octdevildog

Can any vet tell me if I have a claim with this? In 2006 after a few years of back pain an orthopedic doc shot my lower back up with cortisone, xrays were taken but no MRI, all documented paper work VA already has. Recently found myself in bed unable, 1st time in my life i was physically unable to get up out of bed, after a few hours i made it to the shower where i had hot water on it for about another hour. I went to a new ortho doc and he gave me some steriods took xrays (not a VA doc) the steriods helped but pain remained. The doc suggested i get an MRI, so we can get to the bottom of my pain. So using my VA bennie's went and got an MRI, it showed degenertive disk and a herniated disk as my PCP at the VA said. I am awaiting my records and images to take to my ortho doc as I've expirenced already how the VA tends to downplay a persons injury or pain. Then my PCP at the VA said oh well lets see if it will heal itself, I've had this sort of back pain for nearly 10 years! Its all documented. So Can I....... claim a herniated disk even though it was not discovered until now. oh yeah i got out in 2007, am only 31 and feel as if i'm living in the body of an 99 year old with my aches an pains. Thank you for any information you can provide me. Also thank you to whoever made this site, as it has provide me a wealth of information, as well as some of my USMC fam who had no idea where to begin or just had general questions....... Thank YOU!

Soon as i get the envelope, the only reason i know this is i was at the Vet Commission office yesterday and asked what was going on with it.

Hey Vets, just wanted to let some of you know that my request for increase has been completed somethings were granted others i have to go back to the drawling board. Good news is that i went from a 50% to 80%. The bad it should be more i was already a 30% for PTSD and that did not get an increase even though on the shirnks scale they use they said i was a at a 50, and my hemmiroids were not considered services connected (i was in when they came up), and my knee was not service connected either. So the good news is that i did get a back increase and overall increase in compensation. Now i see what some of you who have delt with the VA for some time are talking about with having to fight with them. So looks like i'm going to resubmit for stuff or appeal, its kinda upsetting, but seeing how many of you have fought for so many years and to here your stories of triumph are what keep me pressing on, knowing that they (VA and Govt) should be doing right by us and not trying to short change us, provide us the vets with the proper compensation and medical care we deserve. Well thats all for now!

a witness!

Thank you to all who advised me, but let me tell you what for the 1st time i had a real P.A.(physicians asst.) who knew my pain. He too has back problems. (i'll get to that in a minute). But first it was cold the last couple of days before the exam leaving me a stiff as a board and sore as all holy hell. I was then in the portion of bending and moving, the doc ask me to touch my toes, then i bent over as far as my body would let me before tears would start, he then said you can go farther and pushed on my shoulders. (Not sure if he's allowed to do that but, i felt pain like no other). Well after that we talked he ask if i had a "tens" machine. I had no clue, but he told me what it was and said hes been using it for a little over 2 months now and says it helps a lot. Has anyone ever used one? It sends electronic pulses to you back with these pads. Anyway after the torture of the exam, i woke up the next morning and could not get out of bed. my wife had to get a heat pad, after an hour i was good enough to move, but i can not understand why i have this back pain, they said the only thing i have is some spacing issues, but i can feel pain at all times, and i have not been comfortable since i can remember. Well thanks all have a great holiday.

The problems scoliosis of lower back L4 and L5, i have CPS throughout my entire back, i'm rated for upper back problem i have a bone spur on were the neck meets the back inoperable(can not be scraped) i have siadic nerve problems on my right side. Somedays i can not tie my shoes and just wear the ol' slip ons. at night i have pain in my back that makes it impossible to just lay down and sleep i usually take ambien and still wakre up with pain. i have lots of pain walking or hell even standing still. In 2007 the pain was so bad i felt that my back locked up and went to the doc and got a cortizone shot in like 6 different places on my lower back. My question is (is there anyone who had a spine c&p) whenever i go to c&p's it always seems as if I'm bothering the evaluator, and i feel rushed and leave things out. I want to be takien care of and get my back rated all of this is documented in my medical jacket and have several private doctors opinions about my back issues. I have completely forgot what it feel like to be comfortable and have no pain. Oh and i have purchased 3 different matteress over last couple of years hoping it was my bed, but later being diagnosied with scoliosis by the VA themselves. Sorry this is so long but it is me reaching out for some help and answers. Vets i pray for us all! Thanks

Wow awesome information here, thanks for posting all of it.

well now i have the answers, whenever the RO gets off its lazy humps and sends it to the C&P office they have 30 days to schedule you from the time they get the claim.

yeah thats what they tell me, and you know what its bull to even find out anything because the phone service with the VA is the worst. they never know what's going on with your claim and there best answer is there still working on it. ahhhh found it the VA is supposed to have you set for a C&P within 30 days of when the claim gets to the RO. it used to be 60.

if your a gwot vet your claim is to be expedited, so that is wrong i know that much about afgan/iraq vets. So from 2007 of Dec a year later going on 13months is unsat.

I submitted a claim for my lower back after being diagnoised with scoliosis, that was mid october i even called in November to see if i was getting a C&P, well now i get a letter from the VA saying will see mid Dec,...this is such bullsh*t i've had a claim pending since May 2008, my frustration with the VA is now getting to that point. I now see what some of you older Vets mean by "they'll screw u if they can". And i would not even want to know what was done before computers.....sweet christ that must have been a mess. I know some of you have waited so much longer i just hate being jerked around. I do all the leg work even double check things, only for the VA to blow smoke.

All i think he is trying to do is get a message out there, in America look how quick the average citizen forgets major events, ask someone what 9-11 means, some may look at there watch, some may say they don't know, but people have placed it out of there minds. Americans like to live the dream and not be confronted with the nightmares of the past. Steve is using a current group of people like Iraq war vets because that is still fresh in peoples minds. I'm sure he is not discriminating against any other vet, but is using a tactic that is more efficent at getting his message out there. So ease up, people are out there trying to help us, maybe its not your war there displaying but they are out there for vets, and a vet is a vet no matter what war. GW1-- close to 200 deaths Vietnam -- over 60,000 deaths that were confirmed, there are still many missing And what about Gettysburg? A vet is always and will always be a vet not matter what war he or she has fought in.

I looked at some symptoms and i have them all, including scoliosis that was never there before i joined, but is there now. Does anyone know if this is happening to others? If your a Gulf War vet can you tell me what you did to find out or make your claim, because i'm hitting on all the symptoms i can read about.

If his heart and lungs can be related to the PTSD then sure, put in a claim for it all apperently they have plenty of money to piss away on all this b.s. research they do, with no eval, and have consultants come in for 1 week and get 107,000 dollars so why not put a claim in for it the worst thing they can say is no. then you can appeal that.

okay very good point, i did not come from that time frame. my MRE's had m&m's in them can i claim obesity because of that?

Great article i just read thought i would share with you what happens to docs who whistle blow on the Gov't. And see what happens when Doc's start to care for VETS, the VA, is in need of an overhaul. Please if you can take a moment and read over an amazing article about a great Doc trying to help fix us vets. http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Is...id=oid%3A696352

While its somewhat a u did it to yourself, i was a smoker who quit because of headaches caused by my ptsd the nicotine would instantly bring on a migraine. I still want to smoke but know if i do my head will explode or it at least feels that way

In the coming weeks what used to make me so happy eats at me, for some reason now it starts early in Oct., and continues through to Jan. My PTSD clouds my judgement, suicide is a constant thought that i know i can not let run me or i will die, my irritiablity is from 0 to violent, i have extreme road rage and do not ever care my weapon with me for fear of not thinking straight and some xxxxxxx doing something. As Christmas draws near i climb into myself i do not care to share with people, what should be a joyous holiday season is pain for me. I remember when it was simple, i was an innocent kid with my life in front of me, now i think of my friends who are not here, and the ones who have lost there family, and how its not fair that my friend left his wife and daughter behind, and i would kill myself right now so he could be here. He was much better man then me, xxxx this is hard....anyway bro i know what kind of shit your feeling. Do not take the xxxxx way out (excuse my language, but it how i stop it from happening to me). Think of that boy and woman, my wife and i can not have children so feel bleesed. I think of this board as my online shrink! Brothers and sisters a lot of us new war vets will need your support to make it through another tough time, as well as the old vets who can share stories, and ways to cope. Thanks to all of you, who are each others crutches allowing us to lean on, and make it 1 more day.........1 day at a time bro!

This is a good way, but they are set up by regions, for example if your in gods waiting room (Florida), you can wait for a long, long time once 1hr 15min., But i have a cell phone with a northeast number time wait 2 to 6 minutes everytime. My home now in TX i have waited 45 mins and other times it goes right through.

Smells like Victory!

Jag officers are great for military law, other then that go to a real attorney who spends time with real legal everyday issues, not NJP's and Court Maritials. Most of these Jags are just pushin for rank anyways, real attorneys are out there making it happen for people they defend. Now are there some good Jags yes, but for the most part if your a good lawyer why wouldn't you be at a firm? That is the goal right to become a partner. And as we all know in the military your guilty until proven innocent. So when it comes to VA matters get a Lawyer who practices Federal Law, or specializes in VA matters; these lawyers might cost you something, but if they get you the result your looking for i'm sure it is worth it.

Any medical treatment you seek even if you share in an open setting with others is considered confidential. If they record you one of two things need to take place, (1) they ask for your permission and get a consent form from you giving them permission to study and use the film. The (2) is if they do not get a consent form, and you find out they did this you need to contact a lawyer.

I;m way to new to the VA to tell you I understand, but i can tell you that the Marine in me says never quit. Keep striving, keep pushing, you will get the results your looking for maybe not over night, but it will happen. From what i learned on here a lot of people have been screwed over, but no one should just quit, if your messed up and they did it or caused it, well then they should compensate u for it. Good luck

yeah i line up with the 70% area with symptoms, I hope for the best and am prepared for the worst, not to get my hopes up with these people. Considering my exam left out half of my problems.

I seen the doc last week for C&P exam, seen my shrink today, he said that on the scale they use; leveled at 0-100, the doc but me right at 50. My shrink said most people who fall under that are recomended to be hospitalized. Does anybody know about this scale they use. Anyway back to my exam i told the examiner only half the stuff i needed to, 1st he was 15 mins late then when my time was about up in the middle of a sentence he said well i got all that i need; i almost went off the deep end, but knowing that won't help me much i said okay. Hopefully this is properly rated. Or maybe i should have gone off to show him my 1st reaction. Well going back for a scoliosis C&P in a few weeks.