but I thought I would mention in case this is correctable for you.

I have Chronic Fatigue/Fibro with knee prob's, shoulder prob's, herniated discs lower back which also affects the back to the right hip connection which is chronically pointing out and up. Gabapentin/neuorontin ("moron"tin I like to call it), Oxy, vicodin, don't really touch these things and end up creating more problems for me like headaches and migraines or adding to my difficulty in sleeping or adding daytime sleepiness to the mix or just generally making me feel nasty. Sometimes depression/anxiety can be secondary to chronic pain which can circle around and make pain worse. I found pool therapy, heat 15minutes (no longer than that) then ice pack 15 minutes(no longer than that) can actually help better than meds depending on the type of pain you are experiencing. Yoga type stretching, keeping water intake up, daily life maintenance consiting of regular meals (good foods not processed foods) B vitamins, magnesium (vitamins in 2-3 week sessions with break periods), etc... I have found when dealing with my chronic pain that doing the same therapy for too long wether it is physical therapy like, prescription medications, diet, etc. that the body starts fighting it and may even get worse. The best therapy I've had the most success with was leaving the country and changing my diet and excerise routine completely. I ate a primarily vegetarian fresh food only diet, got away from white flour, white sugar and pissed off white people. I walked every where versus taking the easy route. I had my big fat hamburger once or twice a month. I lost 20lbs and also stopped having the need for allergy medications and even my asthma reduced to almost non-existant. Even the bread I ate was a conscious choice because if you ask me nothing we eat should last two weeks like our preservative filled grocery stores like to sell us. I had a significant increase in my overall health and only had to take a pain med in rescue situations where I was really desperate and couldn't push myself through. I found the pain meds more effective but I still don't take them within 6-8 hours before bedtime. After returning stateside and allowing myself some fast food and chocolate cakes again I went back to my old eating habits, put back on the 20lbs, started having the pain all over again. I still try to find bread and fresh vegetables and substitute fish and chicken for red meats but once you start feeling bad those carb-craving moments make you eat bad creating a viscious cycle. They won't watch your diet for you at the VA. I am a brisket loving Texan and it saddens me to say that diet is everything when it comes to controlling my pain and fatigue and that brisket time is few and far between. When I came back to America everyone looked fat, acting loud and disrespectful and it was quiet the culture shock for me. Having the weight back on makes me feel bad after feeling so good for the few months I was gone. I went from using a cane to walking up to several hours a day by changing my diet. It may not work for everyone and my family doesn't understand why I wont pig out on the pork any more but I know I feel a whole lot better when my body isn't trying to fight chronic pain and the crap I have been known to put into my mouth. Good by cinamin rolls hello better night sleep without drugs in my system. I spend a lot less money on the grocery bills because I eat smaller meals now. Maybe it could work for you too. Taking white sugar out of your diet for a month can make a big difference including that which is in prepared foods, breads, etc. Try the whole grain breads and switch out anything with white flour ingredients. Use honey as a sweetner not aspertame, equal, sweetnlow stuff or diet sodas. Make sure your environment is clear of stressful people. It will all lessen the pain. You could even go a step further and have a homeopathic or chinese herbal medicine person take a look at your tongue. Problems in your body can reveal themselves in how your tongue looks. Many doctors are starting to take the more homeopathic route to treatment for chronic illnesses these days but it takes will power to change your diet. Just my 2 cents....